The treatment of acne is done through many ways and these work through speeding turnover of cells, reducing inflammation, reducing production of oil or fighting bacterial infections. There are options that work by doing all four. In the event that prescription treatments are used, results will be realized in between one to two months. One should expect the skin to get worse first before improvements are realized. In going for acne treatment Worcester residents have many options to consider.
The dermatologist could recommend prescription medicine to be applied on the skin, that is topical medication, or there are also medications taken orally. There should not be the use of oral medication during pregnancy, more so during the first trimester. There is the use of cosmetic procedures for the treatment, notably micro-dermabrasion and chemical peels. Cosmetic procedures become most effective when they are used with other options. One should expect temporary and severe redness, blistering and scaling. Long term discoloration of the skin is also a possibility.
The use of light and laser therapy is yet another effective option. These reach deep skin layers without causing any harm to the skin. The oil glands are damaged and hence they will not be able to produce a lot of oil. With light therapy, the aim is to control the bacteria that cause the infection. In addition to the treatment, the therapies improve skin texture and reduce the occurrence of scars. This form of treatment is however recommended for people who are unable to put up with medications.
The use of oral contraceptives such as the combination of norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol improves acne in women. They however may cause side effects such as breast tenderness, headaches, depression and nausea. These will have to be discussed with the doctor. Serious complications include high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and blood clotting.
For the case of moderate and severe acne, a short course of prescription oral antibiotics will reduce the bacteria in addition to fighting inflammation. Because oral antibiotics were first used in treatment of the condition, there has been a significant increase in resistance in people who use them. Thus when this option is used, the improvements have to be monitored to ascertain that the drugs are helpful. The resistance may also be reduced through the use of other options together with the antibiotics.
The use of over-the-counter topical treatments is very common. The lotions are able to dry up the oil, promote sloughing of dead skin cells and kill bacteria. The OTC lotions are usually mild and contain ingredients such as sulfur, salicylic acid and resorcinol among others. These medications may come with initial side effects like dryness, flaking and skin irritation. These will however improve after the first month of therapy.
The scars that are left behind after acne treatment will need to be eradicated. There exist many ways of doing so. There is the use of soft tissue fillers that involve injecting fat under the skin into scars. This is done to fill out or stretch skin, making the scars less noticeable.
More severe scarring is treated using dermabrasion. It involves removing the top layer of the skin by the use of a rapidly rotating wire brush. This will remove surface scars completely, with deeper ones being less visible.
The dermatologist could recommend prescription medicine to be applied on the skin, that is topical medication, or there are also medications taken orally. There should not be the use of oral medication during pregnancy, more so during the first trimester. There is the use of cosmetic procedures for the treatment, notably micro-dermabrasion and chemical peels. Cosmetic procedures become most effective when they are used with other options. One should expect temporary and severe redness, blistering and scaling. Long term discoloration of the skin is also a possibility.
The use of light and laser therapy is yet another effective option. These reach deep skin layers without causing any harm to the skin. The oil glands are damaged and hence they will not be able to produce a lot of oil. With light therapy, the aim is to control the bacteria that cause the infection. In addition to the treatment, the therapies improve skin texture and reduce the occurrence of scars. This form of treatment is however recommended for people who are unable to put up with medications.
The use of oral contraceptives such as the combination of norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol improves acne in women. They however may cause side effects such as breast tenderness, headaches, depression and nausea. These will have to be discussed with the doctor. Serious complications include high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and blood clotting.
For the case of moderate and severe acne, a short course of prescription oral antibiotics will reduce the bacteria in addition to fighting inflammation. Because oral antibiotics were first used in treatment of the condition, there has been a significant increase in resistance in people who use them. Thus when this option is used, the improvements have to be monitored to ascertain that the drugs are helpful. The resistance may also be reduced through the use of other options together with the antibiotics.
The use of over-the-counter topical treatments is very common. The lotions are able to dry up the oil, promote sloughing of dead skin cells and kill bacteria. The OTC lotions are usually mild and contain ingredients such as sulfur, salicylic acid and resorcinol among others. These medications may come with initial side effects like dryness, flaking and skin irritation. These will however improve after the first month of therapy.
The scars that are left behind after acne treatment will need to be eradicated. There exist many ways of doing so. There is the use of soft tissue fillers that involve injecting fat under the skin into scars. This is done to fill out or stretch skin, making the scars less noticeable.
More severe scarring is treated using dermabrasion. It involves removing the top layer of the skin by the use of a rapidly rotating wire brush. This will remove surface scars completely, with deeper ones being less visible.
