If you have acne and have looked you know that there are hundreds (thousands?) or products being markets as a cure for acne these days. While many of the claims are accurate, it is most important that you choose the product that is right for your acne and skin. Not all treatments are the same and not everyone responds the same to each type of acne treatment. Mild acne’s can typically be treated with gentle acne products or even home acne remedies while more severe acne may require prescription medications and even surgery.
Most people with mild forms of acne begin their treatment with a product containing benzoyl peroxide. It has been shown to be quite effective in clearing up mild to moderate cases of acne. Benzoyl peroxide works by drying up the skin as well as cleaning away dead skin cells, oils and dirt. Two of the most popular acne cures on the market are Proactive and Acne Free and both use benzoyl peroxide as their main ingredient.
Because acne is caused by bacterial infection it is sometimes necessary to use antibiotic creams to kill the bacteria, prevent it from spreading and prevent acne breakouts. Antibiotics are usually in the form of a cream or lotion that is applied directly to the skin, although in more severe cases of acne this mat be supplemented with an oral antibiotic as well.
Another class of acne fighters are the retinoids, which work by educing the amount of oil produced by the glands. The most popular retinoid is Retin-A although there are others such as tazarotene which is a topical application and Isotretinoin which comes in pill form. Retinoids can take some time to work properly, so don’t expect results over night from this class of acne treatments.
Cosmetic surgical procedures have also been used to treat acne. Mild cases of acne can sometimes be cleared up using phototherapy, where strong light is directed onto the affected areas and kill the bacteria inside the pores. More severe acne patients may opt for microdermabrasion, where the top layers of dead skin cells are gently exfoliated or the more aggressive dermabrasion which is similar, but removes more layers of the skin.
Recently many people are trying to combat acne by more natural means and if you have mild acne these natural acne treatments can be effective. Garlic has very good antibacterial properties and lemons are good at drying the skin and tightening pores. Honey is also a strong natural antibiotic that can be used to treat acne. Common aspirin can be used to make a paste that dries out the pores as well as exfoliating gently.
There’s no way to know for sure which treatments will work best for you so you may need to experiment a bit to find the best acne treatment. Starting with the natural treatments and working up to stronger treatments if necessary is a good plan of action.