Acne is hands-down the most common skin problem that most of us face. It usually starts up in our teenage years, though most people outgrow it as they get older. However acne also afflicts many adults - so called "adult acne" which is no different than other acne. Whether it becomes a problem during your teenage years or as an adult, we all have different degrees of acne outbreaks, from very mild to severe acne. If you have severe acne outbreaks, here are some things to consider to help you rid yourself of this embarrassing problem.
Just as the name implies, severe acne is the riskiest form of acne when you consider the wide spectrum of acne development people can have. Even mild acne can cause embarrassment and low self esteem and it's understandable that those feelings are magnified as acne becomes more and more severe.
It usually shows up as cysts which cause inflammation and significant damage to the skin, including possible scarring. Since it has such serious effects, severe acne calls for some serious treatments to help minimize the damage. In fact, this is probably one of those situations where the advice of a skin care specialist should be sought out.
The current remedies for severe acne can be broken down into two primary categories - either physical solutions or solutions that rely on prescription drugs. Here are some of the most common remedies used by doctors to treat severe acne.
Injection
Acne cysts can become inflamed and eventually burst, causing scarring. In order to prevent scarring from taking place, doctors can inject the cysts to help reduce the inflammation and help heal the affected area of the skin. This works by essentially melting the cysts over a period of a few days to a week.
Drainage (Acne Surgery)
This can be used when acne cysts do not respond to other methods of treatment. As the name implies, the acne cysts are drained of their fluid in order to reduce or eliminate cysts. Of course, since this procedure needs to be done in a sterile environment, as they say on TV, "Don't try this at home". However this is a procedure that your dermatologist is trained to perform and might be a viable option for you to consider.
Isotretinoin
Isotretinoin is a powerful drug used for treatment of severe acne. It comes as a pill which your doctor can prescribe and inform you of the recommended dosage based on your level of acne outbreak. It is one of the most effective cures for severe acne and also helps prevent some of the other factors that are suspected as causes for acne development - oil production, inflammation, and clogged skin pores.
