There will probably come a time in the not too distant future where the condition of acne (Zits) will be completely curable; treatments however, are slowly improving. Research into skin care treatment has been advancing for some time now; recent medical advancements are, in fact, proving to be very effective in treating this condition. For those people that require treatment, the acne skin care products required fall broadly into a number of categories including:
- Preventative: Creams, lotions etc. to help cleanse and tone the skin
- Over-the-counter
- Specialized, on-prescription acne products
Probably the largest part of the skin care market is products designed to clean the skin and inhibit the formation of acne; this sector deals with skin creams, lotions and cleansers that can help stop the problem. Whilst many sufferers use these products there are even more who just want to keep their skin clean and conditioned; many use these products to protect their skin from the environment even if they do not have the acne condition. Some of these products are designed to act like an acne skin care product and act against the causes of this complaint; they are formulated to reduce and limit the amount of oil in the pores of our skin. These types of products are reducing the chance of oil staying in the pores and aiding the growth of harmful bacteria which assists the formation of the skin condition.
Other skin care treatments can help exfoliate the skin; these are easily obtainable in any drug store. Dead skin cells and other atmospheric pollutants are removed cleaning the pores which reduce the chance of any bacterial growth. There are specialized acne skin care products available over-the-counter, they do not require the need of a prescription. These formulations contain the chemical benzoyl peroxide and the naturally occurring salicylic acid; these include creams, cleansers and peels that slow down acne formation.
Dermatologists recommend any product should have low concentrations of the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide (no more than 5.5 parts per hundred) if there is an adverse reaction; an alternative to this includes products which contain alpha hydroxy acid. Because we all have different types of skin, more than one type of acne skin care product may need to be tried; however, if finding an effective remedy it is proving to be a problem then consult with your doctor, or skin care specialist. There are benefits of seeing your doctor or dermatologist, they can prescribe you with a prescription for treatments not available over the counter, for example a course of antibiotics.
Under certain circumstances, having the infected material removed from the pores under a local anesthetic may be suggested by your dermatologist; however, sufferers are warned never to attempt this as it could lead to serious skin problems. An alternative that has been shown to work well is hormone therapy; hormone changes can be responsible for acne but hormone therapy can be very effective when used under prescription. Positive research means that a sufferer does not have to put up with this condition anymore.
