Acne comes in many types of severity, ranging from the occasional breakout to the persistent plague. Your acne can also be influenced by factors seen an unseen, including your skin hygiene, drugs you are taking, stress and diet. This can make treating acne a guessing game for dermatologists as they try different remedies to pinpoint the problem. Not every solution will work for everyone, but there are a few that are more likely than others to treat your pimples.
Over-the-Counter Remedies
Many people find success eliminating pimples with simple over-the-counter medications. Most of these medications are applied to the skin once or twice daily and can show results within 24 hours. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are both common skin applications that work to break up oil on the skin and remove dead skin cells that can trap oil and promote the growth of pimples. Sulfur, resorcinol and lactic acid are also common and effective treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. While these medications may have some mild side effects, including dry and flaking skin, these are usually temporary and fade after about one month of use.
Topical Prescription Medications
Prescription medications require visiting a dermatologist and getting approval to use these powerful treatments, but most are still easily applied to your skin and can produce fast results, even with excessive pimple outbreaks. Retinoids are high in vitamin A and help promote cell turnover while keeping hair follicles open. They also kill excess bacteria on the skin that could otherwise get into broken skin and cause an infection. Some over-the-counter medications–benzoyl peroxide is one of them–are also available in higher, prescription doses. Some of these medications can bring side effects with them, including burning, stinging, redness and peeling of the skin. Your dermatologist may be able to advise you of ways to improve your skin’s reaction to these drugs, particularly if the reaction is strong.
Oral Medications
Oral medications are even stronger than most topical medicines. They also pose greater side effects and are reserved for moderate to severe pimple outbreaks, or those that are cystic. Oral antibiotics are available to treat pimples resulting from a bacterial infection, but antibiotics typically pose a risk of side effects that can include nausea or diarrhea, since they can affect bacteria in other parts of your body. Isotretinoin is a medication for severe acne that is not available to all people, such as women who are pregnant or nursing. Despite the potential side effects, both of these medications are more more easily taken than more invasive procedures to treat pimple and acne outbreaks, and they cost less than other available treatments.
