Acne Remedy Guide

There certainly isn’t any shortage of products on the market for treating acne. Acne is a skin condition that all sufferers dread to have. It isn’t life threatening but because they commonly occur on the face, its presence can be a social killer for many people. Being a self-conscious person myself, I freak out every time I notice a pimple beginning to emerge on my face. I just want to quickly point out that stressing about it doesn’t help either as stress can worsen your acne breakouts.

Of course, acne can occur on other parts of the body such as the neck, scalp, back and chest. Also, the more serious forms such as acne cysts can be quite painful when touched. I want to use this hub to give a brief overview of the various different acne remedies readily available. I’ll cover the typical products with man-made ingredients, procedures as well as natural homemade acne remedies.

Before I continue, you should know that skin care is a very lucrative area so this tends to encourage unscrupulous people to make outrageous claims regarding the effectiveness of their acne products. For example, such manufacturers may tell people that their product can cure acne within two weeks. Such claims are often untrue and you should be thorough with your research before committing to a product.

This chemical compound is a common ingredient found in acne treatment products such as gels, creams and soaps. It is effective against acne in that it kills the bacteria associated with acne (Propionibacterium acnes or also referred to as P. acnes). Products can have different concentration levels of benzoyl peroxide, commonly ranging from 2.5% to 10%. Anything that has concentrations of 5% and below is available over the counter whereas you’ll most likely require a prescription at 10%. The exact details will depend on the area in which you live.

Higher concentration is supposed to be more effective against acne, but there is debate on whether this is true. There is also a catch with choosing a more concentrated solution. Benzoyl peroxide is often known to cause dryness and for the more sensitive skins, it can cause significant irritation, peeling and redness. For some people, they might be allergic to this ingredient so it may not be a suitable solution. So it is best to start with the lowest dosage level and even consulting your family doctor prior to treatment.

As you can probably guess, antibiotics work by killing P. acnes bacteria. These can be used in treatments in two ways – applied directly on the skin or taken orally. Examples of the former method include clindamycin and tetracycline. Examples of oral antibiotics include erythromycin and trimethoprim.

The advantage of the topical solution is that you are less likely to suffer from an upset stomach that is associated with oral medication. However, there might be situations when topical antibiotics are not practical such as trying to cover a large surface area that is affected by acne.

You should note that over time, the bacteria can become resistant against the antibiotic. Hence, you might observe your acne returning soon after the end of the course of treatment.

There are a lot of natural acne remedies, each with varying degrees of success that depend on several factors including the way a person’s system react to the ingredient. I believe the reason why when treating acne home remedy is preferred by some people is because it is natural and cheaper compared to the big branded products on the market.

One of these is tea tree oil which comes from a tree species called Melaleuca alternifolia that is native to Australia. It contains antiseptic and antibacterial properties making them suitable for treating acne problems. Some people have found this to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide at 5% concentration level. For those who are concerned with the drying caused by benzoyl peroxide would be pleased to know that there is an alternative that doesn’t have the same side effect.

Another natural acne remedy is sulfur. This naturally occurring element has antiseptic properties, which helps in treating infections caused by worsening of acne. Additionally, it bonds with water and easily penetrates the pores allowing a faster healing process.

If topical and oral solutions are insufficient for your case, probably you need to consider more invasive options. Just be aware that there are greater risks associated with this avenue. An example is dermabrasion which is a medical procedure involving the removal of the top layer of skin via sanding traditionally with a high speed wheel device. It can be quite painful so anaesthetic is normally used during the process. The idea is that once the damaged skin surface is removed, your body will regrow healthy skin during its natural healing process.

When it comes to treating acne home remedies tend to be still often dismissed. I think that the reason is because chemical products are more heavily marketed and hence gain more exposure and acceptance. Before you consider the more expensive and invasive options, make sure you’ve given enough chance to the natural remedies for acne.