It is of great importance to educate people about acne and spread awareness about these dreaded zits. There are a lot of myths that surround acne and people are bogged down by shame, misery and guilt when acne flares up on their skin.
Poor diet, stress, lack of hygiene etc are some factors attributed to acne. However, not enough conclusive evidence is there to second these myths. But what is very important for acne patients is to realize that acne can be controlled.
Oil based facial make up or cosmetics may trigger off acne, hence patients are advised to use oil free cosmetics. Also care should be taken not to pop or squeeze the zits.
When over the counter drugs fail to control acne, consult an expert. He will be able to determine the right kind of treatment for acne after considering various factors like skin type, gender, age, etc. Creams may be used by patients with dry skin, but gels or solutions are suitable for oily skin. Choosing the right kind of treatment and medication can limit the side effects.
Comedones may be treated by Tretinoin or adapalene. Benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid or a topical antibiotic is effective for mild inflammatory acne.
Moderate inflammatory acne needs to be treated by topical therapy, systemic therapy, or both. An anticomedonal agent coupled with an antibacterial agent can be used. For example, a topical retinoid and a topical antibiotic, or a retinoid and the benzoyl peroxide¬erythromycin combination. can be used for such acne.
These products are frequently used to open the pores (exfolients, various acid-based products, and retinoids) but can be very drying and irritating to the skin.
A lot pf drugs used as exfoliating agents and peeling of the skin can cause drying of skin and irritate the skin. Some of them may change the balance of the skin and the skin could become more prone to bacterial infections and even worsen the flare-ups.
Certain chemicals like zinc and sulfur are known to restore the balance of the skin. Zinc can reduce the redness of skin and heal the skin; sulfur has been used for ages as a healing agent.