Given that acne is by far the most common disease in the world, I’m constantly surprised at the amount of misinformation there is about acne treatments. There are so many commonly held beliefs regarding treatments, which have no scientific or medical validity but continue to be passed on from individual to individual. More worrying is the possible consequences of trying some of these options. Here is a list of common acne treatments that categorically do not work:
1. Household cleaning products, even when diluted, should not be used to treat acne. There can be severe adverse reactions including chemical burns from pursuing this route.
2. Similarly, cleaning powders are ineffective for acne.
3. Washing up liquid does not work for acne.
4. Home facial saunas will do nothing for your acne, but will certainly aggravate already sensitive skin.
5. Sticky tape left on the skin overnight and removed in the morning will certainly remove dead skin cells and excess oil, but is likely to damage the sensitive skin, and may cause an allergy to the glue.
6. Prolonged exposure to the sun or using a sunbed will not help your acne and can be dangerous if you are also taking oral medication of certain types. For example, taking certain antibiotics in tablet form will make your skin highly sensitive to sunlight.
7. Sudocrem is an excellent treatment for nappy rash, but highly ineffective for acne, primarily because it contains a mixture of greases and oils which are bad for acne.
8. Taking high doses of vitamin A or B will not directly help your acne, and may cause other side-effects.
9. Squeezing your spots is universally not recommended in combating acne. Doing so will prolong and spread the acne to other parts of the affected area
There are many other ‘not recommended’ acne treatment regimes, many of which will worsen an already difficult condition. Avoid these shortcuts and stick with a program overseen by your medical professional, or one which is based on solid scientific and medical evidence. If you do this, you’ll succeed in overcoming your acne condition.
Here are some general tips that I’ve discovered over the years:
If you have oily skin it’s best to take a medicated acne product or one in gel form. If you have dry skin you’ll probably do better with the acne cream form and medicated products with benzoyl peroxide or silicic acid. If you have both oily and dry skin (combined type) you will probably need a combination of oily skin gels and dry skin acne creams to apply to different parts of your fact according to the skin condition there. If you have sensitive skin you will more than likely need less intense concentrations of either dry, oily, or combined-type treatments. If you have skin pain because of acne you should get personal attention from a dermatologist.
So many people struggle with skin afflictions on a regular basis. With the advances in science, you’d think that the acne problem would have been solved long ago and that acne would be a pale memory. Unfortunately, the age-old confidence destroyer is still around and going strong.
Today, reaching middle age, I find myself in a new situation when it comes to unsightly blemishes. Now I find that my skin tends to be a bit oily and I have acne breakouts after moisturizing my face. One of the few things I look forward to as I get older is the absence of acne.
At one point all of us have been trying to find ways on how to be completely acne-free. Here are some natural and not so natural acne treatments that are proven to be effective.
1. Witch Hazel Astringent
This astringent comes from the plant with the same name. It is widely spread from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get from it serves as your astringent. Remember to cool it though. What’s good about this is that it occurs naturally and even the process it has undergone is all-natural. You can be assured it is less harsh compared with commercially-produced astringents.
2. Commercially Produced Astringents
There is no doubt that astringents we can buy over-the-counter are also effective. There are lots of variants to choose from with additional ingredients that promote better skin. The only downside is it can be a little harsh because of the chemicals added to produce this formula. Use them with extra care as they can dry the skin.
3. All-Natural Treatments
Kitchen and acne are two enemies we may not be aware of. Scout your kitchen for stuff like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.
– Oranges and lemons just need to be squeezed on cotton balls. Apply the extract on affected areas and wash it after about 20 minutes.
– Fresh garlic is used much easier. Just remove its peeling and rub it on your face.
– As for raw potatoes, peel them and rub its flat surface on your face.
The natural extracts from these fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness at the same time can clean the skin.
4. Oral Antibiotics
For severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed. These medications are orally taken to reduce the number of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also decrease the exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Lastly, antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, also creating an anti-inflammatory action. Consult your dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage.
Tetracycline is still the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. Most of this antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach. Also, this shouldn’t be used by pregnant women and children under 9. Usually, the starting dose is initially 500 milligrams twice daily and is continuously taken until prescribed, or until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.
Erythromycin comes close second and can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, it can cause nausea and even an upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which can only kill bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. Also, this antibiotic needs to be taken in a food-filled tummy. You may discuss other possible antibiotics with your doctors regarding the effects and side-effects of each.
5. Topical Treatments
Externally applied creams are also proven effective for acne treatment. However, it results in drying and flaking but it is said to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment.
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