Acne Treatment

There are many choices of acne treatment available, ranging from general skin care products designed to help treat acne to prescription medications that are clinically proven to treat even severe acne infections. Which treatment you choose will depend on factors like the severity of your acne and how the infection is affecting you personally; many people find the skin condition to be distressing, having a negative impact on their self-image.

Dr Hilary Jones talks about acne treatments

Minocin

Minocin is a tetracycline antibiotic in the form of 100mg capsules. It contains the active ingredient minocycline to effectively treat acne infections.

Oxytetracycline

This acne treatment comes in tablet form, making it very easy to take. It is a tetracycline antibiotic that can lead to skin condition improvements in ten weeks.

Dianette for acne

Dianette is a contraceptive pill that can also be used as an effective acne treatment. It is commonly recommended as an acne treatment for women for whom previous oral antibiotics have proved ineffective.

Other prescription treatments

There are several other prescription medications that are used to improve skin condition, but these tend to be medications that cannot be sold online because they require additional testing. Roaccutane, for example, requires you to undergo blood testing to ensure that your body will be able to tolerate the medication safely without experiencing severe side effects. You should discuss your options with your doctor if you are considering a prescription acne treatment.

Over the counter acne treatment options

There are a huge number of treatments available "over the counter" - meaning they do not require a prescription for use - which claim to help improve skin condition. They tend to be popular because they are usually fairly cost-effective and are not associated with the same risk of side effects as medications available on prescription. Anyone experiencing acne, especially mild infections, is usually advised to try one or a number of these products to see if they have a positive effect before they begin a course of treatment with a prescription medication. Over the counter acne treatments usually contain ingredients like alpha hydroxyl acids, sulphur, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Non-medical acne treatments

A great deal of research is done into different forms of acne treatment, and some methods have been developed which do not require pharmaceutical involvement. Examples of these treatments include comedone extractors, chemical peels and photodynamic therapy. It is important to note that there is very little evidence to support claims of the effectiveness of these kinds of treatments. If you are considering any one of these options, it is strongly advised that you discuss them with your doctor first.

What you can do

If you have or know you are susceptible to acne it is advisable to follow a daily skin regime to ensure your skin is kept as clean as possible. This involves using mild soaps or cleansers and only non-comedogenic cosmetic products. Washing the skin regularly is vital, but it is also important to ensure you are not washing your skin too often, as doing so can actually irritate the skin. If you wear make-up, it should be completely washed off the face before bed. People with long hair should take steps to ensure it is kept off the face.