Photo: Acne Topical Treatment
For people who suffer from acne, the condition can be very irritating and may even cause a great deal of pain. That is why sufferers are taking all necessary measures to treat acne in the hope that they can finally say goodbye to this common ailment. The most popular of all solutions to acne is probably topical treatment. Here we will discuss the various acne topical treatment options to help you choose which will work best for you.
Retinoids like tretinoin, adapalene and tazarotene are among the most commonly used topical acne solutions. The retinol content of these formulations effectively increases skin cell turnover, thus promoting the expulsion of bacteria trapped in hair your follicles. As your skin sheds the harmful bacteria, the severity of your acne will be reduced along with the number of pustules on your skin. Retinoids also prevent further incidence of bacteria getting trapped in your pores or hair follicles. Take note that these products can only be purchased with a prescription from a health care provider.
Another popular acne topical treatment is a choice of antibiotics such as clindamycin, erythromycin and tetracycline. These antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that causes acne. They have also been proven to reduce acne infections and keep your pores unclogged. Like retinoids, topical antibiotics must also be prescribed by a qualified health care provider.
Benzoyl peroxide delivers results similar to those of antibiotics. It also kills acne bacteria and unblocks your pores. But unlike antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide can be purchased over the counter as long as you are buying a product with relatively low concentrations. Products with higher concentrations still require a prescription.
For more severe cases of acne, a combination of the above topical products is often recommended. This provides for a more strategic approach to battling acne. This approach is often very useful especially if you have been using topical antibiotics for quite some time because applying a combination of several acne topical treatment methods helps prevent resistance to antibiotics. Switching to combination treatment will also require you to use less of the antibiotics in order to inhibit the growth of resistant bacteria. Consult your doctor to know what combination will work best for your skin type.