Acne Skin Treatments That Really Work
Many people soon discover that finding the best acne skin treatments that really work for acne can be quite daunting.
Making the right choice from all the possible alternatives is a real challenge.
It's important to avoid delay and begin treatment as soon as possible.
Delay only lets the acne proceed unchallenged, and this means more risk of long-term scarring.
Everyone is different and as it's not possible to tailor our advice to individual patients here, it is advisable to consult your physician or an experienced and qualified specialist - a dermatologist is the one for skin conditions.
These professionals will be able to diagnose the problem properly and give specific advice.
And of course as many acne skin treatments are prescription-only medicines, it is necessary to consult a medical professional anyway.
Most of the acne skin treatments worth looking at fall into one of two categories, either conventional pharmacological medications or remedies broadly described as alternative medicine.
First let's take a look at what conventional medicine has to offer.
These acne skin treatments have been subjected to rigorous clinical trials in order to establish their effectiveness and safety.
Some are available over the counter, others are restricted so that a prescription is necessary - although you should always consult your doctor or health professional anyway.
Medications based on benzoyl peroxide are likely to be the first products to try.
These are generally effective in reducing the severity of the outbreak and minimising the likelihood of scarring later.
Common advice is to try using the lower concentration products first (2.
5% or 5%).
The stronger products (10%) can cause excessive skin dryness or irritation.
Acne skin treatments based on retinoic acid are an effective alternative, but they should never be used by pregnant women as the unborn baby can be harmed.
Retinoid acne skin treatments include brands like Roaccutane and Retinol.
A third class of conventional acne medication is based on azelaic acid.
This is one of the acne skin treatments that have less severe side effects such as skin irritation.
On the down side, though, they may reduce skin pigmentation and leave permanently-lightened skin areas.
What about acne sufferers who are disaffected with conventional medicine, or those simply wishing to explore remedies that may be somehow more natural? The world of alternative medicine awaits, but proceed with caution.
There's precious little scientific basis in support of these treatments.
Anecdotal evidence and ancient stories rule here, together with more than enough misleading and unrealistic marketing from unscrupulous traders.
That's not to say that there's nothing to be gained from using alternative acne skin treatments.
Some of them are simple, cheap and have observable benefits.
Adopting a good daily skin care regimen and keeping to a healthy diet can also help.
Unlike many conventional pharmaceutical products, these alternatives have few if any side effects.
Avoid anything homeopathic - these products are no more than ineffective scams.
Whilst it may well be safe to try some alternative treatments, we still recommend that you consult your physician right from the start.
Making the right choice from all the possible alternatives is a real challenge.
It's important to avoid delay and begin treatment as soon as possible.
Delay only lets the acne proceed unchallenged, and this means more risk of long-term scarring.
Everyone is different and as it's not possible to tailor our advice to individual patients here, it is advisable to consult your physician or an experienced and qualified specialist - a dermatologist is the one for skin conditions.
These professionals will be able to diagnose the problem properly and give specific advice.
And of course as many acne skin treatments are prescription-only medicines, it is necessary to consult a medical professional anyway.
Most of the acne skin treatments worth looking at fall into one of two categories, either conventional pharmacological medications or remedies broadly described as alternative medicine.
First let's take a look at what conventional medicine has to offer.
These acne skin treatments have been subjected to rigorous clinical trials in order to establish their effectiveness and safety.
Some are available over the counter, others are restricted so that a prescription is necessary - although you should always consult your doctor or health professional anyway.
Medications based on benzoyl peroxide are likely to be the first products to try.
These are generally effective in reducing the severity of the outbreak and minimising the likelihood of scarring later.
Common advice is to try using the lower concentration products first (2.
5% or 5%).
The stronger products (10%) can cause excessive skin dryness or irritation.
Acne skin treatments based on retinoic acid are an effective alternative, but they should never be used by pregnant women as the unborn baby can be harmed.
Retinoid acne skin treatments include brands like Roaccutane and Retinol.
A third class of conventional acne medication is based on azelaic acid.
This is one of the acne skin treatments that have less severe side effects such as skin irritation.
On the down side, though, they may reduce skin pigmentation and leave permanently-lightened skin areas.
What about acne sufferers who are disaffected with conventional medicine, or those simply wishing to explore remedies that may be somehow more natural? The world of alternative medicine awaits, but proceed with caution.
There's precious little scientific basis in support of these treatments.
Anecdotal evidence and ancient stories rule here, together with more than enough misleading and unrealistic marketing from unscrupulous traders.
That's not to say that there's nothing to be gained from using alternative acne skin treatments.
Some of them are simple, cheap and have observable benefits.
Adopting a good daily skin care regimen and keeping to a healthy diet can also help.
Unlike many conventional pharmaceutical products, these alternatives have few if any side effects.
Avoid anything homeopathic - these products are no more than ineffective scams.
Whilst it may well be safe to try some alternative treatments, we still recommend that you consult your physician right from the start.
