When to use an anti-acne treatment

Acne is a skin condition that occurs when follicles become clogged with dead cells and oil.

This clogging can have two causes:

• Hormonal activity, so it is related to the changes of adolescence but also to other times of hormone movements such as menstruation or pregnancy.
• Excess production of oil by the sebaceous glands.

Acne does not only manifest itself in the form of pimples but also as blackheads that appear mainly on the face and forehead.

Other parts of the body on which they may appear are the upper back, chest, and shoulders, depending on the severity of the case.

You don't have to wait until you have a major manifestation of acne to start a treatment. In fact, we recommend seeing a dermatologist at the first signs.

Think that if you take too long to remedy it, it will be more difficult to eliminate the marks that it may leave on your skin.

What anti-acne treatments work

To find out which acne treatments are best, you need to consider your age, skin type and the severity of your case.

If you have doubts about which type of anti-acne treatment is most beneficial for you, consult your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of each one.

Topical acne medications

They tend to be the most common. These are medications that you must apply directly to the affected area, whether it is a cream, lotion, or gel.

On the one hand, there are retinoids, which work very well with moderate acne. They prevent pores from clogging and thus prevent the skin from sweating.

It is important that during the first few days of application, you make sure that it has no side effects as they can sometimes cause redness or dryness of the skin.

On the other hand, we have antibiotics, which are prescribed when you have to eliminate bacteria that may be affecting the skin and causing acne.

Another option is salicylic acid and azelaic acid. Salicylic acid prevents clogging while azelaic acid, produced from yeast, combines antibiotic properties with those of the usual anti-acne products.

Finally, dapsone gel is often prescribed in cases of acne with inflammation.

Oral acne medications

In this case, there are also oral antibiotics when acne is of a severe nature and it is necessary to reduce or eliminate bacteria from the body.

They are usually combined with other treatments and are prescribed for the minimum time possible to avoid developing resistance.

The FDA has authorized the use of oral contraceptives that combine progestin with estrogen, although they have the disadvantage of taking several weeks to take effect in addition to side effects such as nausea, breast tenderness and weight gain.

If antibiotics don't work, anti-androgen agents can be used in women, which stops androgen hormones from blocking the sebaceous glands.

Lastly, isotretinoin, derived from vitamin A, is used as a last resort when all else has not worked as it has fairly strong side effects that involve close monitoring by the physician.

Therapies for acne

Although they are less well known, there are other types of anti-acne treatments that are not based on medication but on other types of techniques that have also been shown to be effective.

Some of them are:

• Phototherapy. It consists of the use of light. There are still ongoing studies about this method to perfect it.
• Chemical scrubs. Salicylic or retinoic acid is used for its anti-blemish effects. It is not a definitive method so it has to be repeated.
• Extraction. The doctor extracts the whiteheads and blackheads with specialized instruments, although marks may remain on the skin.
• Steroids. They are for severe cases in which there is inflammation and pain in the skin, being very effective.

But in addition, there are also alternative therapies based on natural products such as tea trees or brewer's yeast. Nor should we forget the importance of hygiene at home.

Clean your face with a mild soap, dry it gently, and avoid greasy cosmetics or makeup that worsen the situation. Use sunscreen to protect your face from direct sunlight.

These simple actions will help any of these anti-acne treatments to be more effective.