Parents’ concerned about the baby’s health is a natural phenomenon. Everybody wants and make all out efforts to ensure that their baby had good health and soft, smooth skin. Baby acne is one of the skin conditions that can make the unpleasant appearance for the baby.

Generally, baby acne is result of mother’s hormones which are passed to the bay during pregnancy. However, this acne doesn’t appear after three to four weeks after the birth. The hormones passed from mother trigger the production of oils and lead to development of acne. Use of certain medication may be the factor behind occurrence of baby acne in some cases. Contact with saliva or milk of the affected area can worsen the baby acne condition. Crying, which is the natural thing for babies, increases the blood flow towards skin. Such increased blood flow can cause irritation to the baby’s skin.

There some remedies like washing of affected area with mild soap and water used traditionally for relieving baby acne. You must understand that acne is caused by clogging of pores that is caused due to accumulation of dead cells and excessive oil. Never use harsh soaps or scrubs for cleaning baby’s face. It could aggravate the condition. Use of warm water may help up to certain extent.

There are some over-the-counter medications available for treatment of baby acne. However, it is advisable that you consult your health care provider before using such medications as selecting wrong medication can lead to certain skin disorders.

Use of colloidal silver products is considered as one of the safe remedies for treating baby acne. The silver particles in the colloidal silver products disinfect the area and kills bacteria that are main cause behind occurrence of baby acne. Most importantly silver particles kill only infected tissues without harming other tissues or body systems. Colloidal silver is available in solution form. Usually, colloidal silver is applied topically to baby acne. As the micro-organisms present in the baby acne comes in contact with the colloidal silver product, the silver particles in the product kills the bacteria by attacking enzymes (that are required for development of bacteria). As a result of this attack the micro-organisms get suffocated and die. These dead organisms are then eliminated through lymphatic system.

Acne treatments for young people may have different options, including prescription medications, over-the-counter products, and chemical treatments. Any plan chosen will depend on the severity of the skin problem. A number of teens have experienced at least mild acne due to clogged pores and hormone levels increasing. But this is tolerable, and often heals by itself, as a teenager grows.

Severe skin problems can be emotionally difficult to endure. Acne comes at a time in life when teenagers seem to be more sensitive and conscious of their appearance. This can cause other problems among adolescents, such as depression and antisocial behavior. It's imperative to seek advice of a dermatologist to treat acne for young people before the skin problem becomes worse.

Regardless of the seriousness of the issue, to avoid touching the infected area of ​​the skin is vital. Tearing and picking the acne will only lead to skin infection. Scratching acne sores will cause bleeding, crusting and scarring. Acne treatments for teenagers vary from moderate to severe conditions. With the moderate to severe conditions, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist for an acne treatment for teenagers, because the doctor needs to examine the affected area and determine what kind of treatments are best for your condition.

Here are some simple tips that prove to be good acne remedies:

Keep the face clean
Acne is also caused by dirt that is mixed with the excess oils on the face, which can lead to severe skin problems. It is essential to make use of a mild soap for face and then apply a moisturizer containing sunscreen protection to shield the skin against any potential damages.

If you wash the face more often or make use of harsh soap, your skin will produce more excess oil which will lead to the worsening of acne. You can make use of any of the various products for skin care and acne, but if it makes the face red or dry, it is too harsh to the skin therefore there is a need to stop using it as soon as possible and try another solution acne remedy. Aside from that, avoid touching the face with your hands because it can lead to more acne.

Essential Oils
Tea tree oil has been shown to be effective in treating acne. You can make use of it as a treatment of acne spots. Put a few drops of tea tree oil with a cotton ball, and then rub it directly onto the face. It may not smell that good, but a lot of people have confirmed this acne remedy to be an effective one.

Lavender essential oil is another treatment for acne. Apply it the same manner as the tea tree oil. It is also proven to soothe nerves and help to provide a good sleep. Make sure you never ingest these essential oils because they are very concentrated and could be toxic to the body if taken orally.

Though acne is a universal problem, it is commonly noticed that everyone’s acne is different. This is because they are of different types and will even be different at different life periods. The following are its common types:

Acne vulgaris –

Acne vulgaris is a common type, involving blockage and/or inflammation of hair follicles and their accompanying sebaceous gland. It can present as non-inflammatory lesions, inflammatory lesions, or a mixture of both, affecting mostly the face but also the back and chest because of densest population of sebaceous follicles.

Acne vulgaris is characterized by non-inflammatory, open or closed comedones and by inflammatory papules, pustules, and nodules. Comedones are small white or dark bumps on the skin, which are plugs of sebum and dead skin stuck in the openings of follicles. A comedo may be open (blackhead) or closed (covered by skin – whitehead) and may appear with or without acne. This type of acne can happen anywhere on the face or body and can range from very mild to quite severe.

Cystic acne –

This is a severe form of acne vulgaris as there is lot of inflammation, and large, painful blemishes (or cysts). Acne cysts occur deeper in the skin than typical pimple, take weeks to heal, and can cause a lot of damage to the skin.

Acne rosacea –

Though not a form of acne vulgaris, it is sometimes hard to distinguish from it. It is confined to the center of the face – cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Acne is all too common in the teen years but rosacea typically doesn’t appear before age 30. It is more common in people with fair skin. Interestingly, it is more common in women but men tend to develop more severe forms. If rosacea isn’t treated, it can progress and the redness and bumpiness becomes more severe.

We don’t know exactly what causes rosacea but there are some triggers that include sun exposure, eating spicy foods, drinking hot beverages or alcohol, and exposure to extremely hot or cold weather. Emotional stress is another major trigger.

Acne cosmetica –

Products like makeup, creams and moisturizers, and even certain hair care products cause this type of facial acne. It is a type of comedonal acne. One will have to stop using the offending cosmetic or hair product to really see improvement of the skin, when its treatment is started.

Excoriated acne –

At some point or another, most people have given in to the temptation to pick at a blemish. But sometimes, the picking can severely damage skin tissue and most of women with acne frequently do it. Chronic sufferers of excoriated acne tend to be people who cannot control their urge to scratch or pick at their skin. They may feel compelled to pick at the skin. The constant squeezing and picking can cause open sores. When these sores scab up, they lend themselves to more picking, leading to a vicious cycle.

Acne mechanica –

This type of acne is caused when there is excess heat, pressure or friction on the skin. This is most common on the body but can occur on the face, too. Also called sports acne, it is common in young athletes — thanks to helmets, athletic pads and sweat bands. Anything that traps heat and rubs against the skin can trigger acne mechanica. A mild form of this type of acne can clear itself when the offending trigger is taken away.

Acne conglobata –

Usually found in male, it is the most severe type of acne. It is characterized by several large lesions interconnected across the face. There are also widespread blackheads reported with this type of acne. This is type is known to cause severe skin damage and scarring over time.

Acne fulimans –

Also known as acute febrile ulcerative acne, it is a severe form of acne, which can occur after unsuccessful treatment for acne conglobata. The condition is thought to be an immunologically induced disease, in which elevated level of testosterone causes a rise in sebum and population of Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. However, it is a rare type of acne.

It mainly affects young men and comes on very abruptly. It is different in that it usually comes with a fever and aching joints.

The bottom line –

Undoubtedly, acne is a daily nuisance for millions & millions of people all over the planet. Therefore, it’s important to quickly choose a treatment that is suitable for the specific type of acne and get started as soon as possible!

Darn! It’s bad enough for some people to have to deal with acne breakout problems on the face, but for those of you who suffer with acne constantly breaking out on the buttocks, I feel your pain. And what about that acne’s nerve? I mean, it doesn’t care. It doesn’t discriminate. It has no sympathy. It will affect anyone at any age, race or gender at anytime and anywhere on the body – including the butt.

Pimples on the butt are an annoyance that you are constantly reminded about every time you sit down, or go to the bathroom, or take a shower, or put on a bathing suit, or whatever. They’re just there and you know it and you want them gone. I’m sure it’s disheartening when you find that your butt is sometimes literally covered with zits, even between the butt cheeks at times! These zits are unsightly and embarrassing, and they can also be very sore when they get inflamed – can’t they? And you’ve tried everything to get rid of them. You’ve tried scrubbing and scrubbing them hard and long, you’ve tried popping them, you’ve tried different over-the-counter and prescription medications, you’ve tried eliminating chocolate, just about everything you can think of, but they still seem to hang around.

What Exactly is Acne?

The most common form of acne develops when hair follicles on the skin become blocked with dead skin cells, coupled with the over-production of oil secretion by the sebaceous glands under the skin. When pores are blocked, oil builds up beneath them, causing bacteria to grow and multiply. Because of this, the affected area becomes inflamed and produces acne lesions or pimples in the form of pustules, cysts, whiteheads or blackheads.

What Causes Butt Acne?

The causes of acne on the buttocks vary but some common causes include irritation from non-fragrance free detergents or fabric softeners, stress, hormonal changes (not just women, men can have hormone fluctuations too), or perspiring under tight-fitting clothing. When you perspire with snug clothing on, perspiration from your sweat glands, your natural body oils and bacteria can clog pores and cause acne to start.

#1 “Get Rid of Butt Acne” Mistake

The biggest mistake that you can make when trying to get rid of acne on your rear is to overdo scrubbing the affected areas and not following an effective cure regimen. Do not scrub, scrub, scrub. This will only cause more irritation and encourage the bacteria and infection to spread and to fester.

What Can You Do?

Part of an effective butt acne cure regimen includes gently exfoliating the affected areas, by using a loofah or acne cleansing sponge to lightly wash your bottom, as opposed to abrasively scrubbing it.

Be sure to shower as soon as possible after perspiring heavily. Also, while exercising or doing other physical activities which cause you to sweat, be sure to wear cotton clothing that fits loosely. This will allow your skin to get more air and hinder the development of acne in undesired places, like your behind!

Do not pick or squeeze the pimples on your butt, this will cause them to become infected.

Follow an effective skin care regimen for your behind, just as you would your face. Note, the key word here is effective. So find one that actually works.

Acne or Keratosis Pilaris?

If you have a bunch of red or white bumps all over your butt, and possibly the legs too, that seems to be a little hard pimple rash, but you’re not really sure. It could be a condition called – Keratosis Pilaris. This condition develops when hair follicles become blocked and get inflamed because of the over reproduction of keratin proteins in the skin cells. This causes bumps to develop which usually seem to be worse in the winter months, more so than in the summer months. Also your doctor can prescribe Erythromycin 2% to help with the symptoms, but it probably won’t clear it up completely in most cases. Be sure to inquire about this type of butt acne at your next doctor’s visit.

To treat your acne properly, you should be aware of certain acne treatment principles. Once you understand the correct principles of the best treatment of acne, the control of acne becomes easy.

Acne Treatment Principles:

• The aim of medical therapy of acne is not to achieve cure of the disease (which is practically impossible), but to get rid of the acne before it causes scarring and pigmentation and achieve long lasting remissions.
• Treatment of acne has to be individualized according to the grade of acne, severity, extend of involvement, age and sex of the patient. Hence all treatment suggestions may not be suitable for all acne sufferers.
• The effect of treatment will be visible only after about 2-4 weeks of starting treatment.
• Duration of treatment also differs from person to person. No medication should be stopped abruptly unless directed by your dermatologist.
• Some topical medications can cause flare up during the first 1-3 weeks. This does not warrant discontinuation of treatment. The treatment may be stopped for a couple of days or duration of application can be reduced.
• Minimize sun exposure while using medications such as retinoids.
• The advices provided on these pages are only a guideline to the best treatments available for acne. This cannot replace the face to face consultation with a dermatologist or an acne care physician.
• Do not try OTC preparations on your own or the advice of acquaintances. These may actually irritate your skin and cause flare ups of acne.
• Do not use steroid preparations on the face. These will temporarily reduce the facial eruptions, but eventually will worsen the situation and damage the skin.
• Most acne preparations have a peeling effect. Hence, when you start using them, the face may become reddish, dry or flaky. If there is severe dryness and irritation, discontinue treatment and consult your dermatologist.

Whether you are in your early teens or well into your adult years, chances are that you will encounter problems with acne from time to time. Pimples on your face, chest, back and shoulders can cause problems with your social life and affect your self-esteem. If you have zits, you need to know where they come from and how to cure acne permanently. This article discusses the causes of pimples and how to prevent and cure this aggravating condition.

Causes of Pimples

Pimples occur when the oil glands in the skin work overtime, blocking the pores and trapping dead skin cells inside. The clogged pores attract bacteria, which cause the reddened swellings of the skin typically associated with acne.

Attempting to squeeze or pop your pimples can irritate or damage the skin, leading to further outbreaks and potential scarring.

How to Prevent Severe Acne

Although it is not always possible to completely avoid acne, you can work to prevent severe outbreaks by washing your face twice daily with a gentle cleanser; if your skin is prone to pimples, using an over-the-counter acne medication such as benzoyl peroxide can help to reduce the appearance of blemishes.

Stay away from soaps and exfoliating cleansers, as these can cause dryness and irritation of the skin that may exacerbate your acne problem.

How to Treat Pimples?

If you do experience pimples, it is important that you resist the temptation to pick at them; popping your zits can cause scarring, as well as spreading the bacteria that cause acne. Avoid touching your skin, and keep your hair away from your face. Cleanse your skin with gentle, all-natural products, and treat the pimples with an over-the-counter acne cream. For stubborn acne that will not go away with home treatment, you may need to consult a dermatologist.

The Best Way to Cure Acne

Fortunately, there are now holistic treatments that can help you get rid of pimples gently, without irritating your skin with harsh chemicals.

Choosing the best skin care products to use on your acne-prone face is very important because not all treatments out there are going to work wonders for you. Most of the products that you’ve seen on TV or the internet might not work on your skin due to various reasons. This is especially true for long-term acne sufferers which have very sensitive skin that is so reactive toward the use of any topical treatment products.

Out of the hundreds or thousands of products that you will find on the market today, you will need to filter them one by one before using it. Applying them carelessly on your face just because of a sheer curiosity of whether it might work to cure your acne or not is not recommended. This is because these products could make your acne condition worse and ruin your appearance later if you don’t take your actions carefully. Here are some tips to choose the best skin care products for your acne:

1. Natural Ingredients are Always a Better Choice

When you are looking for a good skin treatment product to use, take a look at the ingredients first. Most of the time, the acne-curing products that you find on the market today contain at least 70% of chemical ingredients that are actually harmful for your skin. It is not recommended for you to use these products.

It is always better for you to choose natural over chemical. Natural ingredients are better to be applied on your skin because they usually work in a softer and smoother way. They are less harmful for your complexion and will not likely cause any bad side effects. It is safe to use for long-term as well.

2. Only Pick the Product that is Compatible with Super Sensitive Skin

Not all products that you find on the market will be compatible with your skin. This is especially true if you have been suffering from acne for years. If you have multiple severe cases of acne, it means that your skin is a super sensitive type. You need to use products that are designed for super sensitive skin as well, and this type of products is quite difficult to find these days.

Many cleansers or moisturizers that are being advertised on TV or the internet today are usually geared toward people who have some small pimples which don’t often appear on their face.

3. Use the Whole Treatment Regimen

It is better to use the whole treatment regimen rather than to use only the cleansers or topical applications. By purchasing the whole treatment regimen, which usually include cleansers, moisturizers, topical applications, creams, supplements, and so on, you will get the most benefits from the product. This way, you will be able to know exactly whether the treatment is good for your skin or not.

If you use only one or two parts of the regimen, then you will risk unbalancing your skin because there will always be something that is lacking in the way you treat your acne. Moreover, the effectiveness of the product will be diminished significantly when you do that.

Now, the story I am about to tell you, is about one young man who has discover an acne cure in the most unusual manner. Acne is like the song; “Living La Vida Loca”, it makes you live this life where you can’t be yourself.

Many people don’t understand what acne really is and how to find a cure for acne. But no one knows acne like my friend, Cleo. Cleo is one ugly guy, with huge acne scars in face.

But, do you know what separates Cleo and his acne scars from the rest of you?

Cleo, has found the perfect acne treatment that has enabled him to live the life of his dreams. Did he find a miracle cure for acne, by all mean not. What Cleo thought me was that to cure acne you first have to cure yourself internally and not focus on the outside.

He is the most friendliest and you can’t find a nicer person, he has charm and personality, and you even tend to forget that he has acne scars. He said that he tried many different products over the years, but nothing worked, so he eventually realized that he wasn’t going to find an external cure, so he found an eternal cure.

The problem is that like Cleo, many others, they wait until their acne has flared up to a point of no return, don’t let that happen to you, take charge of your acne condition and start looking for a all natural acne home cure today.

So, before you set about thinking that there is no cure, there are methods to cure acne, but you have to first discover what type of acne you have. As an acne sufferer myself, I first cured my acne at the age of nineteen.

My acne cure didn’t come cheap, I must admit that, I tried all kinds of different acne medications, but nothing worked. I just kept on believing that I would eventually find a cure and that is exactly what happened, I just kept believing that I would find a cure, so you too have to continue believing.

I used a simple product called Clearasil, today there are many better products online, but be very careful, because certain products can do more harm than good. You have to know which products works best on your skin type.

When I was an acne sufferer, I choose to educate myself on all acne issues, I didn’t fell for any acne myths. Stop, reading all the false illusions online, they have no clue what acne is, they are simply creating little websites, with no accurate acne information or acne tips, only to try and make a commission from others.

I am not one who has no knowledge of acne, I used to dread going outside, hiding from friends, just wondering what someone was thinking whenever they stared at my face. But, I didn’t let that bother me, I was interested in finding a cure for acne, one that really worked, and I did.

If you truly believe, it will happen, your cure is right around the corner, stop dreaming, take action today, go out there and educate yourself and find a cure for your acne.

There are many variations of acne, ranging from mild to severe. Acne vulgaris is the most common form of acne which includes several types of pimples. This type of acne can cause blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

The blackhead is formed when it has reached the top of the skin and opened. It occurs in particularly blocked pores. Sebum which can cause oily skin, dead cells, and bacteria are slowly draining to the surface of the skin and the black color is not due to dirt, but is dried oil caused by the pigments in the skin being exposed to air. Blackheads will take a long time to clear up.

A whitehead is a small white bump on the skin that has not opened on the top of the skin. Unlike blackheads, whiteheads are contained beneath the surface of the skin. It formed when a pore is completely blocked, trapping sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface. Whiteheads normally have a shorter life cycle than blackheads.

Papules are small pink bumps on the skin that are tender to the touch. they are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head. They will cause irritation, so bear in mind that not to touch them or squeeze them which will do no good, and may exacerbate scarring.

Pustules are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed. They appear as red circles with a white or yellow center. They are what most people call pimples or zits. Squeezing or popping a pustule is equally proscribed.

Nodules are hard lumps underneath the surface of the skin which can be painful and last for several months. Nodules are much larger than those mentioned above. Unresolved nodules can sometimes leave an impaction behind, which can flare again and again. It is not at all advisable to squeeze or pop them. You may cause severe trauma to the skin and the lesion may last for months longer than it normally would. This type of acne is particularly vulnerable to scarring, so it is advisable to have it treated by a dermatologist.

An acne cyst appears similar to a nodule, but is filled with pus, and has been described as having a diameter of 5mm or more across. It can be painful. Cysts can cause permanent scarring. Squeezing an acne cyst may cause a deeper infection and more painful inflammation which will last much longer than if you had left it alone. Dermatologists often have ways of lessening swelling and preventing scarring, so consult the dermatologist.

The above mentioned are main types of acne. Different types of acne do exist, each having a different cause.

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a skin condition that affects millions of teenagers and adults alike. In fact, more than 80% of people worldwide have some form of acne between the ages of 11 and 30. While usually not serious, acne can cause negative psychological issues and, while not as common, long lasting scars. There are many different factors to why people get acne including an increase in hormone levels, excess oil (or sebum) in the skin, bacteria and more. Acne itself has many different varieties including whiteheads (closed comedo), blackheads (open comedo) and inflammatory papules. (Fortunately, there are many different products available on the market that can help prevent acne and treat it once someone already has it.

Acne is classified clinically as being mild, moderate or severe. This grading scale is somewhat subjective but how severe your acne is will determine the type of treatment you will be taking. Mild acne is usually self medicated with over the counter products which we will discuss. Mild acne that doesn’t improve or worsens is typically treated with prescription products. In terms of medications, this article will discuss over the counter, prescription and supplemental products used to treat acne.

Over The Counter(OTC)

Salicylic Acid

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Mild acne in patients with sensitive skin. This medication is usually used by patients to self treat their acne and is typically one of the first medications people will try.

How To Apply

Apply 1 to 3 times per day, massage into skin and rinse off.

Important Additional Information

Not as effective as OTC benzoyl peroxide but is usually better tolerated, especially in those with sensitive skin.

Benzoyl Peroxide

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Benzoyl peroxide is actually available as both an over the counter product and as a prescription. It ranges in strength from 2.5% to 10%. Along with salicylic acid, it is very commonly used to self treat acne. It is used for mild to moderate acne and is almost always used in combination with a prescription product to clear up more moderate to severe cases of acne.

How To Apply

Applied every other day to twice daily. Depending on the specific product you get, be it a gel, creamy wash, foam, be sure to read the package directions for application. Some products you apply and keep on while others you apply and wash off.

Important Additional Information

The most common side effect is redness of the skin, especially when you first start using the product. In fact, it’s very common that your acne may appear worse because of the redness. This typically gets much better though as you continue to use the product. You should start once daily or even once every other day to become accustomed to the product to reduce the possibility of the redness. It is also recommended to start with either the 2.5% or the 5% benzoyl peroxide strength. Benzoyl peroxide is know to cause bleaching of towels and other fabrics so be aware of this! Benzoyl peroxide also can cause sun sensitivity.

Prescription Products

The “Retinoids”

When To Use/Place In Therapy

The retinoids are the most commonly used prescription products for acne, and there are a lot of them! They can either be used alone for mild acne or in combination with other products for more moderate to severe acne.

Retinoid Products – Generic name followed by brand names in parenthesis

Tretinoin (Retin-A, Retin-A Micro,? Tretin-X)

Adapalene (Differin gel/cream)

Tazarotene (Tazorac)

All of these formulations come in a variety of different vehicles including creams, gels, and solutions.

How To Apply

Start with the lowest strength to avoid possible irritation. Typically it is recommended to start dosing at three times weekly, progressing to nightly use as tolerated. All retinoids are applied in the evening before going to bed. Ideally, you should wash the face with a non-medicated soap or gentle cleanser (such as Cetaphil), then apply a thin film of the cream, lotion, or gel to cover the entire face. Do not rinse off afterwards.

Important Additional Information

All of the retinoid products work in the same way, but certain products and formulations are either better tolerated or more effective. If what your doctor prescribed you isn’t having the desired effect, it usually helps to change the retinoid product, strength or formulation.

Tretinoin creams are the most commonly prescribed since they are available generically and are less expensive than other products. They do tend to cause the most irritation in the retinoid class however. There is a tretinoin product known as Retin-A micro which is the best tolerated of the retinoid bunch. Tretinoin is deactivated by sunlight and therefore should be applied at bedtime.

Adapalene (Differin) products are considered to be slightly more efficacious than tretinoin products and certainly cause less skin irritation. Some formulations of adapalene are available generically just as tretinoin products are but in general does cost more. Sunlight deactivates adapalene just like tretinoin and therefore should be applied at bedtime.

Tazarotene (Tazorac) is considered the most effective retinoid of all but is typically more irritating that the others. It commonly causes redness and scaling. Also, tazarotene is absolutely to be avoided in pregnancy or in those who wish to become pregnant.

For all the retinoid products, as the strength increases so does the possibility of redness, flaking, and irritation. Ideally you want to start at a couple of times per week and move up to nightly dosing.

In terms of picking a product formulation (cream vs gel etc.), the general recommendation is to pick a formulation based on your skin type. For people with more oily skin, it is recommended to go with a gel or solution because they contain more alcohol and tend to be a little bit more drying. In people with dry, flaky skin, cream is usually the best choice as it won’t dry as much.

Lastly, as will many different drug products, acne does tend to get worse when you start a medication before it gets better. It can sometimes take around a month to start seeing the positive effects of medication.

Azelaic Acid

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Azelaic Acid (Azelex) is often used for patients with mild to moderate acne. It tends to be less irritating than other products

so it is good for those with sensitive skin.

How To Apply

Azelaic Acid is usually gentle enough where is can be applied twice daily, in the morning and in the evening, at the start of therapy. Gently wash the face, pat dry and apply the product. Do not wash the face afterwards.

Important Additional Information

Azelaic Acid (Azelex) is usually considered slightly less effective than the retinoid products but again, it is great for people with sensitive skin. In those people with darker complexions, it has been know to cause hypopigmentation, also known as a loss in skin color.

Dapsone (Aczone)

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Dapsone (Aczone) is a topical antibiotic formulation indicated for mild, moderate or even severe acne. It usually is used in combination with other products. Though Dapsone is classified as an antibiotic, it appears to work by preventing and treating the inflammatory process. It is usually very well tolerated and typically is regarded as a good option for patients that can’t tolerate other medications well.

How To Apply

Dapsone should be applied to a clean and dry face. Dapsone does tend to be a little bit gritty so you can expect to feel that when you rub it in. Do not rinse your face afterwards.

Important Additional Information

Two things are important to know about Dapsone. First, it is usually fairly well tolerated and should not make acne worse before it gets better, unlike the retinoid products. Secondly, it usually is not used with benzoyl peroxide products as the combination of both can cause a temporary orange staining on the skin.

Spironolactone (Aldactone)

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Spironolactone is an oral therapy and is usually reserved for more moderate to severe cases of acne where other treatments haven’t worked. It is almost always used in combination with topical products and is almost exclusively used only in females with either excess androgenization (i.e. excess male hormones) or acne that comes and goes in cycles. Excessively oily skin, abnormally excessive hair growth and menstrual irregularities sometimes signal excess androgen in women.

How To Apply

The dosage for spironolactone is individualized in each patient with typical dosages ranging from 25 to 200 mg. Ideally you want the lowest effective dose. It should be taken in the morning because it is a mild diuretic (causes a loss of water through urination).

Important Additional Information

Spironolactone is know as an anti-androgen and is very effective in reducing sebum (oil). It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Excess Dihydrotestosterone can cause many dermatological issues such as clogged pores and inflammation. Studies have shown that spironolactone reduces sebum excretion in the skin by about 30-50 percent and therefore is very effective in those with oily skin.

Being an oral medication, it has the possibility to cause more side effects than topical treatments. The most common side effects are excess urination, menstrual irregularities (spotting etc.) and low blood pressure. The menstual irregularities are usually decreased in woman who are also taking oral hormonal contraceptives.

Many compounding pharmacies make topical spironolactone which can sometimes help reduce side effects. It is not commercially available though at retail pharmacies.

Antibiotics (Topical)

When To Use/Place In Therapy

As part of combination therapy for mild to severe acne. Topical antibiotics should never be the sole treatment for several reasons including the extended time it takes to see positive effects and the fact that bacterial resistance can occur. It’s important to note that acne is not an infection. Everyone carries a bacteria in their skin known as P. acnes. The problem is when the bacteria over grows in the skin. Some byproducts of the metabolism of the P. Acnes bacteria are irritants to the skin and lead to microcomedo formations and results in inflammatory lesions. Decreasing the amount of P.Acnes via antibiotic therapy is usually associated with acne improvement.

Topical antibiotics include, erythromycin and clindamycin.

How To Apply

Topical antibiotics are applied usually once to twice daily. Apply to a clean, dry face and do not wash off after application

Important Additional Information

Topical antibiotics typically are used in 3 month spurts and then given a break. They are always to be used in combination therapy with other acne products such as benzoyl peroxide.

Some products do cause sun sensitivity so it is recommended to use sunscreen.

Antibiotics (Oral)

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Antibiotics taken by mouth are typically only prescribed for those who have moderate to severe inflammatory acne and they are always prescribed as past of a combination with topical therapies. They are used to reduce the colonization of a specific bacteria known a P. Acnes. They can take one to two months to begin working and once new acne lesions are no longer forming, the antibiotics are typically stopped.

Antibiotics given for acne are usually one of the following:

Doxycycline

Minocycline

Tetracyclin

Clindamycin

Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim

How To Apply

The usual dose of antibiotics is one to two capsules/tablets per day.

Important Additional Information

The oral antibiotics are never given to children under the age of 8 do to the possibility of serious side effects.

There are some concerns of bacterial resistance in those taking consistent antibiotics for acne. The bacteria that may become resistant however typically don’t cause major infections. People may be slightly more susceptible to getting strep throat, but treatment is still fairly easy.

It is usually recommended to use oral antibiotics for 12-18 weeks and to always combine oral antibiotics with other therapies such as benzoyl peroxide to help avoid resistance.

Isotretinoin (Accutane/Claravis/Absorica)

When To Use/Place In Therapy

Isotretinoin is a very strong and extremely effective acne medication indicated for acne that leaves severe scarring or for acne that does not respond to other treatments. Among other things, it reduces sebum in the skin, helps regulate your skin cells and reduces the P. Acnes bacteria. While effective, the medication has very serious possible side effects and has a high risk of teratogenicity (birth defects). Because of this risk, isotretinoin is only available under a restricted program under REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) and this program is called iPLEDGE. All patients must sign a consent for before beginning therapy and must register in the iPLEDGE program. Patients that are sexually active must use two forms of contraceptive for at least one month before beginning therapy, during the course of therapy and for one month after stopping therapy. Additionally, women of child bearing age must have 2 negative pregnancy tests before beginning the drug.

How To Apply

There are varying strengths of isotretinoin and typically the drug is given orally once to twice daily. Isotretinoin should be given with food.

Important Additional Information

Isotretinoin should never been used with the “cycline” as there is a major drug interaction between the two.

Isotretinoin is used in millions of patients safely it is just very important to take the iPLEDGE program seriously and always monitor for possible side effects.

Over The Counter Supplements

Vitamin A

We’ve all heard of vitamin A before. It plays a huge role in the treatment of acne. In fact, all of the drugs in the retinoid class we wrote about earlier and the drug isotretinoin are derivatives of vitamin A!

We get vitamin A from two sources, animal and plant. The vitamin A we get from plant sources (such as carrots and certain vegetables) have the most potent forms of vitamin A known as Carotenoids.

In addition to it’s use for skin conditions like acne, vitamin A is vitally important for immune system development, vision growth development and much more. Ideally, if you are looking for a vitamin A supplement, you want to go for vitamin A sources as a carotenoid and not a retinol.

Vitamin A supplementation in people can go a long way towards treating and preventing acne. When looking for a vitamin A supplement, you want to look for vitamin A as beta carotene as it is the safest and most effective.

Omega 3-Fatty Acids

Omega 3-Fatty Acids reduce the inflammatory response and may result in a less “waxy” sebum that doesn’t get “stuck” in the pore/follicle.