How To Pick The Best Acne Treatment

A acne treatment belongs in one of two different categories: ones that change hormones/oil production and pore cleansers.

Hormonal treatments:

The most effective treatments target the hormones, which in turn controls the production of oil. However, this does not neccessarily make it the best acne treatment since they also come with the most risk as they are usually powerful drugs given orally, which can cause permanent changes in your body.  In fact, when reading acne treatment reviews for Accutane, people have reported almost every negative side effect possible, which includes, but is not limited to: Inflammatory Bowel Disease, liver damage, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, suicidal actions, birth defects, loss of vision, blindness, severe itching, joint pain, muscle pain, erectile dysfunction, violent behavior, damage to blood vessels, heart attack, stroke, seizures, swelling pressure in the brain and psychosis.  Along with taking many blood tests, doctors make patients sign waivers to let them know that serious side effects can occur from the treatment.  Many lawsuits and petitions have been raised to ban this drug. Although hormonal treatments are effective, they are saved as a last resort and given by doctors with hesitation for a reason.

Pore cleansers:

This makes pore cleansers or over-the-counter creams and washes the most popular and preferred type of treatment, which usually contains benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid or a combination of the two ingredients.   Benzoyl peroxide has been proven to be the more effective of the two ingredients, but, also comes with increased irritation and dryness.  This gives salicylic acid a advantage for people who have more sensitive skin. For the vast majority of people, it is the best acne treatment for them, since it is all they need as they work well when used properly and don’t come with all the unnecessary side effects. The main downside of acne creams, lotions and washes is that it is possible for your skin to get used to the medication and start building up a resistance, developing a tolerance. If you have ever used an acne product that worked very well at first, but then stopped after a while, this is what you were probably experiencing. Fortunately, this does not usually happen with the best acne treatments.

Many people seek a dermatologist to see if a doctor can get their skin under control. Unfortunately, the vast majority of creams that doctors give to their patients are no different than what you can find in stores for half the price. This explains why so many people that see a dermatologist are usually disappointed that the doctor cannot just magically zap away their acne. This is an impossibly high expectation that people set, as it is important to remember that dermatologists are doctors and not magicians. However, that is not to say that they can't provide you with a effective acne treatment, as many people have had success with prescription acne medication, but, to go as far as to say any one of these creams is the top acne treatment would be farfetched.  If that was the case, then dermatologists wouldn’t have to pick and choose from a dozen different prescription treatments and their lives would be a lot simpler, along with yours.

It is important for you to know what treatments for acne are out there so you can make the best decision for yourself. If you take anything away from this article, remember this: there is no best acne treatment that works for 100% of the population; otherwise there wouldn’t be so many products out there. Everyone’s skin is different and what may work for someone else, may not for you. So, it is important to know what is out there so you can make the best decision for yourself on what to use. Also, prevention, not treatment, is the best cure. Below is a comprehensive list of acne treatments available today by categories you may be interested in:

Over-the-counter acne treatment - These are washes, creams and acne lotions that are readily available on the shelves of stores.

Prescription only - Includes doctor prescribed washes, creams, acne lotions, Accutane, antibiotics,that you can get only through a doctor or dermatologist. Usually due to the side effects and potential risks involved.