Acne has been menacing teenagers (and older) for decades.
While it is and has been a difficult problem, it is not one that cannot be treated or combated.
There are several acne skin care products on the market, many of them available over the counter.
We can break these products down into three categories:
You really shouldn't wait for an outbreak, or for acne to become a problem before using these kinds of products.
Products such as astringent, deep cleansers, and fresh soap are a part of good hygiene, which will, in itself, go a long way towards preventing acne.
However, there is another kind of product that limit the production of sebum, or oil, that can clog skin pores.
These products include the heavy exfoliants like skin peels, or other rough treatments.
These should not really be a part of your daily routine, but can be used to prevent outbreaks, or if you currently have an outbreak.
Since we know that acne is caused by oil clogging the pores, anything that helps to open them will be beneficial.
Then there are products that are meant entirely to combat acne, and are not general cleansers.
These over the counter medications include vanishing cream that can be used to extract oil from the skin, or products based on benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, both of which combat the bacteria that forms in clogged pores.
Before using one of these products, it is wise to try it out on a portion of your skin before using too much of it.
Many of these are sold in varying strengths, like 5%, 10%, etc, and you should ramp up your usage, both in strength and in coverage, as you become confident your skin is responding well to it.
Another popular product are those based onalpha-hydroxy-acid.
These are moisturizers that help prevent your pores from clogging in the first place.
You might have to try a few, before you zero-in on the acne skin care product that is effective for you.
If nothing seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.
Finally, there are products that are prescribed by a dermatologist.
These are ointments or oral antibiotics, or any topical treatment that is applied directly to the skin.
Dermatologists also sometimes remove the contents of pustules (pimples) manually or surgically.
You should never do this yourself, as doing so could actually make the situation worse, or permanently damage your skin.
If these all fail, your doctor may prescribe hormone or steroid based treatment, which have proven to be very effective in some situations.
Whatever the case, see your doctor for more information In thisarticle, we went over the three classes of acne care product.
The general cleansers, the over the counter acne medication, and the ones you can only get from your doctor.
Whatever path you wind up taking, know that this isn't a new problem, you are not alone, and there is a whole wide market out there trying to help you.
While it is and has been a difficult problem, it is not one that cannot be treated or combated.
There are several acne skin care products on the market, many of them available over the counter.
We can break these products down into three categories:
- Preventative, or general acne care products such as cleansers
- Over-the-counter, specialized products
- Prescription medication
You really shouldn't wait for an outbreak, or for acne to become a problem before using these kinds of products.
Products such as astringent, deep cleansers, and fresh soap are a part of good hygiene, which will, in itself, go a long way towards preventing acne.
However, there is another kind of product that limit the production of sebum, or oil, that can clog skin pores.
These products include the heavy exfoliants like skin peels, or other rough treatments.
These should not really be a part of your daily routine, but can be used to prevent outbreaks, or if you currently have an outbreak.
Since we know that acne is caused by oil clogging the pores, anything that helps to open them will be beneficial.
Then there are products that are meant entirely to combat acne, and are not general cleansers.
These over the counter medications include vanishing cream that can be used to extract oil from the skin, or products based on benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, both of which combat the bacteria that forms in clogged pores.
Before using one of these products, it is wise to try it out on a portion of your skin before using too much of it.
Many of these are sold in varying strengths, like 5%, 10%, etc, and you should ramp up your usage, both in strength and in coverage, as you become confident your skin is responding well to it.
Another popular product are those based onalpha-hydroxy-acid.
These are moisturizers that help prevent your pores from clogging in the first place.
You might have to try a few, before you zero-in on the acne skin care product that is effective for you.
If nothing seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.
Finally, there are products that are prescribed by a dermatologist.
These are ointments or oral antibiotics, or any topical treatment that is applied directly to the skin.
Dermatologists also sometimes remove the contents of pustules (pimples) manually or surgically.
You should never do this yourself, as doing so could actually make the situation worse, or permanently damage your skin.
If these all fail, your doctor may prescribe hormone or steroid based treatment, which have proven to be very effective in some situations.
Whatever the case, see your doctor for more information In thisarticle, we went over the three classes of acne care product.
The general cleansers, the over the counter acne medication, and the ones you can only get from your doctor.
Whatever path you wind up taking, know that this isn't a new problem, you are not alone, and there is a whole wide market out there trying to help you.