subject: 5 Must-Know Treatments Of Acne [print this page] 5 Must-Know Treatments Of Acne 5 Must-Know Treatments Of Acne
If your skin is suffering from deep cysts, inflammation, extensive damage and scaring then definitely it is acne. It should not be avoided. It actually requires an immediate treatment from a dermatologist. And if it gets chronic then its treatment may take 2-3 years or more. But every type of acne is curable.
Surgery:
Some types of cysts do not respond to the medication. They are treated by drainage and extraction. These processes are also known as acne surgery. Some patients try to perform this surgery at home. It is not a good practice. They try to drain the comedones by squeezing or picking which can lead to infection. Consequently worsening of acne may occur. It should be done by the surgeons who are trained with a proper technique of performing it. They do it under sterile conditions.
Corticosteroid injections:
After the inflammation of a cyst, usually it ruptures. The result is scaring. It may be treated by injection of corticosteroid which lessens the inflammation and promotes healing. It usually takes a week to heal properly.
Antibiotics:
Antibiotics may be used to treat acne. Both topical and oral antibiotics may be used. When we are dealing with oral antibiotics, their doe is high at the start of treatment. It is reduced as the acne resolves. Sometimes the bacteria (P. Acnes) becomes resistant to the antibiotic. In such case another antibiotic is prescribed.
These antibiotics include doxycycline, erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline etc...
Use of oral contraceptives:
Another treatment of acne specifically in women is by the use of oral contraceptives. These may be used as a long term therapy. But they should not be used in women who smoke, or have a blood clotting disorder, or have a history of migraine headaches.
Mild acne can be treated by two simple ways:
Remove the dead skin cells and excess oil from the skin by gently washing the skin with warm water and a mild soap.
By the use of a topical ointment like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid you can treat acne. Acne will at least be reduced by this ointment. The patient will also feel comfortable and the irritation will not be there anymore.
This may take 3-4 weeks to treat the acne. After getting rid of acne by this method treatment must be carried on to avoid further lesion formation.
Isotretinoin may be used to treat acne. It is a potent oral retinoid. It is used for the treatment of severe acne which cannot be treated by other medications and ointments.
Clindamycin: it is a semi synthetic antimicrobial agent. It is used to treat acne topically. It is much safe and effective in this dosage form. It is usually used when resistance to other antibiotics occurs.
Sodium sulfacetamide: it is used as topical antibiotic. It inhibits P.acnes and helps in opening the clogged pores. It is much effective in treating inflammatory acne. As we know sulphur has a characteristic smell or grittiness. But usually the newer products do not contain these problems.
