Treating your acne can be an overwhelming task what with all of
the medications available these days. The best way to find
treatment for your acne is to first learn about your skin. There
are 3 main skin types. Knowing what type of skin you have is the
first step to effectively controlling your acne. If your skin is
oily a gel product is best; if it is dry, you should choose a
cream based product. People with sensitive skin should choose
products with lower concentrations of active ingredients.
It may be best to visit a dermatologist when choosing acne
treatments. With so many different factors affecting what causes
acne and there are so many treatments to choose from you may
feel more comfortable getting the help of a professional when
making your decision.
If you would rather control acne your own way, understand that
it is very important to read all labels and always, always use
as directed. As with all medications, educate yourself on any
side-effects or warnings.
Acne treatments are available in several different ways
including:
- Prescription Medications - Creams and Gels - Facial Masks -
Topical Treatments - Over-the-Counter Treatments - Home Remedies
Prescription Medications
Oral antibiotics (tablets), taken daily for around 3 months, can
be prescribed for inflammatory acne. These pills act to kill off
the bacteria infecting the skin. However, it may take four to
six months for the benefits to be seen. For women, a standard
combined oral contraceptive pill (containing an estrogen and a
progestogen) can improve acne symptoms. Antibiotics do not
prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent
blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed
at the same time.
Creams and Gels
Lotions that contain benzoyl peroxide dry out the skin and
encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Benzoyl
peroxide also has an antibacterial action. Together, these
effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for
infection to develop. When used as directed, these products can
make a big difference to the overall appearance of your skin.
Facial Masks
Facial masks can be a great addition to your basic skin care
regimen by offering extra deep cleaning and exfoliation to
troubled skin. Masks send a concentrated dose of proven acne
fighters to your skin and deliver them deep down. A good facial
mask can act to keep even the most troubled skin clean and
clear, reducing the frequency and severity of breakouts.
There are several benefits of using clay masks. As a facial clay
mask dries it tightens the skin, shrinks the pores and naturally
pulls excess oils and impurities such as whiteheads and
blackheads from your skin.
Topical Treatments
Topical antibiotics work by killing the Propionibacterium acnes
bacteria. This helps reduce the small infections in the pores,
and also indirectly keeps the pores open.
Over the counter Treatments
Over-the-counter remedies are available anywhere from your local
pharmacy to the grocery store and are intended to treat mild to
moderate acne. These treatments include the creams and gels
mentioned previously.
Home treatment
It's important to keep spot-prone areas clean, so wash the
affected area twice a day with an un-perfumed cleanser. Never,
ever pick a zit! This could lead to scarring as well as spread
the infection. No home treatments for acne will work
immediately. It can take weeks, if not months, for significant
effects to be noticeable. Never sleep in makeup and wash your
face in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go
to bed.
About the author:
Ashley Green has extensive experience in the Dermatology field
and shares his knowledge openly on his very resourceful site
Proactiv Skin Care
Solutions at
http://proactiv-skin.info
