Acne Solutions Info

Just about everyone has had acne in their lives. Sometimes characterized as a skin condition and sometimes as a disease, acne usually starts in our adolescent years. And it can affect us off and on for years, at anything from a mild level so one that’s quite severe. 

For some of us though, acne breakouts can continue well into our adult years and can even be with us our entire lives. No one has ever been pleased with an acne breakout either, and that’s why, at one time or another, we’ve all looked for our own acne solutions. Sometimes it seems like the luck of the draw, but in order to truly find acne solutions that work, we must first understand how acne starts.

Many of the pores of our skin (especially our face) are equipped with special glands called sebaceous glands and their job is to secrete sebum which is an oily substance that keeps our skin from drying out. When we hit puberty and our hormone levels skyrocket, so does the amount of sebum we produce. Unfortunately, our skin can’t absorb it all and our pores have a hard time releasing it because dead skin cells, dirt and even bacteria get in the way.

The result is a clogged pore which leads to a small blackhead or whitehead, a larger pimple, or even an inflamed papule or cyst. What we see on our own skin depends on our own individual biology, our environmental conditions (lifestyle), and our hygiene habits.

This is why everyone’s acne is a little different. And it’s also why there are so many different acne solutions on the market today. Any approach to treating acne has to be a personal one if it’s going to have any chance of succeeding.

Another critical component to the success of your acne solution is patience. It simply isn’t possible to clear up acne in a short time. That’s because the clogs begin at the microscopic level and take weeks to grow into something you can actually see or feel on your skin.

This means your first treatments will often accelerate your break outs (which can be discouraging) and it will take weeks of consistent work to make headway. Only then will you know if your acne treatment is doing the job because that’s when you’ll start to see a reduction in the number and severity of your breakouts. Remember, your sebaceous glands will continue churning out extra sebum so you’ll need to continue fighting back with your treatment regimen.

The best acne solution for you will depend on how bad your individual acne is. If you’re lucky enough to suffer mostly from just minor breakouts of blackheads and small whiteheads, you may be successful by simply washing your face more often and using an over-the-counter acne soap, cleanser or pad.

• PanOxyl Bar 10% Benzoyl Peroxide
• Cetaphil Antibacterial Gentle Cleansing Bar
• Aquanil Lotion, Soapless Lipid-Free Cleanser

If your acne is a bit more severe, you may still improve your skin’s appearance with the addition of non-prescription topical gels or creams.

• Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel
• Nelson’s Acne Gel
• Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel

If you feel you need a more comprehensive approach, there are some popular “systems” available at your local drug store.

• Neutrogena Advances Solutions Complete Acne Therapy System
• Proactiv Solution Acne Treatment System
• Clearasil Ultra Acne Solution System

However, if your acne is very severe, for instance you suffer often from inflamed papules or your breakouts are extensive, you may need to see a dermatologist who can skillfully assess your skin’s condition and prescribe not just a treatment plan, but also an appropriate topical or oral acne medication. Just remember that prescription medications will always have some kind of side-effects.

• Tetracycline (an oral antibiotic)
• Yaz (a low dose birth control pill)
• Accutane (a form of Vitamin A)

Whatever shape your skin is in and whatever treatment regimen you use, you’ll always be trying to accomplish the same two things. One, you’ll be trying to clean the skin and remove all the excess oil, dirt, and bacteria. And two, you’ll be trying to unclog the pores to prevent any new outbreaks. This second objective is much easier to achieve once you’ve been at it for a few weeks because by then you’ll have worked past the older, more entrenched clogs and moved on to cleaning up the smaller and even microscopic ones.

That’s why it takes patience and perseverance to be successful at the acne fighting game. The good news is that if you do stick with it, you will see improvement. Good luck.

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