Acne Treatments

Acne affects almost everyone — more than 90% of all adolescents, nearly 50% of all adult women and 25% of all adults. Crossing gender lines as well as national borders, it's one of the most widespread medical conditions in the world.

Acne is treatable! We now know more about controlling this condition than ever before. The secret to managing acne is prevention — stopping this condition before it exhibits visual symptoms. Once you have found an acne treatment that helps you accomplish this, it's important to stick with it. Even after pimples disappear, you may need to continue treatment to keep new blemishes away. It's also crucial to begin treatment as soon as the first signs appear; the sooner you address your acne, the less likely you are to experience permanent damage to your skin.

Acne Cause #1: Hormones. For the majority of acne sufferers, the trouble begins at puberty, when the body begins to produce hormones called androgens. These hormones cause the sebaceous glands to enlarge, which is a natural part of the body's development. In acne sufferers, however, the sebaceous glands are overstimulated by androgens, sometimes well into adulthood. Androgens are also responsible for acne flare-ups associated with the menstrual cycle and, on occasion, pregnancy.

Acne Cause #2: Extra sebum. When the sebaceous gland is stimulated by androgens, it produces extra sebum. In its journey up the follicle toward the surface, the sebum mixes with common skin bacteria and dead skin cells that have been shed from the lining of the follicle. While this process is normal, the presence of extra sebum in the follicle increases the chances of clogging — and can cause acne.

Acne Cause #3: Follicle fallout. Normally, dead cells within the follicle shed gradually and are expelled onto the skin’s surface. But in patients with overactive sebaceous glands — and in nearly everyone during puberty — these cells are shed more rapidly. Mixed with a surplus of sebum, the dead skin cells form a plug in the follicle, preventing the skin from finishing its natural process of renewal.

Acne Cause #4: Bacteria. The bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, (P. acnes for short) is a regular resident of all skin types; it’s part of the skin’s natural sebum maintenance system. Once a follicle is plugged, however, P. acnes bacteria multiply rapidly, creating the chemical reaction we know as inflammation in the follicle and surrounding skin.

Acne Cause #5: Inflammation. When your body encounters unwanted bacteria, it sends an army of white blood cells to attack the intruders. This process is called chemotaxis; or, simply put, the inflammatory response. This is what causes pimples to become red, swollen and painful. The inflammatory response is different for everyone, but studies have shown that it is especially strong in adult women.

Fortunately, you have options! There are many kinds of acne treatments available today. But first, you should try to determine the type and severity of your condition. Acne, is highly individual — it can take many forms, and have a highly variable response to treatment. The more you know about your specific form of acne, the more likely you are to find a treatment that works for you.

Treatments

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide works by destroying P. acnes, the bacteria that causes the condition acne. It acts as an antiseptic and oxidizing agent, reducing the number of comedones, or blocked pores. It may be 2–3 weeks before you begin to see improvement.

NOTE: While benzoyl peroxide kills existing P. acnes, it does not increase your body’s natural resistance to bacteria. So even when your breakouts begin to disappear, you should keep treating acne-prone areas. Why? This course of acne treatment kills bacteria, but it does not affect sebum production or the rate at which you shed your dead skin cells. If you stop using it, the bacteria — and your acne — will return.

Antibiotics for Acne

Like Benzoyl Peroxide, antibiotics control breakouts by curbing the body’s production of
P. acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, and decreasing inflammation. This process may take several weeks or months, so be patient. And remember, you’re not “cured” just because your breakouts have subsided. That’s the medicine doing its job — so if you stop taking it, your acne will probably come back. Likewise, doubling up on your medication won’t make your skin clear up twice as fast. Using your topical antibiotics more frequently than prescribed may actually induce greater follicular irritation and plugging, which slows clearing time. And taking your oral medications more often than prescribed won’t help your skin clear faster — but it will increase your chance of experiencing unpleasant side effects.

Salicylic Acid & Acne

Mild acid solutions, such as salicylic acid and glycolic acid, can be effective on acne. These encourage the peeling of the top layer of skin and the opening of plugged follicles, which helps reestablish the normal skin-cell replacement cycle. For milder acne, salicylic acid helps unclog pores to resolve and prevent lesions. It does not have any effect on the production of sebum or the presence of P. acnes bacteria. Like many other topical acne treatments, salicylic acid must be used continuously, even after acne lesions have healed. Its effects stop when you stop using it, so your skin will return to its uneven shedding; pores become clogged, and acne returns.