Acne Vulgaris Treatment
You can manage the severity and frequency of acne outbreaks with the help of medications. There are numbers of medications available and you can use these medications according to the type of acne like pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and cystic lesions. You can use these medications to improve acne in different ways. Tretinoin can be used for unplugging skin pores and then stopping them from getting plugged with oil. Antibiotics can be used to kill bacteria. The amount of skin oil can be reduced with isotretioin. Certain oral contraceptives pills can be used by the women to reduce the affects of hormones in producing acne.
The combination of medications can be very good for the treatment of the acne. This combination can be of the medications which you put on you skin and that you take by mouth or oral.
Medication Choices
The treatment of the acne depends on the presence of the inflammation or bacteria. There may be only red bumps on the skin with no open sores in acne condition. You can use creams and lotions in this kind of acne. Oral antibiotics can be very good for you if inflammation or bacteria is present with open sores. You can also take isotretinoin in this acne condition. There are many medications which doctors prescribed but most of these medications include Benzoyl peroxide, such as Benoxyl, Benzac, and Clearasil, Salicylic acid, such as Clearasil, Propa pH, and Stri-Dex, Topical and oral antibiotics, such as clindamycin (Cleocin, for example), sodium sulfacetamide (Novacet), erythromycin (E-Mycin, for example), and tetracycline (Achromycin, for example), Topical retinoid medications, such as tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene (Tazorac), Azelaic acid, such as Azelex, a topical cream, Isotretinoin, an oral retinoid.
The women with moderate acne can use low dose birth pills containing estrogen like Estrostep Fe and Ortho Tri-Cyclen. The estrogen lowers the oil production to soften the effects of testosterone. The use of androgen blockers for treating acne is also very good. The amount of sebum is decreased by these medicines in your pores. It is better for you to use the topical products for acne instead of oral antibiotics which can cause some side effects. There can be some side effects of oral antibiotics like yeast infection and diarrhea.
What to Think About
You should talk to your doctor about the use of antibiotics for acne if you are pregnant. The pregnant women can use Erythromycin which is safe antibiotic for acne treatment. The antibiotics may not remain effective for killing bacteria which cause acne as these bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics which is called drug resistance. You can use a different antibiotic in this situation.
You will need ongoing treatment after acne is under control to keep it from returning and it is the maintenance phase of treatment. You can use other treatments other than antibiotics for long term. There can be less side effects of the topical medications as compared to oral medications but these medications may not be effective in sever acne.
There can be serious side effects with Isotretinoin (such as Accutane) and tazarotene (Tazorac). The women using isotretinoin or tazarotene will need to have birth control method for having baby with serious birth defects. There can be depression, psychosis and, in rare case suicidal thoughts if you take isotretinoin like Accutane. You should talk your doctor before using this medication.