Effective Acne Treatment - My Options Are?

By Roger Willcocks

Acne is the most prevalent skin disorder, and usually afflicts the adolescent population. With around 70% of adolescents affected with this skin disease, it is considered one of the most menacing disease especially during the transitional period of an adolescent's life. Though it may not be fatal, it can cause serious emotional trouble to a person ridiculed because of his or her not so clear complexion.

The medical community helps resolve this skin problem with various acne medications and therapeutic methods. Formulations of various medications and solutions are being studied continuously to come up with the most effective acne treatment. But the real question is, which of these medications are really effective?

Here's a rundown of the various acne treatments that claim to be successful in dealing with the troubles of acne according to the type or severity of acne:

Mild or juvenile acne. This type of acne, also known as teenage spots, may be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) topical medicines available in drugstores. They are considered to be easiest to treat.

Some prescription topical medicines are also effective acne treatments. They include benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, adapalene and tretinoin (Vitamin A derivatives). These acne treatments help stunt the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Depending on the skin type of the person, a doctor will prescribe an appropriate acne treatment. For instance, if you have an oily skin, creams and lotions are not advisable since they are oil-based. Gels and solutions will suit more the oily skin since they are usually alcohol-based and tend to dry the skin. These medications are often subject to testing first before one could really consider them as effective acne treatments for individual skin problems. On a case-by-case basis, side effects from topical medicines may surface. These side effects may include rashes, stinging, redness, burning, scaling and discoloration.

Moderate to severe acne. Those with oily skin who used to have mild acne (often in their late teens or early twenties) may worsen into a moderate condition of acne. Moderate severity is often characterized with the presence of more whiteheads and redness on affected areas due to inflammation and the rupture of blood vessels.

Severe acne is when acne covers the entire face, back and neck of the person. Usually severe acne conditions also translate to bigger spots. This kind of acne is often treated with oral antibiotics. Oral means taken by mouth. These effective acne treatments work by curbing the reproduction of bacteria and reducing inflammation. Dealing with moderate to severe acne conditions, may require a combination of prescription topical medications and oral acne medications.

Some topical medications like sulphur drug preparations are considered extremely effective acne treatments. Sulphur has a peeling effect on the skin, loosening it and dislodging the blackheads from the pores. Sulphur, as an effective acne treatment, has no known major side effects. But it is always advised to test any medication before applying or taking them. Samples of effective acne treatments in the form of oral antibiotics are tetracycline, minocycline, isotretinoin, doxicycline and erythromycin. Most of these oral acne treatments are hazardous to a pregnant woman and her child's health. Only erythromycin is reported to be safe to use for those who are either expecting a baby or breastfeeding.