How to Get Rid of Acne

Acne is a disorder of the skin which causes redness, bumps, and occasionally, chafing.  Millions of people suffer from acne but with the proper treatment, they don’t have to.

What is Acne?

Acne is a disorder of the skin which causes rash-like symptoms.  Acne is caused by hair follicles in the skin becoming clogged.  The skin produces an oil called sebum.  It also sheds its skin cells.  When the skin produces too much sebum and/or sheds too quickly, the sebum and the skin cells will stick together and clog the hair follicles or pores of the skin.  If the blockage comes in contact with the air, it will become a blackhead, if not, it will become a whitehead. 

Who Can Develop Acne?

Contrary to popular belief, acne does not affect only teenagers.  Although the majority of acne sufferers are adolescents and young adults, older people can develop acne as well.  Men and women as old as fifty can develop acne.
Acne is more common in men than women.  This is because men’s skin shed more skin cells than women’s.

How is Acne Caused?

Before learning how to get rid of acne, it is first more important to find out how it is caused so that it can be prevented. 

One leading cause of acne is a change in hormone levels.  This is the reason that adolescents often develop acne.  Another factor which will change hormone levels is a woman’s menstrual cycle.  This is a leading cause for both adolescent acne and adult acne.  Medications can also be a factor in causing acne.
Many people believe that foods such as chocolate, french fries, soda, and pizza cause acne.  All of these things do not cause acne.

Getting Rid of Acne

Over the counter medications - There are many different over the counter (OTC) medications.  These are medications which you can buy in the store without a prescription.  These over the counter medications are effective in cases of mild to moderate acne.  If the acne is severe, over the counter medications will not be very effective.  These over the counter products can contain different medications which do different things.

One type of medication is benzoyl peroxide.  This medication is used in products such as Neutrogena On-The-Spot, Oxy 10, Foster, Clear by Design and Persa-gel.  This type of medication comes in a cream, gel, or wash form.  It is a bacterial.  The purpose of benzoyl peroxide is to kill the P. Acnes bacteria.  This is the bacteria which is responsible for causing acne.  Benzoyl peroxide also has an agent in it which causes a mild drying and peeling effect.  This can reduce breakouts. 

Another medication used in over the counter acne treatments is salicylic acid.  This type is used in products such as Stri-Dex, Clearasil Clear stick, and Oxy Night Watch.  Salicylic acid is used in products that use pads as applicators.  It is used to treat other disorders as well including psoriasis, calluses, corns, and warts. 

Acne occurs when skin cells shed and clump together.  This causes them to clog the hair follicle.  Salicylic acid helps to slow down the shedding process, preventing clogging.  It also helps to break down whiteheads and blackheads.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you should not use over the counter medications which contain sulfer, benzoyl peroxide, or resorconil. 

Prescription Strength Medications

There are many products which you can not purchase over the counter.  These medications are stronger than the over the counter medications.  It is necessary for a physician or dermatologist to write you a prescription for these medications. 

One type of prescription medication is Adapeline.  It is commonly used in Differin and comes in a gel-form which is applied once a day.  Acne is said to be caused by skin cells shedding and clogging the pores and the hair follicles.  This medication slows down the shedding process so the pores cannot clog as easily.  When using this medication, patients should avoid too much exposure to sunlight.  Between ten to forty percent of patients reported having redness, scaling, itchiness, burning, or dryness. 

Another prescription medication is  Azelaic acid.  This medication is made under the brand name Azelex.  Azelex is a cream containing twenty percent azelaic acid, an acid found in whole grain cereals and animal products.  This medication is usually applied twice a day.  Azelaic acid is thought to renew the skin more quickly and prevent the build up of skin cells which can clog the pores.  It is also said to help kill the bacteria known as P. Acnes.  This is the bacteria that is said to be responsible for causing acne.

There are some side effects from azelaic acid.  These effects are usually short term and include itching, burning, stinging, and tingling.  There have also been reports from dark skinned people of lightening of the skin.  Azelaic acid has not been thoroughly tested in darker skinned people.

 
Alternative Acne Medications

There are a few alternative acne medications which some people try to get rid of acne. 
One way is to reduce the amount of stress in a person’s life.  There are a few ways to do so.  Some people try yoga and exercise to relieve stress.  Others use things like aroma therapy and acupuncture.

Another alternative method of acne treatment is herbal methods.  Herbs such as Echinacea, licorice, dandelion root, and burdock are all thought to contain properties that help by killing bacteria. The herbs salvia and red peony are also used sometimes to help acne suffers improve their skins ability to heal.   This can help the acne sufferer’s condition to clear up quicker.

Many people suffer from acne, however, they do not need to.  There are many different types of acne treatments.  Finding the right one is the first step.