Acne: Answers Now!
Acne Answers Now...
There are an abundance of prescription medications used today to help clear acne. These include topical (apply to the skin) and systemic (works internally). Below, you will find information about most of these medications.
Light Therapy is another option for many with acne. It is FDA approved using a narrow-band, high-intensity blue light. Read further for additional information about this.
Light Therapy for Acne
Blue-Light Therapy is a high intensity blue light therapy for treating acne. This is probably the best known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P.acnes,and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne treatments.Blue-light products do not contain UV light, which was used before to treat acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.
Patients receive blue-light therapy in sessions. Usually, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary skin color changes, swelling of the treated site, and dryness. Many patients notice improvement, depending on the type of acne you have.
Clinical trials show blue-light therapy appears to improve acne vulgaris in some people. This therapy appears to be most effective against inflammatory acne lesions.
Pulsed Light & Heat Therapy (LHE)
This treatment combines pulses of light and heat, which is believed to be effective against two causes of acne.
Dermatologists know that LHE destroys P.acnes,the acne-causing bacteria. LHE may also decrease sebum (oily stuff) by shrinking the sebaceous glands (where the oily stuff is made). LHE combines pulses of green light and heat and it has been approved by the FDA to treat mild-moderate acne.
ALA & Light Therapy
ALA is short for 5-aminolevulinic acid, and is applied to the skin that is to be treated. ALA is kept on the skin for 15-60 minutes. The length of time depends on how severe the acne is. Then, the ALA is removed and the skin is treated with light therapy. With this type of treatment, ALA makes the skin more light-sensitive, so patients are told to use sun protection for the first 48 hours after treatment.
Over-the Counter Acne Products
Over-the-Counter Acne Products are used to treat mild, moderate, and severe acne and the effectiveness depends on the active ingredient. Not all active ingredients work the same. Benzoyl Peroxide reduces the P.acnes bacteria and Salicylic Acid helps correct abnormal skin shedding.
Alcohol and Acetone work together in some products. The acetone works as a degreasing product, and the alcohol has mild antimicrobial properties.
The most common medication to treat acne is Benzoyl Peroxide by reducing the bacteria and removing dead cells from the skin to prevent comedones.(For more information, go to Acne-ology.info)
"Herbal,""Organic" and "Natural" products are marketed as acne treatments, but their effectiveness has not been proven and are generally unknown.
Resorcinol is in many over-the-counter products and it controls small acne lesions and is frequently combined with sulfur compounds. Salicylic Acid is effective in treating non-inflammatory acne lesions and helps unclog pores. However, Salicylic acid does not have any effect on bacteria.
Prescriptions to Blast Away Your Acne!
There are many prescription medications that are used today to clear acne. Topical (applied to the skin) medications are usually prescribed for mild to severe acne. Systemic (taken by mouth) medications are needed for severe and sometimes moderate acne. To get long-term control of your acne, your Dermatologist may prescribe a combination of the two.
Interlesional Corticosteroid Injections may be used to treat severely inflamed cysts and to prevent scarring.
Isotretinoin is reserved for treatment of severe cystic acne. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed for moderate to severe acne and has been commonly prescribed for years. Oral antibiotics will work to reduce the P.acnes bacteria. Treatment usually begins with a higher dosage and may be reduced as the acne improves. Over time, bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic you have been using, and then another antibiotic or alternative treatment may be tried.
Two common antibiotics are: Erythromycin (e-mycin for short) and Tetracycline. E-mycin works against bacteria, and Tetracycline reduces papules and pustules (inflammatory lesions).
Oral Contraceptives can be used by women as a long-term acne therapy. Topical Antimicrobials work to decrease the bacteria. Azelaic acid (naturally occurring in the skin) is used to treat mild-mod inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. Topical Clindamycin works by reducing bacteria and inflammation. Sodium Sulfacetamide is a topical antibiotic that reduces bacteria and opens clogged pores. And finally, topical Retinoids come from Vitamin A, and they work to unclog pores and prevent whiteheads and blackheads. Retinoids may help diminish signs of aging--fine lines and wrinkles as an added bonus for the older patient!