Say Goodbye to Acne

You believe that you should consult a physician to see if there is a stronger prescription acne treatment that may help clear your acne.

Before heading off to your doctor, please review the below acne medications that may be offered. After you do that, review the products we recommend on this site, and determine if visiting a doctor is the right move.

Please note: We are not doctors, so this is for informational purposes only and also a combination of acne treatments (both prescription and non-prescription) may be your best course of action.

Plus, it is always a good idea to consult a professional before beginning any acne treatment program.

Here is a list of the prescription acne treatment and medications that may work for you…

Differin or Adapalene: A topical medication that is utilized to help your skin renew itself. Aside from insurance flipping the bill, Differin is quite affordable and does a good job.

It worked mildly for me. I ended up using it more for a spot treatment than rubbing it all over my face and it was very difficult using it on my back. It may make your skin dry and tends to be a longer-term treatment. Just depends on your skin type and acne severity.

Benzoyl Peroxide: This is the ingredient you may find in many over-the-counter products as well. The combination of this product with others is what tends to make it work. It works to fight the bacteria that may cause your breakouts. Can dry your skin out, but does work. Also, a very affordable acne treatment.

Many young ladies get on birth-control pills which seem to not only prevent pregnancy, but also acne. However, after review, using birth control pills as a prescription acne treatment shouldn’t be the main focus of these drugs.

Accutane or Isoretinoin: A powerful prescription acne treatment, Accutane is typically only administered in severe cases and typically as a last resort. It treats your acne from the inside out and is taken in pill form. It works quite well, but not for everyone and brings with it some rather nasty side-effects in some cases. Personally, I used it and it worked wonders, but it is not for everyone and is very expensive.

Retin-A or Tretinoin: A vitamin-A derivative, this is another great prescription acne treatment that battles whiteheads and blackheads by producing new skin cells. This treatment brings the pimples out, so be aware that your acne may get worse before it gets better. Can be drying, create very sensitive skin, and only tends to work in mild to moderate cases of acne. Very popular treatment by Dermatologists and worked wonders for many acne sufferers I know.

This is just a start to prescription acne treatment medications. There are other oral and topical antibiotics that your specialist may recommend. You may also want to ask them about good soaps, nutrition, and other over-the-counter treatments to combine with any prescription (plus if it’s safe).

Do your own homework and ask many of the other acne sufferers (including me) specific questions. We’re here to help ensure you don’t live with acne any longer than necessary.

Tetracycline, Doxycycline, and Minocycline

Antibiotics have been used for decades to combat acne by inhibiting the p. acnes bacteria from producing a certain protein it needs to live and multiply. By killing p. acnes, these antibiotics treat the cause of acne, ending the infection and clearing your complexion. These antibiotics can also reduce acne scarring because they speed up the healing process.

However, like most acne medications, these antibiotics do have side effects; some of them can be severe, especially those from Minocycline. Tetracycline and Doxycycline are gentler, and their potential side effects include nasea, diarrhea, blurred vision, and increased sensitivity to the UV rays, either from the sun or tanning beds.

Side effects of Minocycline include the development of very serious conditions, such as heart and respiratory difficulty and failure and Minocycline use has been linked with at least two deaths. Minocycline can also affect your ability to operate a car and can cloud your judgment. It is also very dangerous for pregnant women to use Minocycline, as it can cause skeletal defects in their unborn child. Also, children under eight years old cannot take Minocycline because it can cause permanent graying or yellowing of the teeth and can impair their growth and development. Outdated Minocycline must be disposed of, as it can cause kidney damage if taken.

In addition, the use of any antibiotic can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills, which can make the use of antibiotics to treat acne risky for many women.

Although the body does not build a resistance to Minocycline quickly, experts are increasingly recommending other antibiotics because reduced risk of serious side effects.

Accutane

Accutane, also known as isotretinoin, Amnesteem, and Clarvis, is a prescription acne medication used to treat moderate to severe acne. It comes from a family of chemicals called retinoids, which are a derivative of vitamin A. Accutane has been for over twenty years to treat and, in many cases, completely cure acne. Accutane accomplishes this cure by stopping your body from secreting oil while you are taking it, which is generally about 4-5 months. Unfortunately Accutane is a toxic substance and has a long list of potential side effects, especially concerning women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. There are several birth defects that may result from Accutane use, including mental retardation, facial abnormalities, heart problems. There is also an increased risk of infant mortality and premature birth. Because Accutane is so dangerous to unborn children, the manufacturer has set up a rigid program to regulate Accutane’s use and distribution. Before a woman can be prescribed Accutane, she must pass a pregnancy test and begin taking birth control pills. It is also required that she must use an additional form of contraception while she is taking Accutane and for a period of time afterward.

In addition to severe birth defects, other common side effects include hair loss, soreness, dry skin, nosebleeds, dry eyes, and chapped lips. There is also significant evidence that Accutane can cause users to become depressed and attempt suicide.

Accutane is very effective for permanently clearing acne, but it has several serious medical and cosmetic side effects. Before taking Accutane you should first try some other, safer acne treatments.

Retin A

Retin A is a Retinoid like Accutane, but Retin A is much less toxic and is applied topically instead of taken as a pill. Retin A works by causing the skin to shed cells more quickly, which clears pores and gives acne less chance to develop. However, like Accutane, Retin A has some bothersome side effects.

Because Retin A essential causes your skin to become thinner, it is more sensitive to light, gets dried out easily, and can become irritated. Retin A also carries a risk for birth defects and must be avoided by women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

Many people find that their skin gets very dry when they first begin using Retin A, and discontinue use. However, you must use Retin A for 1-2 months to see noticeable results.

Birth Control Pills

Some birth control pills claim to reduce the appearance of acne because of the effect it has on hormones. Although many women say that birth control has cleared their complexion, many others say it has no effect or made their acne worse.

Although birth control pills have several benefits, they may not be the most effective treatment for acne, and should be considered carefully before using, since it does alter your hormonal imbalance. Many women report than the pill does help ease cramps, but weight gain and reduced sex drive are also fairly common.

Interlesional Corticosteroid Injection

This treatment is injected directly into cystic nodules to help them heal. The fluid injected is very diluted, but is similar to anti-inflammatory injections use to help knee and back problems. In addition its anti-inflammatory effects, this injection helps to dissolve the cyst and begin healing within 3-5 days. Interlesional Corticosteroid Injection must be done by a trained physician.

Conclusion

No matter how severe your acne is, there is a treatment option that will work for you. Your skin type and acne type will determine what treatments are effective and which have little effect. For most people, using some type of over the counter acne treatment will improve their skin, although it may not clear their acne altogether. However, some people may elect to seek the help of a dermatologist, especially if their acne is more severe. Although dermatologists are trained professionals, you should learn and understand any treatments they suggest, and be familiar with any side effects. In some acne treatments, side effects are a possibility, but in others, like Accutane, you are almost guaranteed to experience several of the known side effects. Before beginning any treatment, you need to know the risks and decide if being acne free is worth the risks that come with your acne treatment.

By: Kelly Wade

About the Author:

Solve your acne & skincare problems at http://www.acnepimplezits.com

Acne prevention or stopping the condition before it starts or reoccurs is the secret to manage acne. Another is to use any of a variety of acne treatments that work best for you under the guidance of your healthcare provider or dermatologist.

And after you find an acne treatment solution or solutions, use them regularly. Firstly, acne treatment has a great impact with the timing. In order to avoid the most minimal damage it is sensible to begin acne treatment as soon as the first signs of acne appear.

And, you may need to continue treatment even after the blemishes fade to keep new outbreaks at bay. Next let’s take a look at research below that represents a compilation of a wide variety of acne healthcare, acne programs and acne treatments available today.

ABY SkinCare

ABY Skincare is a management and treatment program that combines Benzoyl Peroxide, Sulfur and Glycolic Acid. Their Acne Kits are customized to individual skin care needs with strength varying from 2.5 percent to 15 percent (factoring sensitivity and prior usage).

Accutane

This retinoid prescription medicine, also known as Isotretinoin, is used to help treat severe acne when other methods like antibiotics fail. It is generally packaged in 30-day portions at a time, closely monitored under a physician’s care because the medicine has important precautionary measures. Possible severe side effects have been reported including birth defects with pregnant women, mental lethargic issues and suicide. The medicine cannot be combined with Vitamin A and take care with contact lens wearing and a decrease in night vision.

Acne Clearz

This DHEA-free and fragrance-free Night Serum, for adults and teens, boasts a sensitive or low irritation ingredient mixture with moisturizers, deep penetrating yet clear and gentle for skin. It’s considered a super strength pore clearing medicine that combats existing and returning pimples and blackheads and helps cover acne scars, featuring Hydroxy and Anti-Oxidant protectors, helpful in the control of oil generation.

Acne Treatment Clinic

This California-based clinic offers a variety of acne helping products via mail order upon completion of a skin assessment questionnaire. They ask clients to email or call them to share details about their progress with using their products during the first few months. And their product selections include cleansers, cosmetics, masks & peels, moisturizers, sunscreens, topical medications, vitamins; like BENZOYL Peroxide Medication, Glycolic Gel to help prevent new acne and reduce scarring, Sunscreen Cream to help prevent sunburn and pore clogging, and miscellaneous items like sponges and applicators to use with their products.

AcneControl Thera Line

Developed by Biomani Scientific SkinCare, this product line was formulated by a physician specifically to treat acne. It features sebum production and oil control properties, acne bacteria destroyer, acne preventative measures, dead skin cell exfoliation and removal, pore minimizing treatments, white and black head dissolvent and prevention treatment and skin soothers. Their product line includes TheraGel, containing acne-causing bacteria Benzoyl peroxide, Salicylic acid and Sulfur to help with acne treatment and prevention. (Results have been reported in as little as six weeks of use.) Another product in their line up is a therapeutic cleanser containing tea tree and botanical extracts that help control oil and remove makeup and extra pore-clogging sebum and dirt, boasting immediate results. They also have a therapeutic toner, Sun TheraCare and TheraScrub to aid in skin care.

Acne-Ltd III

This is a new topical treatment that destroys bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses in areas where applied. Compacted and highly concentrated with Zinc oxide, Iron oxide, Sulfur, Sodium chloride, Polyethylene glycol and Manganesium sterate, you simply glide the product’s applicator over clean, wet skin (infected area only). Blackhead elimination and pore clearing begins in the infected areas at once, moisturizing, not aggravating, the skin in the process.

Acnesil

This topical cream’s active ingredients include non-skin drying Melaleuca alternifolia, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E. It has been reported to reduce whiteheads, when applied at the first sign of a breakout, doesn’t dry out skin and can be used for larger infected areas or smaller targeted spots. The cream can speed up the length of time it takes to heal, helping completely remove all traces of acne.

Acne Spot Dry

This non-irritating, hypoallergenic blemish treatment by DAK Pharmaceuticals is made of Aluminum Magnesium Silicate, Camphor, Iron Oxides, Salicylic Acid, Sulfur and Zinc Oxide. Blot it on trouble spots and it fights acne-causing bacteria and dries out the problem areas including the blemishes themselves. Immediate results have been reported.

Acnevention

This pimple treatment, also by DAK Pharmaceuticals, contains Chitosan Ascorbate, Glycolic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Kola Nut Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Salicylic Acid, and Ubiquinone (CoQ10). Similar to Acne Spot Dry, this product features these benefits: it destroys harmful bacteria, dries blemishes, unclogs pores, heals damaged skin, moisturizes, helps prevent scars, nourishes and soothes, and helps prevent the return of blemishes. When used, this product leaves a skin soft and refreshed.