Acne Treatments

Top Acne Treatments 

Finding a good acne treatment is a part of growing up. Most people want to get rid of acne forever, and never be bothered with zits and blackheads again.  The problem can be embarrassing and hard to control, especially among teenagers, who almost always suffer from some sort of acne. Acne is a part of adolescence and cannot be entirely got rid of, but it can be controlled and the effects lessened.  Here are a few treatments for acne.

First, while the old myth that fried foods and chocolate has been disproved, eating right and having good nutrition helps the body and strengthens the immune system, so proper diet is still recommended.  Eating whole grains, vegetables, lean meats, fruits and only limited dairy products can help. Also made sure that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet.  It might be necessary take a good quality vitamin supplement. 

Along with a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise will go a long way to good health in general and a healthy immune system.  Moderate amounts of exercise three times a week will improve health.  Avoiding smoking, alcohol and dangerous drugs is a given. 

Next, it is important to practice proper hygiene.  There is an old myth that says acne comes from bad hygiene, and that is not true, but acne will certainly take advantage of chances to grow.  One of the causes of acne is a bacterium on and under the skin.  Moderate washing will help when treating acne.  Also exfoliating with a mild over the counter exfoliate helps many people.

One of the best over the counter acne treatments may contain Benzoyl peroxide, the most common acne treatment available without a doctor’s prescription.  It kills the bacteria and the pimples do not develop a resistance to the medication. For this reason Benzoyl peroxide will not loose its effectiveness in fighting and killing bacteria.  If using it, begin with a low concentration and work up.  Be sure when you buy it that it is non-comedogenic, which means that the medication will not clog the pores. 

If you are into natural remedies or acne home care remedies, tea tree oil is a popular natural acne remedy (and one that I always use at the first sign that a pimple is on its way) that works the same way Benzoyl peroxide works, but is less irritating to the skin, just dab a spot of tea tree oil on to the offending area as soon as you feel a tingle.

Another over the counter remedy that works and is popular is salicylic acid.  Salicylic acid unplugs the pores and helps to get rid of dead skin cells, which attract bacteria and make acne worse.  There are many good over the counter remedies available that contain salicylic acid and it is good to use it in conjunction with Benzoyl peroxide.   The two remedies make a good two-fisted team.

Sulphur works in many ways like Benzoyl peroxide but it is not as widely used as it is believed to be not quite as effective.  However, if for some reason you cannot use tea tree oil or Benzoyl peroxide, then by all means give sulpur a try.

Glycolic acid is another ingredient that works.  It gets rid of dead skin and it stimulates the production of new cells, which many believe will help unclog pores.

Light therapy and acupuncture are two natural remedies that have their fans.  Acupuncture also usually involves changing diet and lifestyle and according to the practitioners who use it can cure the root causes of acne.  Light therapy is expensive, but for many very helpful.  It involves treatments of light in wavelengths that many believe kills bacteria, and if it doesn’t work, at least does no harm because light at the wavelength used is not harmful to skin.

Another form of light therapy that is used to treat acne is known as pulsed light and heat energy (LHE) therapy.  LHE therapy uses both light and heat to eradicate the root causes of acne.  Like blue light therapy, LHE therapy uses light to destroy acne-causing bacteria.  LHE therapy also uses heat to reduce the production of sebum and to help shrink sebaceous glands.  LHE therapy is an attractive option for many acne sufferers because it promises fast results.  Usually, improvement in the symptoms of acne can be seen in as early as 30 days.  LHE therapy is also becoming popular because it is a fast treatment, with most sessions done in just over 10 minutes.  The FDA has approved LHE therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate acne. 

While different kinds of light therapies may seem attractive, they can also be expensive, and may not be covered by most health insurances.  If you are looking for a therapy that is milder and less expensive, consider one of the many herbal or holistic therapies that are available.

If the above remedies are not making a visible difference, visiting a doctor can result in prescriptions for antibiotics that are known to be effective.  Erythromycin, Benzaclin, Duac, benzamycn, Sodium Sulfacetamide, and aazelic acid cream all work for many people.  Accutane, Tetracycline and the related cycline drugs also kill the bacteria when taken orally and help many.  Still the best treatment for acne is simply age.  Most people outgrow acne when they get through puberty and get into their early twenties.  For some it sticks around a little longer, but with adulthood it usually goes away.  But the good nutrition and hygiene habits you gain in fighting and treating acne will stay with you and benefit you for a lifetime.

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