How to cure acne - acne remedies and treatments

12:45 PM | Labels: acne, antibiotics, creams, hygiene, ointments, skin care, vitamins

Perhaps, due to the high percentage of people who suffer from acne in one form or another, it should not be surprising that there are many varied and contradictory acne remedies available, both on the retail market, and as old wives tales.
The most commonly accepted acne treatments can be categorised and summarised as follows:

1) Hygiene

a) Simple soap and water

It is a common misconception that acne is caused by bad hygiene. Parents are for ever berating their children for not washing correctly. The simple truth is that cleansing with soap and water will not cure acne, on the contrary, over scrubbing of the affected skin can cause the condition to worsen. This does not mean you do not need to wash every day, staying clean is essential for keeping unaffected skin soft and healthy.

b) Over the counter scrubs and cleansers

Acne scrubs usually contain some form of abrasive material. The principle being that, the material being rubbed against the skin will help to slough off dead skin cells and therefore prevent the follicle from becoming blocked. You should avoid over abrasive scrubs. As with soap and water, too much scrubbing can cause adverse effects.

Cleansers are used to remove dirt and oil from the skin. Most commercial products contain salicylic acid possibly combined with benzoyl peroxide. These products may have a tendency to dry out the skin more than is considered healthy, especially in people with skin that is sensitive to the specific compounds.

2) Creams and ointments

Acne ointments and creams are usually sulphur based. Sulphur has a softening effect on the skin and aids in removing hard dead cells, thereby helping to prevent the formation of acne. Sulphur based ointments tend to be moderately effective in mild occasional outbreaks of acne, but not for the acute acne sufferer. Common side effects of these products are: skin discoloration and Irritation and burning of the skin. In some cases, sulphur has been found to increase cell adhesion, which leads to a fresh outbreak of pimples.

3) Hydrogen Peroxide

In recent years, Hydrogen Peroxide has been acclaimed on the internet as a ‘miracle cure’ for acne, with the fact it is cheap to buy from a pharmacy being very attractive for many.

Hydrogen Peroxide is a very effective anti-bacterial, killing most bacteria on contact. In truth, while Hydrogen Peroxide can be very effective at clearing up existing acne spots, it does not prevent acne from forming in the first place.

4) Vitamin Supplements

Although it is undeniable that vitamin supplements can have a positive effect on acne. It is extremely unlikely that they will cure your skin condition on their own. Supplements are often used as part of a holistic acne remedy, and used properly, can increase the effectiveness of the cure. Commonly recommended supplements are:

a) Vitamin A

Vitamin A is considered necessary for the skin to heal itself.

b) Zinc

Zinc aids in the restoration of tissue and can help avert scarring.
It is also known to assist the body in resisting infection and inflammation.

c) Omega 3 fatty acids.

Omega 3 fats are known to have anti-bacterial effects as well as anti-inflammatory. They help keep cell walls healthy, and are instrumental in the delivery of nutrients to the cell.

5) Antibiotics

In more acute cases of acne, dermatologists and physicians will usually prescribe a course of antibiotics, most frequently, tetracycline, erythromycin and minocycline. Antibiotics, as the name implies, are designed to kill the bacterial infection, and can be effective at this. As with all other cures listed above, antibiotics are effective in curing existing outbreaks of acne, but are unable to prevent the acne from forming in the first place. For this reason it is common to see the acne sufferer have a recurrence soon after the use of the antibiotics is discontinued.