Acne is a common skin problem that can affect you from the time you reach puberty, all the way through adulthood. Acne can range in severity from mild comedones (blackheads or whiteheads) to serious inflamed cases, such as acne cysts or nodules. Depending on how severe your acne has become, there are several treatment methods available to help clear your skin.
Over-The-Counter
Over-the-counter products are the first line of treatment for acne. The most common ingredient for over-the-counter products is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a keratolytic agent, which means it breaks down a protein in your skin called keratin. Keratin is also present in dead skin cells, which largely make up the plugs that cause acne. By breaking down keratin, salicylic acid can free the follicle and clear up the acne lesion.
Topical Prescription
When over-the-counter products are not enough for treatment, topical prescriptions may be used. For example, antimicrobial medications, including benzoyl peroxide and the antibiotic erythromycin, can be used to kill the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) which can cause mild cases of acne to become inflammatory.
Other over-the-counter topical prescriptions that can also help different factors of acne include the retinoids adapalene and tazarotene, as well as azelaic acid, which help clear acne plugs by controlling skin cell shedding within the follicle.
Oral Prescriptions
Oral prescriptions may also be used to treat acne. The antibiotic eryhtromycin is commonly used orally or topically to kill the P. acnes bacteria. Also, one of the most popular acne medications, isotretinoin, is taken orally. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, isotretinoin is the most effective acne treatment due to its ability to treat multiple acne causes including bacterial infection, inflammation, sebum production and skin cell shedding.
Corticosteroids
As inflammation builds below an acne lesion, the built-up pressure raises the risk of the lesion bursting. If the lesion is allowed to burst, scar tissue will result. To prevent this from happening, corticosteroids may be injected directly into the lesion to reduce inflammation and allow the lesion to heal.
Laser Treatments
Laser treatment (phototherapy) can also be used to treat acne. Laser treatment targets the sebacious glands below the skin. As the laser light is focused on the affected area of skin, the laser energy penetrates deep into the skin, damaging the sebacious glands. This causes the glands to produce less sebum, which helps clear up acne problems and prevent future outbreaks.
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