The Latest Acne Treatments
Posted on April 14, 2009
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Acne can leave ugly scars on your face and emotional scars that will affect your personality long term. Good thing there are several available treatments to keep acne under control.
The latest acne treatments are very promising and, if combined with other proven treatments, could result to clear skin.
Here’s some information about the cause of acne. Understanding the root cause can help you to better treat the very root of the problem and not just the symptoms.
The hair follicles on our skin are connected to glands called the sebaceous glands. These glands secrete an oily fluid called sebum. Normally, sebum is good as it lubricates the hair giving it a natural shine and protecting it from damage. The problem occurs when too much sebum is produced and travel to the hair follicle and settle on the surface of the skin.
Now dead skins can also accumulate and mix with the already accumulate sebum. This spells trouble as the hair follicle becomes blocked with dead cells and sebum, the walls of the follicles can break to give way to more sebum. That is the cause of acne, more or less.
Bacteria can cause more trouble as they can cause infection and inflammation making the acne look more gross.
Basing on the information stated above, we can say that the best way to treat acne would be to 1) reduction of oil production, 2) promote the growth of new skin cells, 3) removal of dead skin cells, and 4) control of bacteria. The best treatments target 2 to three of these.
Below are some of the latest treatments available for acne.
Laser and Light Therapy
Laser-based treatments can affect the sebaceous glands (limiting sebum production), fight bacteria that cause inflammation, and it can also give you better looking skin as it makes acne scars to blend with the rest of the skin.
Although laser and light therapy shows promise in the treatment of acne, the long-term effects are still unknown and the cost can be prohibitive to most. As it is considered an aesthetic procedure, it probably won’t be covered by insurance.
Cosmetic Procedures
There are two cosmetic procedures now available for acne treatment that can be effective in controlling acne, specially when used together with other treatments. These two are chemical peels and microdermabrasion.
Chemical peels can help with acne as they are used to remove dead skin cells and unclog the pores. Chemical peels using glycolic acid or salicyclic acid can also be used to remove whiteheads and blackheads. This helps in promoting the growth of new cells. However chemical peels can have side effects like redness, blisters, scaling, crusting and sometimes, even scarring, infection and discolored skin.
Microdermabrasion is similar to chemical peels but it uses very small crystals to exfoliate the skin. These crystals are very small and helps unclog the pores and remove dead skin cells to promote growth of new skin cells. However, this treatment must be accompanied by other forms of acne treatment to be effective.
Be aware that these procedures are best done by professionals. Doing these at home by yourself or by none-professionals could worsen your acne.
Combination Therapies
Combination therapies are probably the best method to cure acne as they target the four areas of acne causes.
Vitamin A derived prescription products called retinoids combined with anti-biotics taken orally is a very effective combination to cure acne. The retinoids help produce newer skin cells faster and also prevents clogs in the hair follicles. The anti-biotics get rid of the bacteria thus taking care of the inflammation.
A triple action remedy is benzoyl peroxide. It dries up the oil, kills the bacteria, helps remove dead skin cells all in one blow. Combined with antibiotic to better kill the bacteria and prevent inflammation makes this a very effective cure for acne.
Remember to be careful when using antibiotics as bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. If the bacteria becomes resistant, treating acne can be very difficult. Combination therapies are found to be the least likely to lead to resistant bacteria.
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3 Responses to “The Latest Acne Treatments”
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How much does laser therapy cost?
I got a few laser treatments done last year before my wedding. A total of 7 treatments. $100 each, not covered by insurance. The price is different depending on where you are. I live in a small town but i heard in the city they are about $50 each.
The blue light treatment worked great while I was getting them. About 2 months after I stopped the treatments my severe acne came back.
Which among these latest treatments available for acne is the most effective way?