Get To Know Acne
Acne is a skin condition commonly found during adolescence, the medical term for it is acne vulgaris. It is brought about by a sudden increase in the hormone called androgen. But usually, teen-agers plagued with acne carries the condition well into adulthood.
Blockages in the facial pores leads to the development of acne. Follicular glands produce sebum, a naturally-occurring oil in the skin, which are planted deep inside the pores. Too much sebum production can clog the pores and leave it open inviting bacteria to settle, thereby causing redness and swelling of the pores, known as a pimple.
There are many acne products available for the treatment of acne. Most popular products offer spot treatments that promise results overnight. However, the over time use of acne treatment are more effective. Generally, acne treatment products work in 3 ways:
Prevents pore blockage by normalizing sebum production
- Kill bacteria that causes pimple formation
- Soothe inflammation
When treating acne, it is best to consult a dermatologist to find out which product would work best for a specific skin type. Over-the-counter medications are also vey popular. Besides properly washing the face, here are some of the most common acne remedies that have proven to be effective:
Topical bactericidals
These are widely-used over-the-counter creams and ointments that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which are chemicals that dissolve keratin (hardened sebum) blocking the pores, and prevents new lesions by killing the bacteria that inhabits the blocked pores. These products are usually applied twice daily, over the affected areas. After application of benzoyl peroxide, it is best to use a moisturizer for it has been known to cause dryness. When using benzoyl peroxide, care must be observed for it can very easily bleach any fabric or hair it comes in contact with.
Topical antibiotics
This includes erythromycin, clindamycin, azelaic acid or tetracycline (externally applied antibiotics). These products work mainly by killing the bacteria that inhabits the clogged pores.
Topical retinoids
Retinoid creams such as tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene (Tazorac) are topical retinoids that normalizes the follicle cell life cycle. The retinoids appear to influence the cell creation and death lifecycle of cells in the follicle lining of the pores. This halts the build up of dead skin cells that can create a blockage. Effective topical retinoids have been in use over 30 years but are available only on prescription so are not as widely used as the other topical treatments. Topical retinoids often cause an initial flare up of acne and facial flushing.