Facts You Should Know In Order To Get Rid Of Acne And Prevent Scaring
For many people, acne is a fact of life. It is often tough to get rid of acne. Many times, people will get rid of acne for a while, but then it flares up again later, even into one’s adult life.
The first step in getting rid of acne is to stop using cosmetics that are oil based. These cosmetics tend to clog the pores and cause acne to be worse. Mechanical oils or greases and cooking oils can also cause the pores to be plugged. This is why the kid that works in fast food who already has an acne problem has even more difficulty in keeping the problem cleared up.
Although it would seem logical to use a strong soap or cleanser to clean your face, these can often do more harm than good. They rob the face of needed moisture. A gentle cleanser can clean your face and help to get rid of excess oils and dirt which could cause plugging of the pores. This can make a new outbreak occur quickly.
Avoid touching any outbreak of acne or your face if at all possible. Fingers are often loaded with foreign oils and bacteria. This can actually cause your problem to get worse rather than better. In addition, you can harm the sebaceous gland. This can eventually lead to pimple becoming infected.
A dermatologist approved acne lotion that contains sulfur, resorcinol or salicylic acid may be useful in breaking down the oils on the skin and killing bacteria which can cause the pimples on your skin. These creams may also help you to shed dead skin cells. Many of these lotions are available without prescription.
Your dermatologist can give you several prescriptions for your acne. The dermatologist may prescribe a lotion that has the active ingredient retinoic acid or Retin-A. Another prescription medication is a lotion that contains adapalene or Differin. These products are both available only by prescription and derivatives of vitamin A. They work well when combined with mild antibiotic creams and can control most moderate as well as some severe cases of acne.
For many years, the next line of defense was the use of stronger antibiotics, which were often effective; however, the everyday use of antibiotics has been challenged in recent years, so some dermatologists are switching to drugs such as Accutane. Accutane is very effective, but has several severe side effects. Ask your doctor about the side effects before you take Accutane. Some of the side effects include rectal bleeding and depression.
The final alternative that is often effective in young women is the use of oral contraceptives. The contraceptives work to manipulate the hormones and there are some side effects experienced with this treatment. Be sure that you consider these side effects before making your choice.
If you have had problems with acne in the past and suffer from scaring, surgery is one alternative for removing the scaring. This is usually considered a last resort.