A Brief Look at Acne Treatment

Acne Treatment is available by the dozen in several retail outlets and medical stores. Some claim to work wonders, while others promise results almost instantaneously. However, do you ever stop to think what these products are or how they work? What are the active ingredients in a particular medication? What are the possible side effects? Before you begin to use any of the treatment, you need to arm with necessary information, so that you can make an informed choice.

Benzoyl Peroxide

Acne is caused by the P. acnes bacteria and Benzoyl Peroxide targets these bacteria and kills them. This is the most commonly used acne treatment and is considered to be among the more effective ones in the market. If you are suffering from mild cases of acne that's non-inflammatory, Benzoyl Peroxide is considered to be extremely effective. Since it is safe for use on both adults and children, it is preferred over the other kinds of treatments.

However, there are some minor side effects of using Benzoyl Peroxide. It can cause dryness in the skin. If you experience too much dryness, give some recovery time to your skin and then, using a lower concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide, try again.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid works best on acne that's non-inflamed and it begins by exfoliating the dead skin, thereby keeping the pores of the skin clean and preventing clogging. With no debris blocking the pores, your chances of getting pimples and blackheads fall drastically.

The side effect of this acne treatment is that it can cause skin irritation in some form or the other. Users have complained of problems like dryness, stinging or burning sensation, and flaking and peeling of the skin.

Antibiotics

There are several antibiotics that are prescribed by the doctors as acne treatment for patients who suffer from moderate or severe acne. These antibiotics work on the P. acnes bacteria and stop them from multiplying and spreading in the body. Even though they show results faster, antibiotics aren't really preferred by a lot of people because of the host of side effects they bring with it. Upset stomach, discoloration of the skin, susceptibility to dizziness and photosensitivity are some of the common side effects.

Some Dos and Don'ts for Acne Treatment

Now that you know a little bit about some of the more popular treatments for acne, you need to pay attention to some important points before you start the course of treatment.

• Be patient and allow some time for these treatments to show results. Normally, you'll be able to tell the difference after 2-3 weeks.

• After you start the course of medication, be consistent with it. Do not miss the dose or skip days. The efficacy of the treatment will fall if you are not committed to it.

• We all hate acne, but that's no reason to double the dose in the hope that your acne is also going to disappear at twice the speed. That's not going to happen. What could happen is that you may have to face a lot of side effects.

Acne Research - What it Involves

Acne research is an ongoing process throughout the world. It is part of dermatology studies. One major issue that is extensively being researched on is the treatment of the disease. Some of the treatments being researched on include antibiotics, laser surgery, viral therapy, hormone suppression and benzoyl peroxide among others.

A new research that was published in U.S.A. In May 2004 showed that a specific bacterium is associated with severe acne. The research determined that propionibacterium was becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. The research suggested that antibiotic treatment may become less effective in future. British researchers have also discovered that a laser that is used to treat skin problems such as wrinkles and scars is effective in treating acne. These findings were published in The Lancet.

An acne research at the University of Leeds revealed that bacteriophage; a virus that is naturally found on the skin can attack and destroy the bacterium that aids in the formation of acne. This has only been tested in the laboratory and is yet to undergo clinical trials on human volunteers. Research is also ongoing on the drug isotretinoin that is effective in treating severe nodular and cystic acne. This drug has been linked to severe depression, psychological dysfunction and suicide. The study on this drug focuses on the chemical triggers that the drug affects. Studies also focus on the ways to make the drug safer for patients.

Through acne research, dermatologists have come to the agreement that the three-step solution is effective in treating the disease. The first step involves the use of Benzoyl Peroxide as an exfoliating agent that removes dead and dirty skin. The second step is when a toner is used to fight the bacteria. The third step involves repair and prevention where the Benzoyl peroxide cream is allowed to stay overall day. This prevents the recurrence of the infection.

Acne Treatment Review - Let Me Help You Decide Which Products Will Get Rid of Your Acne Forever!

It doesn't matter if you've just begun struggling with acne or if you've been an acne victim for many years; trying to find an acne product that actually works for your skin can be an impossible and daunting task. As an acne sufferer myself, I would like to give you an acne treatment review about acne products that really work.

Many times, people don't know what's causing their acne, so acne treatment needs might vary. For some women, it's just a matter of switching makeup brands. For some men, it's hormones. Either way, acne is acne, and there are some products and treatments that will work for you no matter how your acne is caused.

1. Cleansers: I won't say one cleanser is for everyone; some people need just a soft cleaning solution to clean off oils, and others need cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide. For mild to moderate acne, I recommend Effaclar, a cleanser from the French company La Roche Posay. One bottle runs a little over $20, and it lasts a long time.

For a strong mild to severe acne, I recommend Proactiv, as this is what I use every day. It does contain benzoyl peroxide, which helps rid your face of acne.

2. Spot treatments: There are many spot treatments available for acne patients, beginning from your typical tube of 10% benzoyl peroxide, which you can find for cheap at Walmart, to the more expensive prescription medications such as Retin-A and Tretinoin cream. Be careful when deciding which of these you want to go for; harsher acne treatments can dry out your face and leave you with flaky, scaly skin and stripped pores, which will not help your acne in the least.

When in doubt, go for a product that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, as opposed to harsher prescription medications.

3. Dermatological treatments: The last acne treatment review topic is the most expensive. Though effective, treatments like microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser treatment all take a toll on the pocketbook. If you're thinking about starting slow, a mild chemical peel or microdermabrasion treatment is your best bet; unless you have severe acne scarring, chances are you won't need dermabrasion or laser treatment.