Over the counter acne treatment may be one of the faster options when it comes to providing a cure for acne. There are actually a number of drugs that can help acne. At least four will be discussed in this article.
The first one is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid can be found in many drugs or medications, particularly topical applications, used to treat acne. Aside from acne, salicylic acid is also being used to treat other skin conditions such as warts, dandruff, corns, calluses, psoriasis and corns. What salicylic does, basically, is to slow down the shedding of cells inside the follicle, preventing too much dead skin clogging the pores and causing a pimple. There may be a mild sting when using a product. It is not recommended that you use salicylic acid together with other over the counter acne treatment.
Products containing sulfur are also used to treat acne. Sulfur, on the other hand, dries up the skin and causes shedding – quite opposite to the preventive action done by salicylic. While it is effective in removing existing acne, it may also cause more cell adhesion, potentially causing other breakouts later on. Side effects of using sulfur include a bad smell and skin discoloration. Peeling and redness may also occur.
There are also products containing Resorcinol. Resorcinol is usually used together with one other over the counter acne treatment. It is usually combined with sulfur and does a similar thing to acne, which is to break down existing dead skin that has clumped together. Because of this, it can be an irritant on the skin and it is not recommended to add on other cleansers or alcohol-based skin products while using this.
Benzoyl Peroxide, on the other hand, is an antibacterial agent. Bezoyl Peroxide kills the P. Acnes bacteria, which is the bacteria primarily responsible for the occurrence of acne. Mild drying and peeling are some of the side effects you may experience. There is a small chance that an allergic reaction may occur (around 3% are said to be allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide) and it can also bleach hair or fabric.
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