A Comparison Of Acne Treatments

If you're looking for effective acne treatments, you're not alone: the American Academy of Dermatology estimates that Americans spend upwards of $1.2 billion each year to treat acne. Acne treatments range from simple, over-the-counter medicated cleansers to sophisticated laser and light therapies. It can be tricky to choose the best acne treatment for you, but understanding what type of acne you have can help.

Acne Causes

Hormones called androgens drive acne development, according to the Cleveland Clinic. When hormone levels shift, which frequently occurs in teenagers and young adults, higher levels of androgens can drive the skin's sebaceous glands to produce too much oil. This oil then mixes with dead skin cells to clog your pores, creating whiteheads and blackheads. Bacterial infection can set in behind the pore blockages, which causes inflammation.

Over-the-Counter Products

Over-the-counter treatments can effectively curb mild to moderate acne that involves whiteheads, blackheads and a few pimples, according to the AAD. Products containing benzoyl peroxide can be very effective in stopping bacteria and removing the dead skin cells that clog pores. Resorcinol-containing products can effectively control small acne lesions, while products with salicylic acid as the active ingredient also help to unclog pores.

Prescription Medications

Prescription medications work well for almost every case of acne, ranging from mild to severe, according to the AAD. Stubborn acne that hasn't responded to over-the-counter medications often will clear with oral or topical antibiotics, which target the bacterial infection in acne. If your problem involves clogged pores, your dermatologist likely will prescribe tretinoin, a synthetic version of vitamin A that helps to push out pore blockages and encourage new skin growth. And, if you have severe acne that's threatening to scar, your physician may recommend isotretinoin, a very effective oral acne medication. However, isotretinoin can cause severe birth defects and other serious side effects, so it's reserved for the most difficult acne cases.

Physical Procedures

Physical procedures also can work well to curb acne, and dermatologists often recommend them in conjunction with prescription medications, according to the AAD. Laser and LED light treatments target the bacteria that causes infection in acne, and a series of these treatments often can provide significant relief from acne. Dermatologists use chemical peels, another type of physical treatment, to loosen pore blockages, which prevents new lesions from forming. And if you have severely infected acne cysts or nodules, your dermatologist might remove them surgically to prevent them from forming scars.

Considerations

Every case of acne will respond differently to efforts to clear it, according to the AAD. For mild acne, over-the-counter treatments often provide relief, while those with moderate and severe acne likely will require help from a dermatologist. You might need a combination of different treatments to finally clear your skin. Regardless of your acne's severity, the AAD advises following your dermatologist's instructions exactly. It also warns not to pick at your pimples, because doing so can lead to infection and even worse skin.