Acne Myths

What Are Some Myths About Acne?

There are many myths about the causes of acne. Some of these link acne to things like:

 

• Poor hygiene
• Stress
• Certain foods.
   

Acne Myths About Poor Hygiene

It is a myth that people get acne because they don't wash enough. Too much washing or scrubbing the skin harshly can actually make the condition worse. And washing away surface oils doesn't do much to prevent or cure acne, because it forms under the skin.

 

The best way to clean the face is to gently wash it twice a day with a mild soap or cleanser. Be careful to remove makeup without harsh scrubbing.

 

Myths Relating to Stress

Another myth is that stress causes acne. Stress does not cause acne, but acne may be a side effect of some medicines used to treat stress or depression. And in some cases, the social and emotional impact of acne lesions causes stress. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have concerns related to stress.

 

The Link Between Acne and Certain Foods

While many people feel that eating chocolate or greasy foods causes acne, experts have not found a link between a person's diet and acne. Foods seem to have little effect on the condition in most people. However, it's important to eat a healthy diet for to maintain your overall health.

Best Acne Treatment 2012

Best Acne Treatment 2012

Treatment for Acne: An Overview

Acne is often treated by dermatologists (doctors who specialize in skin problems). These doctors treat all kinds of acne, particularly severe cases. Doctors who are general or family practitioners, pediatricians, or internists may treat people with milder cases of acne.

 

The goals of acne treatment are to:

 

• Heal existing lesions
• Stop new lesions from forming
• Prevent scarring
• Minimize the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by acne.
   

Treating Mild Acne

There are many treatments for mild acne. Mild acne can consist of whiteheads, blackheads, and small pustules.

 

At home, you can wash your face twice per day with warm water and a gentle cleanser or soap. Your doctor may also suggest that you try an over-the-counter lotion or cream for acne treatment. These medicines may make your skin dry if you use them too much, so be sure to follow the directions carefully.

 

If these acne medications don't work, your doctor may prescribe a cream or lotion with benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur. Benzoyl peroxide works to reduce the oil made by the glands. Resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur help break down whiteheads and blackheads.

 

If your acne does not get better after six to eight weeks, talk with your doctor about changing your acne treatment

Treatment for Moderate to Moderately Severe Acne

This type of acne consists of several whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and pustules that cover from one-quarter to three-fourths of the face and/or other parts of the body.

 

Treatment for this type of acne can include antibiotic lotions or gels, as well as retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is an altered form of vitamin A. It helps prevent whiteheads and blackheads.

 

Your doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic pill, such as erythromycin for your acne treatment. If you take birth control pills to prevent pregnancy, antibiotics can affect how well they work. Be sure to use a second method of birth control with the pill, such as a condom.

 

Retinoic acid and antibiotic pills can make the skin sensitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen and stay in the shade while using them.

 

Treating Severe Acne

Severe acne consists of deep cysts, redness, swelling, extreme damage to the skin, and scarring. A dermatologist should recommend an acne treatment in this case. Scarring can be prevented with appropriate treatment.

 

Your dermatologist can prescribe oral antibiotics and oral contraceptives. Large inflamed cysts can be treated with an injection of a drug that lessens the redness, swelling, and irritation, and that promotes healing.

 

What About Accutane?

Your dermatologist may prescribe Accutane^® if other acne treatments have not worked. This is a strong medicine that can help prevent scarring and treat active disease. But Accutane can also cause birth defects. It is important that you are not pregnant and do not plan to get pregnant while taking this drug. You must use two methods of birth control at the same time during treatment. This is done for one month before treatment begins, during treatment, and for a full month after stopping the drug. Talk with your dermatologist about when it's safe to get pregnant.

 

Other side effects of this medication for acne may include:

 

• Dry eyes
• Itching
• Mood changes
• Changes in the blood and liver.
   

You and your dermatologist can decide whether this medication is right for you based on the pros and cons. It's important to use any prescribed acne medicine exactly as you are advised. Taking more medicine than you are supposed to take may make your acne or general health worse. Ask your doctor what to do if you miss a dose

Acne Treatment: Drainage or Removal

Some large cysts do not respond to medication and may need to be drained or removed. Your dermatologist is the only person who should drain or remove these cysts. You should never try to drain or remove your acne by squeezing or picking. This can lead to infection, worsen your acne, and cause scarring.

 

Surgery as a Treatment for Acne

If you have scarring, your dermatologist may suggest surgery to help heal lesions and remove scarring. A laser can reshape scar tissue and reduce redness. Dermabrasion is a type of surgery that can remove surface scars and reduce the depth of deep scars. Another option is to transfer fat from one part of the body to the face. In some cases, a single treatment can help scarring. But for lasting results, several sessions of this acne treatment are often needed. There are also topical treatments for acne scarring.

 

Photodynamic therapy is a new treatment for acne. It begins with light microdermabrasion. This is used to remove dead skin cells on the face's surface. Then, an acid is put on the skin for 30 to 60 minutes. After this, the acid is taken off. Lastly, the skin is treated with a laser. This treatment is still being researched, but seems to give positive long-term results.

 

Treatment for Hormonal Acne in Women

For adult women who break out mainly around their menstrual cycle, some birth control pills can help. Research shows that these pills can clear acne by slowing down overactive oil glands in the skin.

 

Sometimes, birth control pills are used along with a drug called spironolactone to treat acne in adult females. This medication lowers levels of the hormone androgen in the body. Androgen stimulates the skin's oil glands. Side effects include irregular menstruation, breast tenderness, headache, and fatigue. Spironolactone is not an appropriate form of acne treatment for all people.

New Acne Medications 2012

New Acne Medications 2012

Acne Medications: An Overview

Certain medications are used to address several problems that are possible causes of acne, such as:

 

• Abnormal clumping of cells in the follicles
• Increased oil production
• Bacteria
• Inflammation.
   

Depending on the extent of the person's acne, the doctor will recommend one of several over-the-counter (OTC) medications or prescription medicines. Prescription medications for acne may be topical (applied to the skin) or systemic (taken by mouth). The doctor may suggest using multiple topical medications or combining oral and topical medications.

 

OTC Topical Medications

Doctors usually recommend an OTC or prescription topical acne medication for people with mild signs of acne. Topical medications are applied directly to the acne lesions or to the entire area of affected skin.

 

Common topical OTC medications for acne include:

 

• Benzoyl peroxide
• Resorcinol
• Salicylic acid
• Sulfur.
   

Each of these drugs works a little differently. Benzoyl peroxide is best at killing Propionibacterium acnes bacteria and may also reduce oil production. Resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur help break down blackheads and whiteheads (see Types of Acne). Salicylic acid also helps cut down the shedding of cells lining the follicles of the oil glands. Topical OTC acne medicines are available in many forms, such as:

 

• Gels
• Lotions
• Creams
• Soaps
• Pads.
   

In some patients, OTC medications for acne may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning, or redness. Some people find that the side effects lessen or go away with continued use of the medicine. Severe or prolonged side effects should be reported to the doctor.

 

OTC topical medications are somewhat effective in treating acne when used regularly. Patients must keep in mind that it can take eight weeks or more before they notice their skin looks and feels better.

 

Prescription Topical Medicines

Patients with moderate to severe inflammatory acne may be treated with prescription topical or oral medications, alone or in combination.

 

Several types of prescription topical medications are used for acne treatment, including:

 

• Antibiotics
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Tretinoin
• Adapalene
• Azelaic acid.
   

Antibiotics and azelaic acid help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Tretinoin, a type of drug called a retinoid that contains an altered form of vitamin A, is an effective topical acne medication for stopping the development of new comedones (basic acne lesions). It works by unplugging existing comedones, thereby allowing other topical acne medications, such as antibiotics, to enter the follicles. The doctor may also prescribe newer retinoids or retinoid-like drugs, such as tazarotene or adapalene, which help decrease comedo formation.

 

Like OTC topical medications, prescription topical medications for acne come as creams, lotions, solutions, or gels. The doctor will consider the patient's skin type when prescribing a product. Creams and lotions provide moisture and tend to be good for people with sensitive skin. Gels and solutions are generally alcohol based and tend to dry the skin. Therefore, patients with very oily skin or those who live in hot, humid climates may prefer them. The doctor will tell the patient how to apply the medication and how often to use it.

 

Some people develop side effects from using prescription topical acne medications. Initially, the skin may look worse before improving. Common side effects include:

 

• Stinging
• Burning
• Redness
• Peeling
• Scaling
• Discoloration of the skin.
   

With some medications for acne, like retinoids, these side effects usually decrease or go away after the medicine is used for a period of time. Patients should report prolonged or severe side effects to their doctor. Between four and eight weeks will most likely pass before patients see their skin improve.

Prescription Oral Medicines

For patients with moderate to severe acne, the doctor often prescribes oral antibiotics (taken by mouth). Oral antibiotics are thought to help control acne by curbing the growth of bacteria and reducing inflammation.

 

Prescription oral and topical acne medications may be combined. For example, benzoyl peroxide may be combined with clindamycin, erythromycin, or sulfur. Other common antibiotics used as treatment for acne are:

 

• Tetracycline
• Minocycline
• Doxycycline.
   

Some people have side effects when taking these antibiotics, such as:

 

• An increased tendency to sunburn
• Upset stomach
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Changes in skin color.
   

Tetracycline is not given to pregnant women, nor is it given to children under eight years of age because it might discolor developing teeth.

 

Tetracycline and minocycline may also decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. Therefore, a backup or alternative form of birth control may be needed. Prolonged treatment with oral antibiotics may be necessary to achieve the desired results.

 

Accutane

Your dermatologist may prescribe Accutane^® if other acne treatments have not worked. Accutane (isotretinoin) is an oral drug for acne that is usually taken once or twice a day with food for 15 to 20 weeks. It markedly reduces the size of the oil glands so that much less oil is produced. As a result, the growth of bacteria is decreased. Accutane can help prevent scarring and treat active acne.

 

Advantages of Accutane

Accutane is a very effective medication that can help prevent scarring. After 15 to 20 weeks of treatment with Accutane, acne completely or almost completely goes away in up to 90% of patients. In those patients where acne recurs after a course of Accutane, the doctor may institute another course of the same treatment or prescribe other medicines

Disadvantages of Accutane

Accutane can also cause birth defects. It is important that you are not pregnant and do not plan to get pregnant while taking this medicine for acne. Those who take Accutane must use two methods of birth control at the same time. This is done for one month before acne treatment begins, during acne treatment, and for a full month after stopping the drug. Talk with your dermatologist about when it's safe to get pregnant.

 

Some people with acne become depressed by the changes in the appearance of their skin. Changes in mental health may be intensified during cystic acne treatment or soon after completing a course of medicines like Accutane. A doctor should be consulted if a person feels unusually sad or has other symptoms of depression, such as loss of appetite or trouble concentrating.

 

Other side effects of this acne drug may include:

 

• Dry eyes, mouth, lips, nose, or skin
• Itching
• Nosebleeds
• Muscle aches
• Sensitivity to the sun
• Poor night vision.
   

More serious side effects include changes in the blood and liver.

 

To make sure treatment with Accutane is stopped if side effects occur, doctors monitor blood studies that are done before cystic acne treatment is started and also periodically during treatment. Side effects usually go away after the medicine is stopped

Acne Skin Care

An Introduction to Acne Skin Care

Good acne skin care can help prevent or minimize acne flare-ups and acne scars. Taking good care of your skin includes:

 

• Cleaning the skin gently
• Avoiding frequent handling of the skin
• Shaving carefully
• Avoiding a sunburn or suntan
• Choosing cosmetics carefully.
   

Cleaning Gently When Caring for Skin With Acne

For proper acne skin care, most doctors recommend that people gently wash their skin with a mild cleanser, once in the morning and once in the evening, and also after heavy exercise.

 

Some people with acne may try to stop outbreaks and oil production by scrubbing their skin and using strong detergent soaps and rough scrub pads. However, scrubbing will not improve acne; in fact, it can make the problem worse.

 

Patients should ask their doctor or another health professional for advice on the best type of cleanser to use when caring for skin with acne. As part of your skin-care program, you should wash your face from under the jaw up to the hairline. It is important to thoroughly rinse your skin after washing it.

 

Astringents are not recommended unless the skin is very oily, and then they should only be used on oily spots. Doctors also recommend that patients regularly shampoo their hair. Those with oily hair may want to shampoo it every day.

Acne Prevention

Can I Prevent Acne

You can help prevent acne flare-ups and scars by taking proper care of your skin. Suggestions for a good acne prevention plan include:

 

• Clean your skin gently with a mild soap or cleanser twice a day -- once in the morning and once at night. It is also important to gently clean the skin after heavy exercise. Avoid strong soaps and rough scrub pads. Harsh scrubbing of the skin may make acne worse. Wash your entire face from under the jaw up to the hairline and rinse thoroughly. Remove make-up gently with a mild soap and water. Ask your doctor before using an astringent.
   
• Wash your hair on a regular basis. If your hair is oily, you may want to wash it more often.
   
• Do not squeeze or pick at acne lesions (also known as zits or pimples). This can cause acne scars.
   
• Avoid getting sunburned. Several acne medications can make you more prone to sunburn. Many people think that the sun helps acne because the redness from sunburn may make acne lesions less visible. But too much sun can also increase your risk of skin cancer and early aging of the skin. When you're going to be outside, use sunscreen of at least SPF 15. Also, try to stay in the shade as much as possible.
   
• Choose make-up and hair care products that are non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic. These products have been made in a way that they don't cause acne. You may also want to use products that are oil-free.
   
• Avoid things that rub the skin as much as you can, such as backpacks and sports equipment.
   
• Talk with your doctor about what acne treatment options can help. Take your medicine as prescribed. Be sure to tell your doctor if you think the medicines you take for other health problems make your acne worse.