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Acne
Acne Treatment Options Because acne is the most widespread skin disorder in the world, a lot of research has been done to determine how acne forms and how it is eliminated. Over the years a number of different treatments, medicines, and products have been developed to help control and eliminate acne. Currently there are about 7 different treatments that are widely used in the prevention and elimination of acne. Subsequently, there are literally thousands of different products that use these treatments in one form or another.
Acne
Treatments
Accutane (Isotetinoin): Accutane is a very powerful drug that is a derivative of vitamin A. It is normally prescribed for severe acne in cases where other treatments have failed to work. Accutane is normally taken for 4-6 months. The downside to Accutane is the high occurrence of side effects, some very serious. Antibiotics: Antibiotics are designed to fight bacteria and are thus used to control acne mainly from the inside. There are topical antibiotics such as clindamycin that are applied directly to the skin. Other antibiotics such as tetracycline are in pill form. Benzoyl Peroxide: This is an anti-bacterial agent that has been used to control acne for many years. It has been proven to work very well in the elimination and prevention of acne. Benzol Peroxide can be found in many prescription and over-the-counter medicines and products. Herbal Remedies: A relative newcomer to mainstream acne fighting are herbal remedies. It is thought that certain herbs are effective in regulating oil levels and other bodily functions that pertain directly to acne. Retin-A (tretinoin): Retin-A is a combination of retinoic acid and vitamin A acid. It is designed to treat acne, wrinkles, and sun damage. It supposedly does this by unplugging follicles and turnover over dead skin cells. Salicylic Acid: This is another widely used formula in controlling acne, especially preventing future breakouts. Salicylic acid helps slow down the shedding of cells inside the follicle. It is available in many over-the-counter treatments. Sulfur: Sulfur is used in acne control mainly to promote drying and peeling of the skin. This may be good for eliminating existing acne but its effects on preventing future acne are questionable. There you have it. Most acne regimens consist of one or more of the above formulas. It is important to note that everyone's skin seems to react differently to these treatments. For some people, benzoyl peroxide works great. For others salicylic acid may work better. You really have to experiment a bit and find out which treatment works best for you.
Isotretinoin
Isotretinoin is a retinoid. That means that it is derived from Vitamin A. The chemical name of Isotretinoin is 13-cis retinoic acid. Isotretinoin is a very effective drug for acne. It is normally prescribed for severe acne when other therapies fail. Isotretinoin should be taken very carefully because it can produce birth defects in fetus. While taking Isotretinoin, you should be always in contact with your doctor and report any side effect. You should also discuss about any possible pregnancy with your doctor if you are sexually active. Isotretinoin generally gives relief in severe acne and is a drug of choice for acne patients who may have lost hope about cure of their acne. Prescription
Isotretinoin is prescribed for acne treatment. Isotretinoin works in treating acne by shrinking the sebaceous glands and reducing sebum production. Isotretinoin is anti-inflammatory and removes comedones. The treated skin is dry and inhibits the growth of acne bacteria. Isotretinoin is prescribed in case of severe acne, scarring acne, moderate acne that is not responding to other medication and every case of acne where doctor feels that Isotretinoin should be prescribed to get rid of acne. Isotretinoin may also be used for some other conditions that include- folliculitis, seborrhoea, chloracne and other diseases that look like acne. The dosage of Isotretinoin will depend upon the severity of acne, body weight, other treatments being used at the same time etc. Your doctor is the best person to decide about the dose. Normally the treatment begins with small dose and as body adjusts to Isotretinoin the does is increased. Doctors also monitor the cure during this period and if they find that patient is not responding, they may stop the therapy. As Isotretinoin needs fat to help its absorption in body, it is taken after food. Please follow your doctors advise about these. Side Effects- The common side effects of Isotretinoin are dry mouth, dry nose, thinning of hair, fatigue, dry skin, red itchy eyes, sore lips etc. If you experience any other side effects such as muscle aches, difficult walking, depression vomiting etc. please talk to your doctor immediately. Please discuss about side effects with your doctor before beginning of the treatment with Isotretinoin and report any expected or unexpected side effect immediately. Please note that you may not be able to wear your contact lenses for some time in the beginning of treatment with Isotretinoin. You are also not supposed to donate any blood while you are taking Isotretinoin and for one month after you stop taking it. Please talk about dos and do not with your doctor. You also must tell your doctor about any medicine or Vitamins that you are taking. You are not supposed to take any medicines without consulting your doctor while taking Isotretinoin.
Isotretinoin
and Pregnancy
Isotretinoin can cause serious defects in the fetus. Therefore you should inform your doctor if you are pregnant. You should also tell your doctor if you plant to become pregnant or breast-feeding. You have to test yourself for pregnancy before you begin Isotretinoin and continue getting tested while taking Isotretinoin. Your doctor will explain the details to you. If you get pregnant while taking Isotretinoin you should stop taking it and call your doctor immediately. You must adopt two reliable methods of birth control for one month before taking Isotretinoin, continue while taking Isotretinoin and till after one month of stopping Isotretinoin. You should talk to your gynecologist and dermatologist in detail before taking Isotretinoin. This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advice and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article. Cystic
Acne Treatment - The Whole Truth
Cystic acne break-outs can be painful and lead to deep scarring. Some dermatologists consider it to be the most severe kind because topical medications do not get to the root of the problem. It heals extremely slowly because it is so deep that the infection is trapped under the skin. Cystic acne treatment is usually limited to oral medication so all cases should be taken to a dermatologist. Isotretinoin is the most common, and most potent drug prescribed for cystic acne treatment. It is a man-made form of retinoid (Vitamin A) that is taken in pill form. It is the only prescription that treats excess oil production, clogged skin pores, and inflammation. This pill is taken up to 20 weeks and commonly does not require more than one course of therapy to cure. The most serious side-effect to taking this medication is the possibility of birth defects to a developing fetus. For this reason, women are required to not be pregnant or get pregnant at any time during this treatment. Regular check-ups are scheduled for each patient using this medication to monitor any additional side effects. Common side effects of using isotretinoin as a cystic acne treatment include: muscle aches, uncomfortable drying of the lips and eyes, depression, and chest pain. Some of these side effects can cause serious health problems in the future. Always contact your doctor if you notice any of these side effects. Oral contraceptives are used as cystic acne treatment in females. It suppresses overactive sebaceous (oil producing) glands, and is safe to be used long-term. In addition to an oral contraceptive, the doctor may prescribe a synthetic steroid to inhibit other hormones that stimulate the sebaceous glands. If oral cystic acne treatment does not work, they may require drainage. This is considered acne surgery and should only be performed by a professional, in a sterile environment. If you attempt to squeeze or pick them yourself, the infection may last much longer than it would have. You may cause the infection to worsen and increase the inflammation and swelling. For dramatically inflamed cysts, a dermatologist may decide to administer an injection with a highly-diluted corticosteroid to bring down the inflammation and increase the speed of healing. It is a generally painless procedure. It usually clears the cyst within a week and prevents rupturing and scarring. However, this is not the first choice of cystic acne treatment by most dermatologist because it only treats current acne. In addition to the medications your dermatologist prescribes to you, be responsible for the health of your skin. Wash your face at least once a day, especially following exercise or other sweat-inducing activity. Do not wash your skin too often or it could result in drying out. Bursting of cystic acne will most likely result in scars, so avoid this at all costs. Make sure your hands and fingers stay away from your face. Your hands pick up dirt and germs with everything you touch and this coming in contact with your face can increase the chance of infection.
Acne
Treatment - Know About All Topical Treatments
Before we discuss the topical treatments for acne we have to note down the effects we desire from those treatments. The desired results in acne treatment are- reduce inflammation, open the closed pores, kill the bacteria and reduce the oil. To get these results the following topical treatments are generally used- Benzoyl Peroxide-The most common medicine that has been used since long to treat acne has been benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide performs three main functions - it removes excess oil, unclogs the closed pores and kills the bacteria. Benzoyl Peroxide is available in form of cream or gel and can cause excessive dryness because it removes oil, can sometimes also cause redness and some swelling. Because of these possible side effects do not use more than recommended dose of benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic Acid-This is commonly used to treat non-inflammatory acne. Salicylic acid corrects the abnormal shedding of skin cells that block the pore openings. Salicylic Acid does not kill the bacteria nor reduces the sebum production. It helps unclog the pores. It can be effectively used to treat whiteheads and blackheads. Sulfur and Resorcinol- they are commonly used in combination and help unclog the blocked pores and reduce excess oil. This combination can treat white heads and blackheads. It may also cause peeling of skin and redness. Alcohol and Acetone -Alcohol is a mild antimicrobial agent and acetone is a solvent that cleanses dirt and oil. This combination can be used to treat mild form of acne. Azelaic Acid -azelaic acid reduces the bacteria P.acnes and helps reduce the abnormal shedding of dead skin cells. It reduces inflammation by these two actions. Azelaic acid is used to treat mild and moderate acne. Azelaic acid can produce some dryness and lighten the skin where it is applied. Otherwise it is well tolerated by most people. Topical Antibiotics- antibiotics such as Clindamycin, Erythromycin and Sodium sulfacetamide are used to reduce the population of inflammation causing bacteria P.acnes. Prolonged use of Antibiotics can produce resistance in the body. It is important to use antibiotics as directed by your doctor. Most of the topical antibiotics do not have any side effects except dryness or irritation. You should report these to your doctor. Topical Retinoids- retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives and are very effective in treatment of mild to moderate acne. Topical retinoid formulations may contain active ingrdients such as Adapalene, Tazarotene and Tretinoin. Topical retinoids clear the clogged pores and have anti-inflammatory properties. Another advantage of using topical retinoids is that they help remove fine lines and wrinkles. Topical retinoids may produce skin irritation. They should be strictly used under medical supervision as some of them such as Tazarotene have shown birth defects in animal trials. This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advice and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.
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