Acne is the most common inflammatory skin disorder that causes spots and pimples, especially on face. At least 86% of the people experience acne problem in their young age between 15-26. Blackheads, Pimples, Whiteheads, Nodules and Cysts are all the different type of acne. Acne is not a dangerous problem, but it can leave scars on the skin. What Medical Science Says About Acne? Acne affects our skin’s oil glands who produce oil and hair follicles, these oil glands are stimulated by adrenal gland’s hormones in both females and males during puberty. This produced oil (under our skin oil glands) carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. In some conditions these oily substance (called sebum) and skin cells clump together and causes swelling, when this starts to breakdown a pimple grows. Outside bacteria and pollution help it to spread it on other non-affected areas. Some Facts About Acne Acne is most common skin disorder, but doctors don’t know what is...
Acne treatment is often long. Acne is a skin disease that manifests itself during puberty. It can touch different areas of the body and leave visible scars if not taken care of properly. Treatment for acne can be done by creams, medications, homeopathy also, or laser.
In addition to the general study on acne, this acne treatment study presents the various treatments for the acne:
- drug;
- local creams and treatments;
- homeopathy, Phyto therapy;
- laser.
Acne Treatment: Local Drug Treatments
Some individuals first use over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. For the sake of efficiency and to avoid the persistence of scars as much as possible, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible as soon as the lesions appear. Let's look here at local drug treatments for acne.
The purpose of acne management is to treat the problem at its base. It is necessary to reduce seborrhea, suppress sebaceous retention and limit the inflammatory reaction. There is an army of treatments, ranging from locally applied products to oral medications. All success of the treatment depends on the doctor who must make the right choice of products for the right indication and explain to his patient that it is a binding treatment, which takes time and can give possible side effects.
On the other hand, the patient himself must follow the recommendations and continue his treatment as long as necessary. In a conventional way, two ways of treating are necessary, locally on the "acne pimples", or more generally, by medication.
You may also like to read - Pimples in The Back Causes, Natural Solutions and Treatment.
Retinoids (Vitamin A Topical Acid and Its Derivatives)
Retinoids act on the hyperkeratosis (thickening of the stratum corneum) of the follicular canal infundibulum (which is the funnel-shaped orifice through which the hair emerges), they increase the renewal of epidermal cells and have both a preventive and curative effect on retentional acne (comedones and microkysts). They open the hair follicles, allowing topical antibiotic treatment to enter them and fight the bacteria that have accumulated there. They are contraindicated in pregnant women.
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Benzoyl Peroxide
Very quickly and very sharply reduces the number of Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria responsible. Thus, it has an anti-inflammatory effect by reducing these bacteria and basically has an action on inflammatory lesions. More incidentally, benzoyl peroxide has a minor action on hyperkeratosis.
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Topical Antibiotics (Erythromycin and Clindamycin)
They have an anti-inflammatory action by reducing the bacterial population. It is highly recommended to consult a dermatologist before using antibiotics for acne treatment.
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Laser Treatment for Acne
In the absence of published clinical studies, its use is not yet accepted by all dermatologists and today not reimbursed by Social Security. The laser passes through the layers of the epidermis and reaches the sebaceous glands. It can thus promote the elimination of bacteria and reduce sebum. It is preferred in general to use the classical therapeutic arsenal. The laser technique is detailed later in next article for acne treatment study.
You may also like to read - The Fastest Way to Treat Fungal Acne.
Topical Antiandrogens
They have very modest activity by insignificant reduction of seborrhea.
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Azelaic Acid
It has a moderate anti-inflammatory action by reducing the population of acne.
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Nicotinamide
It also has moderate anti-inflammatory action.
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Alpha Hydroxy Acids
They have moderate keratolytic properties (decrease in the stratum corneum) on the retention component of acne.
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Microsurgery for Acne Treatment
Commonly called Skin Cleansing, this microsurgery aims to expel the contents of retentional lesions. It is a very useful supplement to medicines, it allows, in some forms of retention acne, to avoid some cases of inflammatory outbreaks. In most cases, it should not be done at the very beginning of treatment, it is better to first act on hyperkeratosis with local treatment for at least two months. The black dots will then be softened, less consistent and therefore easier to remove.
You may also like to read - Acne Vulgaris Treatment - Fastest Way to Get Rid of Acne Vulgaris.
Oral Medications for Acne Treatment
Acne is the first cause of consultation with a Dermatologist, It affects three quarters of adolescents and number of adults. Antibiotics, hormones, zinc… There are many oral medications to combat this skin disease.
Oral Antibiotic Therapy
Their action is mainly anti-inflammatory. Tetracyclines are most commonly used but in case of allergy, erythromycin is more readily used. The problem that arises with the use of antibiotics is the occurrence of resistance. In order not to promote this, it is necessary to adhere to the duration prescribed by the doctor (at least three months); to resume the same antibiotic in case of relapse; to prefer benzoyl peroxide to topical antibiotic therapy.
Oral Isotretinoin
The essential effect is sebosuppressive, by major reduction in the volume of the sebaceous glands. Isotretinoin also decreases sebaceous retention. It is contraindicated in pregnant women. This treatment leads to many side effects and requires careful monitoring and control.
Hormone Therapy
This treatment is linked to appropriate oral contraception and also to the treatment of possible hyperandrogenism. It acts by reducing sebaceous secretions.
Zinc Gluconate
It has anti-inflammatory action and can be an interesting therapeutic alternative in inflammatory acne. Improvement appears after two months and relates only to the inflammatory component. If after two months of treatment there is no improvement, the subject is considered non-responder to zinc gluconate.
General Corticosteroid Therapy
Its anti-inflammatory effect is used in the beginning of treatment of certain forms of severe acne before switching to antiacneic treatments strictly speaking.
Homeopathy and Other Acne Treatments: Herbal Medicine, Chinese Medicine
Acne is feared by adolescents, often victims of unsightly pimples that can lead to scarring. In addition to drug treatments, other means are also used to cure acne: homeopathy, herbal medicine and Chinese medicine.
Phyto-Therapy Or Acne Treatment By Plants
The virtues of some plants and their essential oils have been described in several publications but their effectiveness has not been demonstrated. These plants include:
- burdock that has anti-infectious action;
- wild thinking that promotes the elimination of toxins;
- calendula, powerful antiseptic, detoxifying and healing;
- nettle which is extremely rich in mineral salts and vitamins A and C;
- elderberries and eucalyptus that are anti-inflammatory and antiseptic.
Homeopathy Against Acne
People who want to avoid irritating classical treatments, can use homeopathy, which has not had scientifically proven results in the field.
Chinese Medicine to Treat Acne
For information purposes, also mention the fact that the Chinese Pharmacopoeia offers several traditional "remedies" for acne, and also sometimes uses acupuncture. These therapies have also not been evaluated.
Depending on the type of acne, there are therefore multiple care techniques, few of which bring real healing. A good diagnosis makes it possible to choose between an additional or more local treatment and a background treatment, more cumbersome to manage since this requires medical or even surgical management.
Pill and Acne
To cope with acne, women are often prescribed a contraceptive pill. In general, estro-progestatives act on acne because they block ovulation, changing the hormonal flow. But be careful to choose the right pill.
Pill and Acne: Be Careful to Choose Your Contraception Correctly
The French agency for Health Products Safety (AFSSAPS) has issued good practice recommendations regarding the treatment of acne. In particular, they recommend that "in acne women with hormonal contraception, it is necessary to ensure that it does not contain androgenic progestogen".
And for good. Androgens play a leading role in the appearance of acne. These male hormones - also present in women-stimulate the activity of the hair follicles, which then secrete sebum, which itself causes unsightly pimples.
The Acne Pill
When a woman is prone to acne, her doctor will be able to recommend a pill containing a progestogen whose effectiveness on the skin is recognized. This is particularly the case with cyproterone acetate, known for a very long time. There are others, such as Drospirenone. This "last generation" progestogen is known to have a formula close to natural progesterone. It has antiandrogenic activity and limits both swelling, and breast tension. In combination with ethynilestradiol, it significantly reduces acne damage.
Acne Treatment: Creams, Hygienic Care and Cosmetology
What lotions, cosmetics and creams to use in case of acne? Small details that have their importance through the real mistakes not to make to avoid amplifying the phenomenon are all necessary warnings to prevent the appearance or slow the development of acne.
Acne Skin: The Tissue Paper for the Face
In any case, appropriate hygiene care is recommended. They will include: a daily use of tissue paper with dermatological gels or loaves without soap, The Daily application of a moisturizing cream adapted to the acne skin in order to improve the tolerance of anti-acne treatments.
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The tissue paper should be soft, using non-aggressive products. The use of suitable products such as surgras soaps, loaves without soap, milks and cleansing lotions is very strongly advised. It is necessary to leave a rest time of about 30 minutes between the cleansing of the skin and the application of the treatment products. Degreasing substances (such as Marseille soap) are to be banned from the bathrooms of acne. For men, the application of alcoholic or fragrant aftershave products is also to be avoided.
Acne Treatment and Creams
The use of emollients (moisturizers) after the bath is recommended to combat the irritating effects of anti-acne treatments, especially when prescribing oral isotretinoin (systematically use a cream or lip stick). The emollient must be non-comedogenic and fat enough to be effective. There are in this range of very many products among which the patient will be able to make his choice according to his preference and cost.
Non-aggressive soaps, lotions and bread without soap:
- Hyfac Plus Foaming Gel
- PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash
- Boscia Purifying Gel
- Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel
- Exfoliac Foaming Gel
- Cleanance Gel
- Soap Surgras Roche Posay
- Soap Surgras Roger Cavailles
- Sebium Phy Bioderma
Suitable Moisturizers:
- Physiane
- Ictyane
- Clean-Ac
- Sensibio
- Hydracutane
Sun Creams
The use of sunscreen suitable for acne skin is mandatory. Its application should be systematic and regular (every two hours) in case of exposure. It helps to avoid, in addition to the exacerbation of the acne flare by the sun and the interactions between UV and treatments, the occurrence of pigment scars: brownish traces left after healing of pimples.
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Pay Attention to Use of Cosmetics During Acne Treatment
As for the choice of cosmetology products, it must be thorough. It is necessary to ensure that these are non-comedogenic products. The use of a moisturizing cream is necessary and generally mandatory on the acne skin that is dried up by the various medical treatments that are inflicted on it.
The application of make-up products is allowed with the exclusion of foundation funds that are better avoided because they promote the genesis of acne. To camouflage lesions, it is better to use, punctually, products in the form of sticks. It should also be known that today there are makeup lines specially designed for acne skin.
In conclusion, one must be optimistic for the future. The search for new therapeutic means is still ongoing and new medicines with anti-inflammatory action seems promising for acne treatment.