How to Treat Acne

Just about everyone has experienced the scene: You wake up, stumble absently to the bathroom, look in the mirror, and see an army of acne staring back at you. Well, maybe not an army, but enough blackheads and red spots to make you self-conscious. The good news is that acne is treatable—all you have to do is understand the cause and take charge of your skin.

What It Is

Acne is clogged pores on the skin. It can manifest as blackheads, whiteheads, or pustules and nodules. Although it is most common on the face, it also can appear on the back, shoulders, and neck.

Cause

Contrary to popular belief, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is not the result of being dirty or of not washing the face. It is really the result of hormone production, specifically the production of testosterone. This hormone increases the amount of oil that is produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. The oil clogs the pores, resulting in acne. Since acne is related to hormones, it is most common in puberty, but it can persist through adulthood.

Treatment Options

If you have acne, you can try any one of the following treatments:

• Topical Medications. Topical medications include over-the-counter and prescription creams, lotions, and gels. They usually contain an agent such as benzoyl peroxide that helps clean out and tighten the pores.
• Oral Medications. If acne is more severe, oral medications are prescribed. They contain antibiotics that are helpful in reducing inflammation and bacteria. A common oral medication that is prescribed is the birth control pill—this medication impacts your the hormonal levels.
• Other Medications/Treatments. If topical and oral medications don’t seem to do the trick, you can try chemical peels, microderm abrasion, cortecosteroid injections, and light therapy. These treatments stimulate new skin cell growth, clean out pores, and reduce inflammation and bacteria.
• Surgery. This is the last resort treatment of acne. In this treatment, a dermatologist carefully cuts open areas inflamed by acne so that pus and sebum that has collected can be drained and removed. It is done when acne doesn’t respond to injections of cortecosteroid or other medication.

How to Avoid Breakouts

Since acne really is related more to hormones than to cleanliness, a good skin care regimen cannot guarantee the complete cessation of acne breakouts. A good regimen can reduce the odds that the excess oil released due to hormone levels gets trapped in skin pores, however, and thus may make a breakout less severe. Here’s what you can do to avoid a breakout:

• Wash your face regularly with warm water and a mild cleanser of your choice. This will not remove acne blemishes already present, but it opens pores so that they can be washed clean and removes oil from the skin that could clog the pores in the future. If your cleanser includes an exfoliating agent such as apricot pit, use it gently and don’t scrub the skin harshly with it—rubbing the cleanser lightly over the skin in a circular pattern should be enough to loosen contaminants and oil from the clogged pore.
• Limit the amount of cosmetics you wear. Cosmetics like cover up and blush cling to the oil produced by the sebaceous glands and can get into the pores, causing clogs. Going au naturelle will let the skin “breathe.”
• Use a gentle astringent. Astringents can prevent acne breakouts by keeping pores smaller. The smaller the pore, the less likely it is that oil and other contaminants can get inside to build up. You also can keep the pores tight (at least temporarily) by splashing your face with cool (not ice cold) water after washing; this will make the skin around the pores contract.
• Avoid picking, scratching, or pinching acne already on the skin. Picking, scratching, or pinching transfers bacteria, dirt, and oil from the hands to the skin of the face. It also can cause true lesions in the skin that make you suspectible to infection—if severe enough, the lesion itself can leave ugly scarring.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.