Acne Treatment - Health - Skin Care

Acne is one of the most common problems teenagers face. Caused by changing hormone levels and genetic disposition, it is most common in those with oily skins and is usually worse in boys than girls. Over 80% of males and 70% of females going through puberty use some kind of acne medication, sometimes to prevent mild acne from worsening and sometimes to treat conditions like cystic acne, a type of acne which can cause acne scars if not treated.

According to most acne specialists, the most important factor in treating acne is to start treatment early, before it becomes widespread. Teenagers who have oily skin, have siblings who are already undergoing acne treatment or who have one or more facial spots, should see a skin specialist and start acne medication as recommended by him. The first type of acne treatment which sufferers try is usually one of the many over the counter acne medications, such as Persa-gel or Stridex, which reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin. Often these acne products have little or no effect, and the next stage is a prescription acne treatment, usually a topical antibiotic cream or oral antibiotics such as erythromycin or tetracycline.

Many teenagers do not realise that they can have an influence on the amount of spots they get by changing their behaviour slightly, for example acne skin care. Keeping facial skin clean and not touching the face can have a big effect, as can reducing stress and increasing the amount of outside activities engaged in.

Doctors often recommend acne laser treatment for scars of this nature, especially in cases where cortisone injections have no effect. Cryotherapy is another treatment for acne scars, using repeated freezing to gently shrink scar tissue. However, prevention is much more effective than treatment, and most acne treatment is aimed at stopping the development of cystic acne.

Laser treatment has also been tried recently in a related form of skin disease called Acne Inversa, caused by sweat gland inflammation. This chronic condition is characterized by inflamed abscesses in the groin and armpits, and rarely on the scalp. The usual acne treatment of oral antibiotics often helps to control the condition, but the scarring left by the abscesses can be severe enough to limit movement, and is not always helped by cortisone injections. Acne laser treatment may offer a less invasive treatment than full surgery, and together with other acne medications such as Isotretinion, acne scars may be a thing of the past for these patients. To know more visit the ProActiv Reviews site for more details on acne treatments.

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