Available Treatments For Acne

Acne (usually referred to as acne vulgaris) is one of the more common skin disorders which mainly affect teenagers

. Acne complications include severe scarring to the skin that cause major facial damage both aesthetic and functional.

New treatments for acne have been under clinical trials, trying to bring better results with less adverse drug reactions and morbidity rates.

Up until recently most treatments for acne focused on topical treatments of various selection (antibiotic creams, soaps and cleansing products), topical retinoid acid components and oral treatments (antibiotics, hormonal treatments or retinoids).

In some cases both types of treatment were combined together for better results, depending on the patient's exact severity and medical history.

New methods of treating acne lesions focus on physical removal- lesion removal by laser, photo-therapy and more.

Current guidelines on treating acne recommend the "steps approach". First line of treatment would be combined cleansing + topical antibiotics such as benzoyl peroxide combinations. Next would be the topical retinoids, which should be primary treatment for most forms of acne vulgaris.

These products should be applied on the entire affected area (usually the facial area, back or chest). Other antimicrobial agents can be added in case of severe inflammatory lesions.

Combination therapy should be a second line of treatment for acne vulgaris. Combinations have the advantage of working better and clearing of lesion faster.

The use of oral antibiotics shouldn't be as common as it is today, due to high chances of bacterial resistance. That is the reason why both oral and topical antibiotics not to be used as monotherapy.

Oral antibiotic agents are very effective in cases of moderate to severe acne (usually Doxycycline and Minocyclines, which have been found more effective than Tetracycline).

Hormonal therapy is a great choice in women who are considering contraception, and should be offered also as anti-acne treatment (estrogen containing pills). In rare cases anti-androgenic medications can be administered.

Forth line of treatment today is the usage of oral isotretinoins, which are approved in severe nodulocystic acne. Isotretinoin can also be used in moderate to severe acne vulgaris when conventional therapy fails. Pre-treatment counseling with a dermatologist is very important due to the many possible side effects. Patient selection and monitoring are critical due to the possible adverse psychiatric events.

Each female patient should undergo pregnancy test before commencing treatment to rule out the possibility of pregnancy, for isotretinoin is teratogenic to the fetus and can cause severe congenital defects. Photo-therapy and laser treatments for scarring haven't yet been able to prove outstanding results therefore are not yet considered an accepted line of treatment.

by: Maria Gonzales

POST COMMENT

Products For Acne Treatment Ultimate Guide For Natural Acne Treatment Skin Care - Top 10 Faq On Acne Add Lincomycin Prohibited Acne Skin Essence 681 Sale How To Get Rid Of Under The Skin Acne Bacne: Its Acne On Your Back For Preventing Acne, You Have To Be Prudent By What You Consume. Your Acne Reliable Natural Remedies To Help With Acne Want To Avoid Acne? Then Give Salicylic Acid A Try Knowing The Best Treatments For Adult Acne Consulting A Dermatologist To Treat Severe Acne Important Facts About Cystic Acne