Acne- Types, Side Effects, and Treatment

Acne

Acne occurs due to plugged hair follicles it has many side effects and good treatment to reduce and many times Oil, dirt, and dead skin cells that appear on the surface of the skin clog the pores. These kinds of dirt on the skin results in creating pimples or small infections that need to be treated on time. The treatments for these acne work so that it can clear the bacteria away and dry the extra oils which have resulted in the formation of the acne. There are many types of treatments available to cure the acne which include some lifestyle remedies, medication, some kind of oral medication, and in some cases, medical procedures are also prescribed by the doctors so that acne can disappear from the skin.

Action towards Acne

The kind of treatment given to the individual varies from case to case and in most cases, doctors examine the skin properly before starting with any kind of treatment for acne. In case you are having mild to moderate acne similar to whiteheads or blackheads, then you will get easy treatment but in case you have cystic or inflammatory acne, then you need some other kind of treatment that can sometimes be a bit challenging as well. Cystic acne is a kind of large and painful acne that appears under the surface of your skin and only your doctor is the right person who can help you in getting a cure for this kind of acne which you might experience due to any reason.

Lifestyle remedies to bring down Acne

Most of the people who have mild acne or pimples are able to manage their condition by making some changes in their lifestyle. Since acne results due to the formation if an extra layer of oil on the skin, so it is much important to clean the face regularly. Oils from the hair and face also be build up on your bedding and sometimes by changing the pillowcase after every some time, you can stop the occurrence of these buildups. You need to wash your face at least two to three times in a day using lukewarm water and you must use a soft cleanser which is not much harsh on your skin.

You are advised not to scrub your skin much as it can make the case more challenging, also don’t use skincare products which look irritating. Scented lotions or makeup products with a higher percentage of oil in it must be avoided. You should select those moisturizers and sunscreens that are being labeled as noncomedogenic which clearly states that the product will not clog the pores.

By making some changes in your daily healthcare routine, you can get some relief in your acnes and in case your acne is not disappearing even after making certain changes, then you are advised to consult your doctor who will advise you to topical or refer some oral medication to you.

Topical medications

Topical medications are some kind of lotions, creams or gels that are mentioned by the doctors to apply on the skin. People having an acne problem can apply a thin coat of cream in the affected area twice in a day, one in the morning and another one before bedtime after cleaning the face. These types of creams and gels are easily available in the market and you can get them to post showing your doctor’s prescription.

These acne products include active ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide which are helpful in reducing the quantity of oil. Also, they are helpful in treating the existing blemishes and also prevent the growth of new ones on your skin. These kinds of topical medications are helpful as they are not that much strong as these acne gels include tretinoin or some kind of antibiotics named clindamycin. These ointments are useful in killing the bacteria in case you have developed moderate to severe acne which is not going on its own.

Oral medications

Oral medications which are also known as systemic treatments as useful in curing the acne as they are absorbed throughout the entire body. You can only get them in case your doctors have mentioned them in their prescription, these drugs are useful to cure moderate to severe acne which is not getting cured with any other kind of treatments. There are three kinds of systemic drugs available in the market which is useful to treat acne:

Antibiotics

The doctors will give a daily antibiotic pill like tetracycline which is used to fight bacteria and prevent the infection from spreading within the body. These kinds of treatments are given with topical medication where the patient is not feeling any kind of improvement in his/her acne even after taking gels and creams.

Birth control pills and Acne

By regulating hormone levels, the patients can feel improvement in their acne. This treatment is effective for some women and helps them in curing their acne; however, these birth control pills must not be taken during pregnancy and in case you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor to give some other kind of treatment to you to cure the acne.

Isotretinoin- Isotretinoin is a kind of strong drug which is given in case you are not feeling any improvement in your acne, this kind of drug is useful in reducing the size of oil glands so that produce lesser oil. Isotretinoin treatment is mainly given to those people who have severe cystic acne and this kind of treatment will be given only in case, your doctor has advised taking these drugs. However, these drugs have some side effects attached to them and therefore this kind of treatment is not referred for everyone.

Acne Treatment among Children

Most of the studies on acne discovered that people involved in 12 years of age or older experience acne and younger children experience acne as compared to adults. In case your child has acne, then you must visit a pediatric dermatologist and take his/her advice about the kind of drugs that can be given to your children and which drugs you must avoid. By giving appropriate doses, you can help your child in getting treated with acne. Also, you must know the side effects of the drugs you are giving your child.

Behavior towards acne

There are many medical procedures available that can help to treat severe acne and it varies from person to person. These methods are mostly performed inside your doctor’s office, these kinds of treatments can sometimes be painful and in some cases cause itching as well. Most of the health insurance don’t always include these plans and you must confirm that about your health insurance plan before scheduling an appointment with your doctor.

Drainage and extraction

In this kind of procedure, the doctor will manually drain the large cysts which have appeared under your skin. These kinds of acne are removed using fluids so that the infection and pain can be reduced, the doctors post examining your skin will give antibiotics or asteroid into the cyst so that the healing process can be boosted along with lowering the chances of scarring.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy is used to remove acne infection as it lowers the amount of bacteria that is present in the skin which results in causing acne.

Chemical peels for Acne

Under this kind of procedure, the doctors will remove the top layer of your skin so that your acne can be reduced. In the process, even the whiteheads and blackheads on your skin will be removed.

Acne treatments for pregnant

Acne is quite common and almost all of us experience acne at least once in a life, acne is more common among the teenagers though adults can also experience acne anytime. Women during pregnancy have higher chances of developing acne and the kind of treatment given to a pregnant woman is much different as compared to women with no pregnancy. Most of the treatment which is given to cure acne to the teenagers and adults are not safe when given to the women with pregnancy.

Topical retinoids are a kind of C category drugs which indicate that they are harmful to the growth of a fetus in case given in large amounts. Pregnant women must seek the advice of their doctors before starting with any kind of treatment. Also, Isotretinoin and tetracycline are harmful to the growth of a fetus and this kind of treatment is linked with birth defects, and even it can discolor the teeth of the baby. You must not use rely upon these treatments in case you are pregnant.

Those acne products are safe and can be taken during pregnancy that has benzoyl peroxide.

Side effects of these treatments

The kind of side effects we experience while getting acne treatments differ from person to person and also on the kind of method we have selected for the acne treatment. For topical acne drugs, some of the most witnessed side effects include dryness on the skin and irritation; however, these symptoms are temporary and disappear after some time. Also, these symptoms will improve as with the passage of time, our body gets used to these kinds of medicines but in case you are experiencing itches on the skin or it peels heavily, then you must contact your doctor.

The side effects for taking oral medications can be a bit more serious as most of these antibiotics are referred to be taken empty stomach which in turn can upset your stomach. In case you are taking some birth control pills, then you must use a back-up birth control method. Using birth control pills to lower your acne, you must stay informed about the kind of side effects which you can experience post taking these oral contraceptives. Some of the side-effects attached to taking these medicines include the risk of blood clots and higher blood pressure levels as well.

There are many oral isotretinoin that can result in causing some serious side effects especially in case you become pregnant while consuming these medicines. Many birth defects have been seen in the babies whose mummies’ were taking isotretinoin while they were pregnant, also consuming these medicines boost the chances of depression and suicidal thoughts as well.

Some ways to cure acne

You must try to avoid taking control of mild acne with nonprescription products, however, good basic skincare will help you to treat your acne

• You must wash your hands using a gentle cleanser. You need to wash your hands and face using a mild soap and warm water that don’t do damage to your skin In case you develop any kind of acne near your hairline, then you are advised to shampoo your hair each day and be soft in case you are removing the affected skin.
• You must avoid some products like facial scrubs, astringents, etc that will increase your trouble. These kinds of products will irritate your skin and will make your acne more troubling. Also, many times washing and scrubbing your face will irritate the skin.
• You must try to use those over-the-counter acne products that can dry the excess oil and will help in reducing the dryness as well. You must explore buying those products that contain benzoyl peroxide and you can also buy those products that contain salicylic acid or glycolic acid as they will help in curing both mild and moderate acne as well. You need to wait for some weeks before you start experiencing an improvement in your acne.
• Nonprescription acne medicines will result in causing some kinds of side effects like redness and feeling of dryness; however, they will improve gradually with each passing day.
• You must avoid using cosmetics that include oily or greasy products, any kind of hair styling products or acne concealers. Rather you must switch to water-based or noncomedogenic, that will lower the chances of spreading the infection
• You must protect your skin from getting exposed under the sun as sun cam worsens the acne. Try to reduce your outdoor activities during the day time and you must ask your doctor about the kind of medication in case you have to do out in the Sun. If possible, you must stay indoor during the day and use a nonoily moisturizer which includes sunscreen as well while going out during the day time.
• Avoid putting pressure on your skin and keep away the items like phones, helmets, etc by getting in contact with the acne as it will result in causing redness on the skin.
• You must not touch or pick the problem areas and in case you are doing so, you are triggering more acne and the chances of spreading acne to other parts of the skin will also increase.
• Take a shower after getting involved in strenuous activities. Oil and sweat on the skin can result in breakouts.

When to talk to your doctor?

Acne is a quite common and treatable condition that can be cured in case we take the right kind of treatment for it. In case despite making some changes in eth lifestyle, you are not seeing some improvement in your acne, then you must talk to your doctor who will advise other kinds of treatments including OTC products. Your doctor will examine your acne and will advise the best alternative treatment to cure acne. The medical research is still going on to discover some new and advanced ways to fight infection.

Preparing for the doctor’ appointment

In case you have acne on your skin and your acne is not responding well to the treatments and remedies, then you need to make an appointment with your known doctor, the early you will talk to them, the better you will feel. By having early treatment, the chances of lowering the acne appearance can be reduced greatly and you can have a normal life without compromising on your self-esteem at all. Post conducting an initial examination, your doctor will refer you to some specialist in case he/she is not able to diagnose your problem and you need some better and instant treatment for the acne.

While visiting your doctor, you need to make some ready so that you can let your doctor informed about your case.

• You need to pen down your medical information, such as the conditions which you are facing presently and want all prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines you have been taking to cure the acne in the past
• Pen down your personal information which includes any kind of stress or depression or some changes in your life.

By writing the questions on a piece of paper before consulting the doctor, you will be able to inform them about your current situation and by preparing the list of questions which you can ask your doctor in advance will help you to cure your acne quickly and in an enhanced way.