subject: Effective Acne Treatment - Common Methods Of Treating Acne [print this page] Effective Acne Treatment - Common Methods Of Treating Acne
For anyone suffering with acne, finding an effective acne treatment can be of paramount importance. The presence of acne is often just a little embarrassment that goes away in adulthood, but for some the condition not only stays with them, but actually gets worse as they get older.
Acne affects around 90% of the population to varying degrees, and is the result of an over-production of sebum by the sebaceous glands in the skin. As the sebaceous glands are more frequent on the face, this is often where acne is worst. This over-production of sebum becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, which irritate and inflame the skin. As the pores of the skin on the effected areas become clogged with oily sebum and dead skin cells, they become blocked and form blackheads and whiteheads.
Some people are more predisposed to this over-production of sebum than others, and it is often hereditary, and these will usually suffer the worst outbreaks and may even continue to have them well into adulthood. Effective acne treatment is usually aimed at reducing the sebum production by restricting the activity of the sebaceous glands.
When people first start to experience acne, the advice given is to treat the problem yourself in the hope it will gradually go away over time. Common methods often involve your daily face washing routine, as washing your face too often to clean away the oil can actually be counter productive. By doing this you are encouraging the sebaceous glands to produce even more oil to replace that which you have washed off, further exacerbating the problem. As the skin does need some oil present to stay healthy, it is advised you wash your face no more than twice a day.
In addition to restricting the number of times you wash your face, doing so with the right products can also be an effective acne treatment. You should avoid using everyday soap to wash your face, instead find a mild alternative with natural ingredients. People often have success with antibacterial cleansers containing Triclosan, which is effective at killing the bacteria that are irritating the skin. However, these are not normally advised if your skin is overly dry.
For adolescents, effective acne treatment is usually confined to controlling the severity of the problem while it naturally disappears. For those that continue to suffer with the problem into their adult life, a dermatologist is usually consulted and some prescription medication can be used. Common medications include the topical application of Retinoids, antibiotics and for women, oral contraceptives.
For some, finding an effective acne treatment can be a never-ending uphill struggle. Even prescription medications don't work for everyone, because not everyone's skin reacts in the same way to treatments. Some doctors' have even begun to take a holistic approach to acne treatment, in the belief that it is caused by an allergic reaction to foods. Taking this approach will take time to see results, but for some it is the only effective acne treatment that works.
