Acne affects most of us at some stage in our lives. Even the lucky ones who seem to by-pass acne during their teenage years still get the odd pimple and spots. Whilst you may find the occassional pimples hard to deal with, what if you have more serious acne condition?
If you are suffering from a serious acne condition you may have visited your doctor to see what can be done. Unless the condition is extremely serious your doctor will unlikely suggest taking a prescription acne treatment, such as Isotretinoin. Whilst these can work they are often associated with side effects such as effects that include depression, hallucinations and cracked skin. So taking an acne medication may not be safe for everyone.
Under direct medical supervision drugs like Isotretinoin can be effective and if you are prescribe this particular treatment its because your condition is serious enough to warrant it. Sometimes steroids are prescribed for some serious acne conditions, which is taken in a variety of ways by injection, topical cream or orally. Steriods can quality reduce the inflammation associated with acne. Again there are side effects with steriod treatments the main ones being weight gain and mood swings.
So what are your options for treating mild to moderate acne conditions?
There are a number of options if your acne condition is not severe these are in the form of topical skin care treatments. The effective treatments typically contain tea tree oil that is gentle to your skin and yet effective at attacking the bacteria in your pores. Importantly it can clear up acne without damaging your skin and help you fight off acne at the source.
Benzoyl Peroxide is another active component used in many acne treatments. Whilst this is also effective at killing any bacteria it can often led to drying of the skin, which can have the knock on effect of increased production of oil. Some the more effective acne treatments tend to use tea tree oil and possibly Benzoyl Peroxide in smaller amounts.
Another ingredient popular in some acne products is Salicylic acid. This is applied to the skin and is used for mild acne conditions. You may suffer from mild stinging and irritation on your skin when using Salicylic acid.
In summary, if you are suffering from mild to moderate acne it can be safe and effective to use an over the counter acne treatment. If you suspect your acne is more serious then you should visit your doctor who may prescribe an acne drug that will require more medical supervision.