Best Acne Treatments For Certain Types Of Acne

Best Common Acne Treatments

Benzoyl Peroxide is available without a prescription in 5% and 10% gels, creams, lotions, and soaps. All concentrations seem to be therapeutically equivalent. Benzoyl Peroxide should be applied once or twice daily. If excessive redness or dryness develops, discontinue use of the preparation for several days and then use it half as often as you did before. A 6 to 8 week trial is needed to see improvement.

Antibiotics may be prescribed for certain types of acne. They can be taken by mouth or used in a lotion, cream, or gel over the whole area where you have the blemishes.

Tretinion (Retin-A) can be an effective acne treatment. Tretinion goes right to the root of all acne trouble by penetrating deep into the follicle. Once inside, Tretinion unseats the existing comedones so that they are pushed out and shed onto the surface. More importantly, it helps prevent the cells from sticking together and forming new plugs.

You should apply Tretinion once daily before bedtime, but:

- First, wash and dry your skin gently with mild soap. Wait 20 to 30 minutes before applying any medication. It is important for your skin to be completely dry in order to minimize possible irritation.

- Squeeze a small, pea-sized dose of medication onto the fingertip, then dab it on your forehead, chin, and both cheeks. Work it gently into the skin.

The medication should become invisible almost immediately. If it is still visible, or if dry flaking occurs from the gel within a minute or so, you are using too much. Try to keep the medication away from the corners of the nose, mouth, eyes, and open wounds.

After about 6 weeks of using this acne treatment, you should notice some improvements in your appearance. Don't stop treatment at the first signs of improvement! You must avoid sun or use a strong sun screen. Tretinion increases your risk of getting a bad sunburn.

Isotretinoin (Accutane) is the best acne treatment for severe cystic acne. It can be effective in treating this type of acne and in preventing scars. It is taken once per day by mouth for 15 to 20 weeks. Isotretinoin can cause serious side effects. It has been associated with serious birth defects and miscarriages. It should never be taken during pregnancy or even a month before pregnancy.