Medical treatment for acne

There are several medical treatments available for acne. The key is to remain patient while trying them out as most of them begin their action after two to eight weeks.

The most commonly used medical treatment for acne is anti acne lotions containing retinoic acid and adapalene. They are extracts of vitamin A and are believed to decrease the amount of sebum production. They significantly reduce the severity of the acne outbreaks.

However, retinoic acid can cause mild to severe allergic reactions in individuals sensitive to it and should never be applied on open wounds or sun burned/ wind burned skin. Use of products containing retinoic acid is contraindicated during pregnancy.
 
Milder side effects of retinoic acid are associated with burning and stinging of the skin, lightening of the skin in the treated area, peeling, redness, an unusually warm feeling and unusual dryness. More severe retinoic acid side effects are linked to darkening of the treated area, allergic reactions, skin rashes, problems with breathing, feeling of tightening of the chest, hives, and swelling in the mouth area, tongue, and lips.

If these anti acne lotions containing retinoic acid and adapalene do not bring about the desired affect or you cannot use them because of some medical condition (sensitivity, pregnancy, etc), then you can opt for antibiotics like tetracycline. They damage the P. acnes bacterium and prevent their further replication. But antibiotics can result in a dry skin prone to sun burns. Therefore one should always use sunscreens in tandem with the antibiotics.

Salicylic acid is a commonly used keratolytic agent which helps in shedding off the layer of dead cells which are blocking the pores. It also makes the skin more susceptible to the harmful UV rays as a side effect. One reason why acne is more common in teens is the high level of hormones like androgen and testosterone which stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce sebum.

FDA has approved oral contraceptive pills containing estrogen and progesterone as a medical treatment for acne. These hormones reduce the production of sebum and therefore decrease the incidence of acne formation. However birth pills have their own side effects and so their usage as an acne treatment should be a well thought out decision.

If the above mentioned treatments are not very effective, then one can use cleansers, creams and lotions containing benzoyl peroxide as their active ingredient. The latter is especially helpful in killing Propionibacterium acnes. The dryness of skin associated with its use can be countered by using a good moisturizer. Laser is another form of medical treatment used against acne wherein the sebaceous glands which produce sebum are damaged thermally without producing any visible effect on the skin.

Thus we see that there are many proven remedies to counter acne. We have to choose the one which is the most suitable for us and then lead a normal life without getting embarrassed by their ungainly appearance.