The Most Effective Acne Medications on the Market
Get Rid of Acne with the Best Acne Medications
There are a whole lot of acne treatments on the market today and it is easy to get confused as to which are the best. Despite the variety of acne medications, there are only handfuls that are actually scientifically proven to work. These can range from off-the-shelf topical acne creams to power drug pills. There are other non-medicated “natural” acne remedies out there, often known as “acne home remedies.” However, many home remedies have not been scientifically tested, so their effectiveness is questionable, though many people do claim they are very effective. The topic of discussion for today is to advise as to the best acne medications on the market. All these acne medications are proven to work – if you visit a dermatologist, he or she will likely prescribe on of these medications to you.
Now before you participate in a medicated acne regimen, there are some other things that you need to give yourself the maximum chance of clearing up your acne.
Facial Hygiene
It’s imperative that you maintain a strict regimen of face washing to reduce the number of acne blemishes and outbreaks. Acne is caused by the overproduction of skin oil (called sebum) in the face. When this overproduction occurs, skin pores become clogged with the excess sebum, bacteria, and dirt. Blackheads result and later, infected pimples. Washing your face several times a day with mild soaps radically reduces the amount of bacteria, oil, and dirt on your face – the three key components that cause acne outbreaks. Use mild soaps such as Cetaphil or special acne-fighting soaps like the Aveeno bar. You can also use a medicated soap that contains a light dosage of Benzoyl Peroxide.
After washing your face, you should also use a facial scrubber to exfoliate twice a week. This has the effect of removing dead skin from your face, allowing your pores to “breathe.” It also removes excess oil that may have accrued in your pores. When you exfoliate your face, make sure not to scrub too hard as you can irritate your skin and actually increase your breakouts!
It’s important to maintain the proper “environment” for your skin. You want an environment that is not conductive to the formation of excess sebum oil. Avoid putting oil-based cosmetics, lotions, sunblock and moisturizers onto your face as these products will clog your pores. If possible, try going without any makeup for a month – you may notice a drastic decrease in the blemishes on your face! If this is not a feasible option, use water-based cosmetics and facial lotions. Make sure to look for labels that say “non-comedogenic” which means they won’t clog your pores.
The Best Acne Medications That Actually Work
There are so many acne medicines that it’s hard to pick one to try. There are, fortunately, a few acne medications that are scientifically proven and dermatologist recommended. Note that dermatologists will never recommend acne home remedies, and while these types of treatments are not necessarily “proven”, you may have success, so don’t discount them.
Note that when you go on a medicated acne regime, you may suffer some side effects. The most common side effect with topical acne medicines (Benzoyl Peroxide, Retin-A) is irritable, dry skin. The more serious acne medications have other side effects. It’s always best to consult your doctor before starting a series of medicated acne treatments. When you start an acne medication, you should not stop after a couple weeks if you don’t see any improvement. It can sometimes take months to see the effects – so don’t lose heart if you don’t see instant results. You should also try and follow the Facial Hygiene suggestions to reduce the chances of acne breakouts. Often with acne, it’s a combination of “treatments’ that work to clear up acne (diet, medication, facial hygiene, etc). If you are taking one of the acne medications below (or any other “non home remedy treatments’), do NOT combine them unless a dermatologists states otherwise.
Benzoyl Peroxide
You can find this acne medication at any drugstore. There’s practically and entire aisle of skin care products using this ingredient. You will find the strength of Benzoyl Peroxide ranging from 2% - 10% — with 10% possibly requiring a doctor’s prescription. Benzoyl Peroxide kills off the bacteria living in your pores, which prevents or reduces acne breakouts. You should tend toward the conservative when you use Benzoyl Peroxide (2%) and then increase the strength as time goes on.
How to Apply Benzoyl Peroxide to Eliminate Acne
1. Apply once a day, before washing your face for the first week. Start applying
it twice a day after
week. If you started with 2% instead of 5%, after two weeks, switch to 5% solution.
2. If after 4 weeks your acne still has not improved, try a 10% solution of Benzoyl Peroxide for another
month.
Retin-A
Generally only available by a doctor’s prescription. Retin-A is a serious acne medication. If Benzoyl Peroxide does not effectively treat your acne, you may want to consider Retin-A as the next step. Retin-A works by opening up your pores, which prevents the formation of blackheads and later, acne. Note that when taking Retin-A, you may have some side effects such as skin that’s sensitive to light. You are always advised to use Retin-A at night to prevent skin damage. When you go outside, you should rub oil-free sunblock lotion on to protect your sun-sensitive skin.
How to Apply Retin-A to Get Rid of Acne
1. See your doctor for exact instructions
2. Follow the Preventative Acne Strategies listed above
3. Take Retin-A for 2-3 months; it sometimes takes several months for the drug to
work.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are a very effective acne treatment, especially for acne that is swollen and reddish. You will need a doctor’s prescription. If both Benzoyl Peroxide have failed to banish your acne, Antibiotics is the next logical step.
How to apply Antibiotics to Get Rid of Acne
1. You should consult your doctor for the precise instructions.
2. Since you ingest antibiotics, you should drink lots of water.
3. You may also want to consider taking Probiotic yogurt several hours after you take your dosage
of antibiotic pills. Antibiotics kill the healthy bacteria in your digestive system which may cause
irregular bowel movements. Probiotic yogurt contains healthy bacteria and will help to replace the
(good) bacteria killed by the antibiotics.
Accutane
If nothing else effectively treats your acne, Accutane may be the final answer. Accutane is arguably the most effective – and powerful – acne medicine known to date. However, it also has the worst side effects of any acne treatment, so it’s not an acne solution you should jump at until all other options have been exhausted. It has proven very effective against the worst form of acne: cystic acne.
How to Use Accutane To Get Rid of Acne
1.Follow your doctor’s directions. Be aware of the (long) list of side effects, for which you should consult your doctor. Pregnant women or women who are not on at least 2 types of birth control
should not take Accutane. The effects of the drug on developing fetuses can be devastating.
2. You will have to undergo frequent blood testing as Accutane can affect your
blood cell count.
Treating acne is never easy. Part of the problem is that it’s hard to determine exactly what causes acne. Each person who suffers from acne breakouts may have a different source causing acne, and may in fact have several. This is why it’s important to do as many things as possible to get rid of acne. To up your chances at banishing acne for good, you should maintain good facial hygiene, avoid using oily skin products, keep out of the sun, experiment with acne home remedies, and if you are on acne medication, stick to a strict regimen for at least a month. And, the most important “medication” for getting rid of your acne is your own unwavering determination to do so.
Acne Home Remedies, Acne Prevention, Acne Treatments, Adult Acne, Blackhead Treatments
