Different Methods On How To Treat Acne

Living through all of the various medications and procedures on how to treat acne can be a very disheartening experience.  With each new cream, oil or medication, you are expecting your face to instantly clear up and when it doesn’t, you wonder if anything will ever work.

New Treatments Underway

Research has come a long way in providing relief from acne and the scars that it can leave.  The Mayo Clinic has been working on various treatments for how to treat acne and have had some amazing results.  Since acne is based inside of the skin, then radiating out, laser and light therapy target the deepened layers of skin where bacterium first starts.  The Blue Light Therapy creates a low-density light that penetrates the skin, reaching the

Propionbacterium, or the P. acnes where the bacterium lives.  Not only good for slowing down the bacterium that causes acnes, this treatment is also beneficial in repairing scars that are left from acne.  Drawbacks from this new method on how to treat acne, is that several sessions are required and can leave the skin dry and red.

Laser and Combined Methods

A diode laser can penetrate deep into the skin and will kill sebaceous glands in the dermis with out harming the outer skin layers.  While helpful in the worst of cases, it can be quite expensive and so recent that most insurance companies will not cover the procedure. Pulsed light and heat energy, used together, has been approved by the FDA as an approved acne therapy and is used for mild to moderate acne.  A more acceptable procedure on how to treat acne, the pulse of a green-yellow light combined with heat shrinks the sebaceous glands, decreasing oil production.

Prescription Medications

Isotretinoin, more commonly known by the trade name Accutane, is 50% effective on moderate to severe acne.  A derivative of vitamin A, Accutane does the same thing as vitamin A when used in large doses.  How to treat acne with large doses of vitamin A or Accutane has to be carefully monitored by a physician because it can be harmful to tissues if not watched carefully.  Side effects include cracked and dry lips and liver dysfunction.  You should never use Accutane when pregnant as it has been proven to cause birth defects.

Retin-a is another prescription type of medication for how to treat acne.  Also a derivative of vitamin A, Retin-a is applied to the skin instead of taken orally as Accutane.  Having a different type of solution to preventing acne, the acne follicles are brought to the surface of the skin by unplugging acne follicles.  The patient will actually look worse before looking better with this type of drawing out but then it subsides.  Also known as Tretinoin, side effects include sensitivity to the sun, dryness, redness and swelling of the skin where applied.

How to Treat Acne with Oils

There are many over the counter products that offer hope for most acne sufferers.  Essential oils have had a long-standing reputation over many hundreds of years for treating skin ailments.  Lavender Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Bergamot Oil, Rosewood Oil and Clove Oil are some popular alternatives to creams that only possess antibacterial properties to keep the area clean and disinfected. 

The Best Over the Counter Cream

Proactiv cleanser has been around for quite some time and past users and reviewers claim that its program works the best for how to treat acne.  Following Proactiv’s three-step program with Cleanser, Revitalizing Toner and Repairing lotion can help to clear up acne by cleaning and protecting your face with a benzoyl peroxide mixture.  This is recommended by most physicians to try before subjecting yourself to more harsh drugs and treatments.

A Healthy Lifestyle

Most teenagers do not want to hear this but the most effective treatment for how to treat acne is through a healthy diet.  Acne is created from the inside out and an imbalance of the proper vitamins and minerals is the number one cause of the beginning of acne.  Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and a decrease in the fast food and fries will benefit your skin and your body so you never have to worry about how to treat acne.