Treatment options for Adults with Acne

Whether you suffered from acne as a teenager or developed it only in adulthood, there are a number of different treatments available for adult acne. Unfortunately, while one acne treatment may work wonders for one person, it may not work so well for another. The main reason for this is that different people have slightly different skin type and as a result responds differently to different treatments. The aim of this article is to acquaint you with the various options for treating adult acne to help you achieve the blemish free skin you deserve.

Home Options

Although it’s been talked about and recommend by skin specials, people still do not drink the recommended 6-8 glasses of water per day. Drinking water is important because it keeps your skin hydrated and thus preventing it from becoming dry and flaky, which clogs up pores and lead to the development of acne. Water also helps to rid your body of the impurities within the body to preventacne breakouts.

Other things you can do at home to minimize or prevent acne are to cut down on the caffeine product such as coffee (switch togreen tea) which has a tendency to aggravate acne. As well, cut down on dairy products which contain added hormone and steroids which make adult acne worse. Instead, eat more fruits and vegetables (carrots and Kale), which contain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and Zinc which are know to help improve skin condition.

Herbal Treatment Options

As people become more conscious about their health they continue to look for natural medicines to treat their ailments. Herbal acne treatments have come a long ways in the past few years. Their popularity has increased ten fold among teens and adults because they areeffective, cost less and most important of all, have NO known side-effects. The most popular acne treatments in this category consist of Acnezine, ZenMED, and ClearPores.

Vitamins to Treat Adult Acne

While there are many vitamins which promote the well being of your body, not all of them help with the treatment of acne. The vitamin which has been hailed as the “acne cure” is vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 treatment is rated quite high on the scale of 1-10 because it delivers Accutane like results, but without the nasty side-effects. Vitamin E is another vitamin which has shown some promise in healing scars, blemishes and improving skin elasticity.

Topical Treatment Options for Acne

When it comes to treating acne topically, adults have many options. There are literally hundred of acne creams, lotions and gels on the market to choose from. The most popular ingredient in topical treatment is Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid. Depending on the severity, whether your acne is classified as mild, moderate, or severe the concentration of the medication varies from 2% - 10% and in some cases greater.

Most adults prefer an acne treatment containing salicylic acid over Benzoyl peroxide because salicylic acid is much milder and gentler on sensitive skin. Also it does not dry out the moisture in the skin like Benzoyl peroxide does. You can find these treatments at your local drug store or online for purchase. These treatments come in many different forms including: Creams, Gels, Lotions as well as medicated pads (Oxy pads). The most popular treatment comprising of BP is Proactiv Solution and Salicylic Acid is ClearPores Skin Cleansing System.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are available to adults with moderate to severe cases of acne. There are prescribed by a dermatologist (skin specialist) or a family physician. The main goal of antibiotics is to kill the staph bacterium which is responsible for acne and to lessen the inflammation or swelling. Most often prescribed antibiotics are Tetracycline, Clindamycin, Minocycline, and Sulfacetamide.

Retinoids for Adult Acne

Retinoids are by far the most potent treatment for acne. They are the most effective at shutting down the oil glands and killing off bacteria. However the use of this type of medication is strictly monitors by a health care professional as it has many unwanted side-effects such as: birth defects, heart and liver failure, suicidal tendencies and many more. Most often prescribed Retinoids include: Tretinoin, Tazarotene, and Isotretinoin.

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