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Your Options for Acne Treatment
There are two main methods of acne treatment that you can follow:
-
Topical
treatment
-
Oral
treatment
Before selecting a treatment, you must have a solid understanding
about acne, and determine the exact type of acne that you have. In
addition to this, it is also important to set goals for your acne
treatment. Here are some points to keep in mind when thinking about
acne, and when selecting the best acne medication for yourself.
Goals of
acne treatment:
-
You should understand how much acne and what type of acne
you have.
-
To stop new acne blemishes from developing with appropriate
treatment.
-
To treat acne scars and prevent new scars from forming.
Points you should remember:
-
You can control and cover the visible lesions and avoid
embarrassment.
-
Treatment is available that can prevent acne scarring.
-
You should get help for your acne as soon as you notice it.
Early treatment minimizes the severity of acne. This is
important especially if one of your parents had severe acne.
Points To Remember For Selecting
Your Best Acne Treatment:
-
The severity level of your acne
-
Your personal goals for therapy
-
The effectiveness of the treatment and possible side effects
-
Your personal preference
Other Circumstances Specific To
Girls And Women:
-
Pregnancy: is it possible you could become pregnant
during treatment, or are you already pregnant?
-
Breastfeeding: Will you be breastfeeding during
treatment?
-
Are you in the childbearing age range?
-
The acne treatment that you select will depend on the
factors listed below:
-
The severity of your condition
-
The type of acne (comedonal vs. inflamed) lesions you
have
-
Any previous experience you have had (and your skin’s
response) to other treatments
-
The degree of oiliness or sensitivity of your skin
-
Any history you may have of sensitive skin or extreme
irritation to specific products.
Note:
Acne may flare in the initial stages of treatment.
However, this is not necessarily an indication of unsuitable
treatment. On average, you’re likely to see about a 20% improvement
per month.
ACNE STAGE:
|
Minimal |
Mild |
Moderate |
Severe |
| Few comedones |
Comedones |
Comedones |
|
| Rare papules |
Few papules |
Many papules |
|
| No nodules/scars |
Few pustules |
Many pustules |
|
| Face only |
No nodules |
No nodules on the face |
No nodules on the face |
| |
No nodules on the face |
Scars may be present |
Scars on face/chest and back |
ACNE TREATMENT:
| |
Mild |
Moderate |
Severe |
| Acne cleansers |
|
|
|
| OTC Treatments |
|
|
| |
Topical retinoids |
Topical retinoids |
| |
Topical benzoyl peroxide |
Topical benzoyl peroxide |
| |
Topical antibiotics |
Topical antibiotics |
| |
|
Oral antibiotics |
| |
|
Hormone pills |
| |
Oral retinoids for acne scarring |
Oral retinoids for acne scarring |
Oral retinoids
(Isotretinion or Accutane) |
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