Acne Treatment

What you must know if you are acne sufferer!

Unsightly pimples and blackheads – the scourge of acne – can make anyone's life difficult. It's especially trying for teen-agers trying to cope with their changing bodies and emotions. The good news today is that acne treatment has progressed so much that almost every case of acne can be eased.

Believe it or not, the keys to successful acne treatment start actually begin with the patient's attitudes. Sufferers will find that understanding of treatments against acne will takes time; that each person's course of treatment is likely to be different; and that a dermatologist is the best person to consult about treatment options.

Along with accepting these realities, there's good news: Early treatment of acne often shows good results. Early treatment especially helps prevent scarring from acne lesions.

When choosing treatment for acne problem, the first step is to be suspicious of any treatment that promises "overnight" or "miraculous" relief. On average, it takes six to eight weeks to see the first results. As symptoms begin to clear, treatment must continue to keep acne from re-appearing. No improvement within the first six- to eight-week period gives a good sign that the current treatment should be changed.

This trial-and-error aspect of acne treatment can be frustrating. Teen-age patients especially can view the lack of results from a particular treatment as a personal failure. This is the second reality to face about acne treatment: Every person's course of treatment probably will be highly individualized. That's because there are many factors to acne: its causes, a person's skin type, and what kind of lesions (blackheads, pimples, cysts) are present.

Here's where a dermatologist can help. Some acne treatment options are available only by prescription, for instance. Plus, a dermatologist can assess how severe the acne is, what types of lesions are present and how the acne may be affected by any co-existing health conditions, along with the patient's skin type, age, motivation and lifestyle. By gathering all this health information, a dermatologist can help determine which course of acne treatment is likely to work best.

Among the cosmetic treatments, also to consider are over-the-counter products, many of which contain benzoyl peroxide to shrink pimples or salicylic acid to unclog pores and reduce excessive skin shedding. Other products use acetone as a decreasing agent and alcohol as an antimicrobial solution.

Dermatologists sometimes use physical procedures in acne treatment. These can include chemical peels to loosen blackheads and decrease pimples; removing whiteheads and blackheads with a sterile device; and drainage and surgical extraction of large cysts that haven't responded to medication. None of these should be performed at home.

Finally, the newest therapies involve laser and light therapy for acne, so called acne laser treatments. Dermatologists typically use phototherapy, as it's called, in combination with medication. Laser therapy has proved effective in treating acne scars.