Surgical Options

Often, when every avenue of medicinal treatment is exhausted, it becomes time for sufferers of persistent acne or more severe acne to seek alternative treatment methods. A dermatologist can help discuss the different treatments currently available including treating acne with laser therapy or acne surgery.

If you are considering the possibility of treating acne with laser therapy or surgery, you must take care to fully evaluate each of the processes, including the number of required treatments, the consequent costs, and the potential side effects of the treatment. It's also important that you select a process that is designed to deal with reducing the presence of acne - and not acne scarring.

Acne Surgery

Acne surgery involves making an incision into the affected area and draining the clogged matter. The process for blackheads and whiteheads doesn't actually involve surgery, but is often performed by a nurse, esthetician or dermatologist. A small, pointed blade is used to first open the comedone and then gently work the material out using a comedone extractor.

Severe cysts can be drained and removed by a procedure known as excisional surgery. The procedure should be performed in a sterile environment to reduce the risk of spreading bacterial infection and should only be performed by trained professional. If the cysts are not carefully extracted, they can develop serious infection and create scarring.

Forms of Physical Treatment

Exfoliation

This form or treatments involves removing the top layer of skin either chemically or with some sort of abrasive.  Chemical peels are usually done with salicylic acid or glycolic acid.  These work by destroying a microscopic layer of skin cells to unclog pores and remove the build-up of dead cells.  The same effect can be achieved by using an abrasive cloth or liquid scrub. 

Comedo Extraction

In this procedure, an anesthetic cream is applied to the immediate area of breakout. Then the comedones (blackheads and white heads) are extracted using a pen-like instrument which opens the top to allow the removal of dead skin cells and sebum from the follicle.  The procedure is usually followed by an application of antibiotic cream.

Drainage

With many forms of severe acne, cysts can form under the skin and become very painful--even disfiguring. Often, the smaller cysts can be treated with cortisone injections which will flatten the lesion in a few days.  But for larger cysts the only alternative available might be to have them drained and then surgically removed.  Drainage can help relieve the pain associated with cysts and also reduce the chance of scarring.  It is important not to try to drain cysts by yourself because of the risk of infection, which could lead to permanent scarring.

Using A Laser to Treat Acne

Laser treatments involve the use of varying wavelengths that are aimed directly at the affected area of the skin. These wavelengths pulsate against the skin and destroy overly-large sebaceous glands and acne lesions. Laser treatments remove the damaged outer layers of skin so that new cell growth can be initiated. The laser technician varies the intensity of the laser as necessary to effectively treat the area.

Despite all of the benefits, there is still considerable debate surrounding the effectiveness of laser therapy. Yes, it has been shown to be effective in improving the skin's appearance, but as with most of the other available acne treatments, there are some side effects. For example, patients can experience red, burned skin after treatment that can last for weeks. Individuals with dark-colored skin can end up with skin discoloration after laser treatments.  Finally, the skin’s appearance can be uneven if the laser is applied inconsistently.

Turning to Prescriptions

Generally, mild and moderate forms of acne can be treated with over-the-counter medications, but with severe cases the only recourse is to seek treatment from a dermatologist. In many cases, the doctor will recommend a prescription medicine to deal with the condition. It also should be noted that these kinds of medication can be more effective even when dealing with moderate acne than what is typically available over-the-counter.

There are two types of prescription acne medications - oral and topical.

Antibiotics

Commonly used to fight acne, antibiotics can be taken orally or as a lotion.  Topical prescription medications may include ingredients such as zinc or retinoids. The most common antibiotic used for treating acne is tetracycline.  It is used to kill the bacteria responsible for acne and also reduces inflammation.  Treatment may take several weeks or even months to be effective and it is important to continue using antibiotics even after the acne has cleared up.  A common side effect associated with tetracycline is increased sensitivity to sun light resulting in bad sunburns if the patient stays in the sun too long.  Further side effects may include dizziness, hives, and upset stomach.

Women who are taking tetracycline may be susceptible to an increase in incidences of vaginal yeast.

Ointments and topical solutions

Antibiotic ointments actually have fewer complications than oral antibiotics.  Like oral antibiotics, topical treatments are rather effective in killing bacteria that cause acne. If you use these ointments with other topical treatments like benzoyl peroxide the bacteria may not develop resistance to the antibiotics. This increases the level of prevention that you will experience.

Retinoids

Retinoids are a form of acne medication that is derived from vitamin A and can be applied directly to the skin typically in the form of lotions or creams.  Topical retinoid medications are useful for treating blackheads and whiteheads by helping to open clogged pores.

Oral retinoids are used to treat the more severe forms of acne, because they have a better chance of dealing breakouts and lesions which don't respond to other treatments.  Oral retinoids cause the upper layer of the skin to peel thereby opening pores.  They also cause the body to produce less sebum – the substance which causes oily skin.

As with many other types of prescription strength medication, a number of serious side effects are associated with oral retinoids.  They can also cause liver damage and depression, so regular medical attention is needed to make sure the patient is not being adversely affected by retinoid treatment. It is not unheard of for this kind of medication to cause birth defects if mothers are taking them when pregnant, so females should consult their doctor if pregnant, or suspect pregnancy. 

Other medications

Birth control pills are sometimes effective in treating acne in women.  They change hormone levels in the body and can reduce the acne causing effects of testosterone. 

Over-the-Counter Acne Remedies

There are many types of over-the-counter treatments for acne.  When dealing with acne, most people run to the local pharmacy and buy some sort of over-the-counter medication on the basis of recommendations from their friends or perhaps even television ads.  Yet despite friendly suggestions, it is a good idea to consult with a physician before using any kind of over-the-counter medication.  Even though acne is generally a benign condition, a doctor or dermatologist can advise you on what the best course of treatment might be as well as provide further suggestions based on the particular kind of acne you may be suffering from.

Considering the fact that a large number of acne treatment products are available, it can be hard to choose which one to try.  You should not rely strictly upon the advice of friends or family because what may work for one person may not work for another.  Further, you should have some background knowledge about the active ingredients in various acne medications, so you can make a better-informed choice.

One of the most popular ingredients in acne medications is benzoyl peroxide.  Found in gels and ointments, it helps by combating the bacteria that generally help cause acne.  It is also useful for removing dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface of the skin.  It is these dead skin cells which combine with sebum to create blackheads and whiteheads.

Benzoyl peroxide has been proven to be safe and effective in combating lesions.  It can also be used as a means of acne prevention once a breakout has cleared up by keeping the skin free from acne causing bacteria.  The only side effect associated with this ingredient is dry skin, and this can be avoided by decreasing the frequency that it is applied on the skin. 

Another ingredient commonly found in a majority of acne medications is salicylic acid.  This prevents acne by clearing up dead skin cells that are accumulating too quickly and clogging the pores.  If the medication you are using contains salicylic acid you should continue to use it after the skin has cleared up to prevent future outbreaks of acne.  The only side effects associated with salicylic acid are dry, irritated skin.

Other ingredients

Besides the more common ones, there are other ingredients you may see in acne medication such as resorcinol and sulphur.  Resorcinol causes the top layer of skin to peel and the dead skin cells that clog the pores are similarly affected.  It is often combined with sulphur.  Although it is not known how exactly sulphur affects acne conditions, it has continued to be used effectively even after more than 50 years.  (Sulphur is often combined with other ingredients besides resorcinol like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.) 

Of all the ingredients that have been listed which are effective in fighting acne or preventing its outbreak, benzoyl peroxide is probably the most versatile.  It can be used in cleansing liquids or bars, as well as lotion, cream, and gels which are applied directly on the skin.  The cleansing products are used once or twice a day, while the creams and lotions can be used as needed.  They should be applied on the skin around the acne as well as the pimples themselves for overall effectiveness.  Also, you should try to avoid getting benzoyl peroxide in the eyes, mouth or nose, as it will cause irritation or inflammation.

Natural Acne Remedies

The subject of natural or homegrown acne remedies is a broad one to cover as one must be able to separate the effective options from those that really amount to little more than old wives’ tales. Yet, with this said, someone searching for successful remedies for acne would be foolish to overlook the benefits of those natural remedies that have been passed on in families. These sorts of remedies based upon common sense practices or herbs are typically successful for most mild cases of acne. It is when these cases grow more severe that one should consult a physician or dermatologist.

For centuries, civilizations relied exclusively upon herbal and natural remedies for the treatment of every ailment. No, there were no convenient drive-up pharmacies to get a prescription for manufactured medications. In order to find ways to help treat sickness one had to venture into the woods and search for cures there. And for the most part, nature provided for these needs through the various herbs that were found to have medicinal value.

The earliest physicians were nothing more than what we today call herbalists or at a certain point in time, apothecaries. Either way, the natural remedies they discovered were the basis for scientists who later found ways to create synthetic substitutes for these herbs and distill the innate properties down into a form that can be amplified or augmented by other elements.

A List of Common Natural Remedies

Hot/Cold Compresses - A chief natural remedy that is recommended more often than not is the usage of hot and cold wet towel compresses to reduce swelling and eliminate clogged pores--the major culprit in the production of acne.

Drinking Water - This natural remedy for acne is simple enough. The premise behind it the idea that if you drink a sufficient amount of water per day, typically 7-8 glasses of water a day, your body is cleansed of elements of toxicity that can actually contribute to the development and spread of acne. It also should be noted, that many natural remedies not only recommend to merely drink plain old ordinary water, but actually adding herbal ingredients by boiling fenugreek seeds and corn into the water.

Oils and Juices - Though it can seem odd, the benefits of using natural substances like almond oil - which can actually help with the removal of acne scars - cannot be ignored. Apricot juice helps to alleviate the presence of cysts by cutting through them.

Ø Cucumber juice - Used as a topical application, either alone or combined with carrot juice, alfalfa or lettuce.

Ø Citric fruit juices - These types of juices, such as lemon juice, serve as a natural exfoliate, removing dead skin cells which might cause clogging of the pores. You should allow it to dry on the face for approximately 10 minutes before rinsing it away with cool water.

Fenugreek leaves - This remedy provides great prevention of breakouts and involves taking the fenugreek leaves, crushing them, and making a paste out of them.  You should then apply it to infected areas every night, then wash it away the following morning with warm water.

Honey Mask - Because honey has naturally occurring anti-bacterial qualities it is often applied to the face as a mask, killing surface bacteria. Typically, the mask should be applied once or twice weekly depending upon the results of usage.

Distilled white vinegar - Apply the vinegar as a topical solution, letting it sit on the infected area for at least 5-10 minutes. Then rinse it thoroughly with cool water. Often the vinegar can be a little too strong so it is recommended that you dilute it, though not too much.

Make-up or Cosmetic Usage - Simply put, this is a common sense remedy for acne. Just avoid using these products because more than likely the chemicals and oils used to manufacture them will clog the pores, which, in turn, leads to more breakouts.

Further Remedies

Beyond the common natural remedies for acne, there are a few other interesting options available and worth mentioning at this time.

Diet and vitamin supplements - Unlike former days, when the diets of civilizations included only naturally occurring food from the ground, the usage of fertilizers and pesticides has taken a toll on the nutrient content of much of the food that we eat. Add to this the fact that our food is further manipulated by chemical preservatives and you have some further explanations for the occurrences of some acne breakout. To combat this, observing a proper and balanced diet and taking a hearty multi-vitamin can actually go a long way towards preventing certain bio-chemical conditions which provide fertile ground for acne.

Echinacea and Oregon grape - These herbs are both useful for boosting the body’s immune system and also combating many forms of acne-causing bacteria.

Vitamin A - Used in large quantities, vitamin A has actually been used to successfully treat some severe forms of acne. But it must be clear that if you plan to use vitamin A as a possible remedy you should consult a physician because, if used in large enough doses, it can be toxic.

Zinc - This vitamin, if added to one’s diet, can actually aid in the healing of acne lesions and help in the prevention of scarring.