Acne Medication
Acne medications are used to reduce the size and amount of acne on different parts of the body, including the face, neck, and chest. Correct choice of medication allows not only to get rid of acne, but also to reduce inflammation, accelerate skin regeneration and achieve an excellent cosmetic effect.
Acne medications may be prescribed to children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, whose skin problems are caused by:
- Genetic inheritance;
- Hormonal changes;
- Lipid imbalance;
- Follicular hyperkeratosis;
- Vitamin A deficiency;
- Inflammatory processes in the skin and soft tissues;
- Activation of pathogenic microflora on skin areas.
The surface of the skin can be affected by either one or several types of acne. To treat acne, patients can be recommended to use a single acne medication or go through a combined drug therapy.
The duration of acne medications use can differ. As a rule, a significant cosmetic effect is achieved within a few weeks after the start of treatment. In more severe cases, the duration of treatment can be up to 3-4 months.
Almost every single modern teenager uses acne medication. Children are usually prescribed non-prescription products for face and body skin care. However, if the symptoms of acne are very severe and are observed for many years, the child may be prescribed a prescription acne medication.
One of the main causes of acne in children and adults is vitamin A deficiency. When the body lacks this vitamin, it can initiate pathological processes that cause unwanted dermatological reactions.
The list of the best acne medications includes prescription and over-the-counter products that contain synthetic or natural vitamin A analogues. The most popular of these drugs are Accutane, Differin and Tretinoin.
Accutane is an acne medication, which is manufactured in the form of capsules for oral administration. Accutane capsules contain 10 mg to 40 mg of the active ingredient Isotretinoin. The uniqueness of this ingredient is that it helps stop acne and improve the skin condition with both oral and topical use.
Just like Accutane, Differin is an acne medication from the retinoids class. However, unlike Accutane, which can be used orally, Differin is only intended for topical therapy.
To treat acne, you can use Differin cream, gel or lotion, which contains the new generation retinoid Adapalene. The dosage of this retinoid is indicated in percentages (0.1% or 0.3 %).
Tretinoin is another analogue of vitamin A, which provides a curative effect over the damaged skin areas and helps to get rid quickly of even severe acne forms.
This acne medication can be used orally (capsules), or applied in a thin layer directly on the damaged skin areas (gel, cream). Tretinoin is better known to potential buyers under the brand Renova.
Through using medicinal drugs Accutane, Differin or Tretinoin, patients can get rid of acne fast and significantly improve the appearance and health of their skin.
The action mechanism of acne medication based on the structural analogues of vitamin A is not completely known, yet their application has proven to:
- Reduce skins oiliness through suppressing sebum production by the sebaceous glands;
- Provide a healing effect over the surface of the affected skin;
- Prevent the formation of scars, and promote skin regeneration.
When the patient uses prescription acne medication for the first time, he should use the minimum effective dose.
- If you choose topical cream, gel, or lotion as your acne medication - it is usually applied every day.
- Dosage and dosing frequency of oral acne medication is selected individually for each patient.