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The appearance of your skin is the main part of determining how you see yourself. Your skin reflects your personality, and when it is not healthy, there are times that you have low self-esteem yourself. Acne treatments can help people improve how they feel about themselves. But before you start acne treatment, there are things that you need to know first, such as: what causes acne? What are the different types of acne and their treatment?
What Causes Acne?
Acne is caused by clogged sebaceous glands or pores on the face, neck, back, and chest that lead to whiteheads (mild) or blackheads (severe). During puberty, several factors cause acne when hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, an oily substance that hydrates and protects skin from bacteria. During this time, because of the increased sebum production, dead skin cells cannot shed fast enough, which causes a blockage in the pores. The bacteria grow rapidly on these spots causing small pimples or massive cysts depending on how much oil is clogged under the skin. Therefore, it is important to find out what can cause acne and prevent them before starting acne treatment.
Types of Acne
There are several types of acne, but few are widely seen, such as:
Blackheads/Whiteheads:Â These are unnoticeable kinds of acne that are usually covered by acne treatments or pimple creams.
Closed comedones:Â These are small, flesh-colored bumps that may be harmless but need treatment if they do not go away on their own.
Open comedones or blackheads:Â This is a milder type of acne where tiny pores become blocked with oil and dead skin cells, causing a buildup of bacteria and pus under the skin, which leads to swelling forming bigger bumps that look like blackheads.
Papules:Â This type of acne causes small red bumps with a tender feeling. It may cause itching and burning sensations in the skin. It can be treated using benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and topical retinoids.
Pustules:Â Also called “zits”, this type of acne has a pus-filled top that starts to develop whiteheads on its surface when beginning to heal. These types of acne are primarily seen in people that have sensitive skin due to uncontrolled breakouts. The most common cause of pustule acne is due to sensitivity in the sebaceous glands.
Nodules/Cysts:Â This type of acne causes large painful cysts that are seen under the surface of your skin. It contains many bacteria that make it difficult to heal and can cause scars if not addressed immediately. These types of acne need antibiotic treatments to settle down.
Each of these types of acne can be treated depending on its severity. However, you should also take note that acne is not just limited to your face. You might also experience breakouts on the neck, chest, shoulders, back, and even bottom. With this being said, there are some cases wherein signs of severe acne will appear all over the body, so it’s best to consult your dermatologist to determine the best treatment for you.
Treatments for Acne
There are many ways to treat your acne depending on its cause, i.e., what causes acne? Before taking any acne treatment, you need to know certain things, including their ingredients, side effects, advantages and disadvantages in treating your problem, and who will likely benefit from them. Also, it is essential to consult with your physician before you start acne treatment.
Benzoyl Peroxide
This is found in most over-the-counter acne treatments and cleansers. It works by killing the bacteria that contribute to acne formation. You can treat your blackheads, whiteheads, or closed comedones using this type of treatment, but it may cause skin irritations such as dryness, redness, itchiness, and peeling. This solution is best for people with sensitive skin types.
Salicylic Acid
Also called beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) is an ingredient used chiefly in facial washes and creams that helps exfoliate your skin by removing dead cells clogging up your pores. It also has antibacterial properties, which makes it effective in treating blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. It may cause skin dryness, irritation, or redness with prolonged use, but it works well even for sensitive skin types.
Topical Retinoids
This type of acne treatment is a derivative of Vitamin A that can be found over-the-counter (retinol) or prescribed by dermatologists (tretinoin). It helps unclog your pores by promoting exfoliation and producing new skin cells to replace the old ones. This type of treatment is best used at night as it can make your skin sensitive to sunlight, making you more prone to sunburns and having an increased risk for skin cancer. Because of these side effects, be sure to wear sunscreen while using this treatment and avoid direct sunlight.
Oral Contraceptives
This type of acne treatment is a form of birth control that contains estrogen, which decreases androgens in your body. It inhibits the overproduction of sebum (oil) when your androgen levels are lowered, resulting in clearer skin. However, you need to consult with your doctor before taking oral contraceptives because they can have side effects, blood clots, or liver damage.
Antibiotics
This type of acne treatment is commonly taken in pills or applied directly on your skin as a cream. It reduces the bacterial population that causes infections and inflammation by reducing excess oil production and unplugging your pores which helps reduce future breakouts. Many antibiotics are used in treating acne, such as tetracycline, minocycline, erythromycin, doxycycline, etc. Still, you should always note that they can cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and upset stomach, which makes it necessary to consult your doctor before taking this type of treatment.
Alcohol-Based Toners
This type of solution is applied directly to your skin after cleansing using cotton pads or balls. It can be done at least once a day to help dry out your acne. However, this can also be harsh on the skin, so you need to do this every other day if possible.
Chemical Peeling
This type of acne treatment is a form of chemical exfoliation that uses either glycolic acid or trichloroacetic acid to remove the uppermost layer of your skin, which has excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. It can help minimize pores, improve post-acne discoloration and other types of scarring as well. On the other hand, this type of acne treatment may cause redness, swelling, burning sensations, increased skin sensitivity to sunlight, and even lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark spots after an injury on the skin).
Isotretinoin
Also called Accutane in its brand name version, it is a medication used for severe cases of acne that doesn’t respond to conventional treatments or only partially responds to them. This acne treatment works by decreasing sebum production, which can help shrink your pores and prevent further breakouts of acne. It is also used to avoid some types of cancer that have been linked to long-term exposure to the sun while treating mild cases of acne. Still, in general, it has many side effects, especially on people who are sensitive to sunlight, such as dryness, redness, and itching.
Microdermabrasion
A dermatologist or a medical esthetician can only do this type of acne treatment. It works by removing the topmost layer of your skin with an exfoliating brush, removing dead skin cells that clog your pores and prevent future breakouts. This procedure can also help improve post-acne scars and discoloration as well. However, it may cause redness, stinging sensations, swelling, and temporary irritation, especially when done at home through manual microdermabrasion kits, but this should go away after a few days.
When Do You Need to See a doctor?
If your skin does not respond well to self-care or the symptoms worsen after treatment, you should see a doctor. You should visit your dermatologist when: it has been months since you started treatment, but your skin is still not better, if the medicines do not work or if you have severe acne.
A dermatologist can determine what type of acne you have and the best acne treatment for your skin type. They will also prescribe medications suitable to your budget and lifestyle instead of expensive ones that don’t fit into your daily activities. They will also check your skin type and recommend the right products that you can use on your skin to help with the treatment.
If you think it is time to visit a dermatologist, look for the best clinics in your area or book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy. You don’t need to worry about spending too much for appointments since OHO offers affordable prices without sacrificing quality treatments.
Before any person starts an acne treatment, it is important to learn what causes it and how different types of acne. There are various treatment methods for acne treatment. Here are some things you should know if you have acne and are willing to start acne treatment.
Your skin can change:
Acne can come and go depending on your age, hormones, overall health, stress levels, etc., so it is essential to keep track of the changes in your body, especially if you have acne-prone skin. This way, you will be able to identify if the things that affect you are affecting your skin as well
Your treatment may change:
Different types of acne require different treatments because different types of acne have different causes. For instance, mild cases of whiteheads should not be treated with antibiotics or oral contraceptives, which can cause serious side effects. It would just make your case worse than before; thus, it is best to consult a dermatologist who can prescribe the proper medication for you right away.
You may need to adapt your skincare routine:
You should always take good care of your skin to reduce the effects of acne. This way, you can prevent it from coming back again. Using a proper skincare regimen is a good start, including drinking enough water, following the appropriate skincare routine such as cleansing 2 to 3 times a day, and applying sunscreen.
Your diet matters:
If you have acne, it is also important to note that your food intake affects how your body reacts with acne treatments; taking too much processed sugars or greasy foods may cause flare-ups. Even if you are taking an effective medication for your treatment which only proves that what you eat will affect how well your medicine works.
It may take a while to see the results:Â
The majority of acne treatments are not effective overnight, so you may need to wait a few weeks before seeing significant results, especially if you have severe cases of acne.
Certain medications can affect your treatment:Â
Some medication such as tetracycline, minocycline, isotretinoin (Accutane) interferes with the effectiveness of birth control pills thus it is essential to consult a doctor first before taking two different prescriptions at the same time just in case one will interfere with another.
It’s best to prepare for the side effects beforehand:Â
Acne treatment has possible side effects such as nausea, dizziness, itching, and even hair loss. That is why some people think twice about starting an acne treatment. However, these side effects are only temporary. It is essential to know that the side effects will go away eventually. It should not discourage you from starting an acne treatment because there are other ways to minimize its impact, such as using a facial moisturizer containing SPF or buying sunscreen before going out into the sun.
Take your time when finding what works for you:Â
When comparing different types of acne treatments, you may notice that some acne treatments work better for others while some don’t have any effective results at all. This is one of the reasons why it takes time when searching for the proper medication, especially if you have severe cases of blackheads and whiteheads. The good news is, there are lots of treatment methods available which can help you minimize the problem.
You can still have an everyday life:Â
You may think that acne will affect your social life with others, but many people have acne and live just fine. It is important to note that most people who have acne can carry out their daily lives by going to work, school, or even date regularly, especially when they play an active role in taking care of their skin as well which means having proper hygiene and following the correct treatment method for them at all times.
It’s best to take a holistic approach:Â
You can consider alternative treatments like homeopathy for acne treatment. Homeopathy treatment for acne is safe and easy to do, which focuses on using natural ingredients such as sulphur, zinc, etc., that are effective in treating acne naturally. You don’t need a prescription from your doctor for this treatment method.
So many people have suffered from acne for so long now, but it is time to end this problem. Instead of letting acne ruin your life, why not try out some treatments mentioned above which are proven safe and effective. You should also know when to see a doctor to treat their acne properly without complications arising from ill-fitting treatments. If you want to learn more about how these treatments can help you, please visit our website and book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy. There you go! These are the things you need to know before starting your acne treatment regimen, so don’t forget to do more research about these different types of treatments as well. Good luck! 🙂