Having acne is not just about suffering from the spots and blemishes on your skin. For acne is one of the skin conditions that can cause you to become very self-conscious and start to get depressed. People can be cruel and often, especially where teenagers are concerned, its easy to make cutting remarks about someone else's looks and to tease them unmercilessly.
Although acne can affect the back and chest and other body areas, predominantly it erupts on the face. And with an angry looking rash of red spots, its hard not to get downhearted and despondent every time you look in the mirror. So, how to get rid of acne marks and pimples can become an obsessive thought for acne sufferers.
The good news is that because acne affects about three quarters of the human population, it is one of those disorders that is going to be heavily researched and studied. Consequently, there are always new treatments for acne coming out on the market.
Already, there is a plethora of acne creams, acne laser treatments, antibiotics for acne etc available. Its no easy matter for the newly afflicted person to know straight off what to take to help fight their acne.
Seeing your doctor or a dermatologist should be your first port of call as they are better placed to advise you on what to take.
Basically, treating acne can be as simple as ensuring you are keeping your skin clean and oil-free which means investing in some of those Clearasil or Proactive products that are so heavily advertised (and let's face, they must obviously be working because these products, especially Clearasil have been on the market for many decades). That said, different products work for different people and for some people Clearasil and Proactive Solution are not going to produce any beneficial results.
Accutane is another very effective treatment for acne though there is a certain amount of controversy surrounding it. Accutane is actually a brand name for isotretinoin and it is a retinoid which means that it is derived from vitamin A (it also occurs naturally in small quantities in the body).
Isotretinoin is usually prescribed after other acne treatments have failed to produce results. The treatment of acne usually begins with topical medications (e.g. benzoyl peroxide, adapalene, etc), followed by oral antibiotics (or a combination) and finally isotretinoin therapy. This is because other treatments, while less effective than isotretinoin, are associated with far fewer adverse effects and lower cost.
If you are considering taking Accutane you need to make your decision once you are aware of all the possible side effects it can cause.
Another avenue you could explore is to try some of the skincare counters in the large department stores, but in my opinion, leave the make-up girls to specialise in make-overs and advise women which shade of lipstick suits them better; and leave the treatment of acne to medical experts (such as your doctor or dermatologist). These people can find out exactly what is causing your acne - it could be your hormones - and then let them find you a suitable treatment based on their diagnosis.
