Acne is one of those skin diseases that it can sometimes feel impossible to avoid. In reality, there are a lot of ways to significantly improve and even get rid of acne.
Can You Get Cured From Acne?
One would think that medicine has found a solution to the western world's probably most common skin disease. Still, you often hear how the acne came back after that one cure and how the ointment just dried out the skin.- There are few skin diseases that have as effective care methods as acne. But there are always people who are not cured, also by acne, and they are the ones you hear about the most.
The people who avoid their acne do not have the same need to share, quite simply. Those who get rid of acne, it is often with the help of a powerful drug called isotretinoin.
- About 15 percent are not cured by isotretinoin. If you turn the cake, 6 out of 7 will be cured and there are lots.
But what does cured really mean? Are you cured if you have half as many pimples? Or should the acne disappear without a trace?
- Cured means that you no longer have such acne that is a problem for yourself. You can get occasional pimples like anyone. Basically, it means that the acne you had before the medication ceases.
Acne treatments can be divided into two groups: oral medications, such as those taken by mouth, and topical medications such as creams and gels. We start with the oral medications.
Medications by mouth
Isotretinoin
As we already mentioned, isotretinoin is a particularly powerful and effective drug. It also means that the medicine has a long list of possible side effects. Dry skin and mucous membranes are one of the most common.
Some patients have also reported depression and even suicidal thoughts and attempts. This side effect is still disputed. Many specialists believe that it is the acne itself that causes the mental problems. Research has also confirmed that acne has a major impact on mental health .
The medicine can also cause birth defects. Therefore, female patients must commit to using a safe contraceptive during the course of the course and one month afterwards.
An isotretinoin treatment is usually 5-6 months during which the sun's UV radiation should be avoided. Regular blood tests are also taken along the course to check that the liver can handle the medicine.
To get the medicine, you must always go to a specialist dermatologist's clinic. Although the cure is effective, it is often a last resort for many patients due to the side effects.
- Patients are probably usually very satisfied with the isotretinoin treatment. Only a small minority do not get good results from the cure. Then, of course, you have to think about different alternatives.
One of these alternatives is to repeat the course, if the course otherwise felt good.
antibiotics
Another way to deal with acne is with antibiotics. In such cases, the antibiotic group tetracyclines is most often used. The advantages of the cure are that it gives a fairly quick response and does not dry out the skin.
The biggest disadvantage is that the cure only helps temporarily. It can also upset the bacterial flora in the stomach, which can cause stomach upsets and fungal infections.
- Tetracyclines are very elegant because it is a fairly cheap medicine. They require no medical examination, no blood tests, and are usually quite well tolerated. The biggest problem with antibiotic regimens is that they help while using the medicine and maybe a few months after that.
The treatment is usually 2-3 months and, like isotretinoin, makes the skin more sensitive to the sun.
Despite the disadvantages, there are still patients who are satisfied with the results of the tetracycline regimen. It depends from person to person what pays off.
- If the patient's acne is not as severe as it has been a few years ago and is going away, a course of antibiotics can calm down the acne. If you combine the treatment with a local medicine to prevent the acne from returning, the patient can already be satisfied with the result.
Antibiotic regimens should always be combined with local medicines.
- Antibiotics probably have their place. For example, if you have a young patient with severe acne, you must always tell the patient that the treatment only gives a short-term effect to avoid unrealistic expectations.
Pill
Some birth control pills have been shown to be particularly effective against hormonal acne. They work by counteracting the excesses of the male sex hormones in the body which are often the cause behind acne. In Finland, such pills are sold under the names Diane nova, Cypretyl and Vreya. These pills also come with both pros and cons.
- They are quite cheap, they do not dry out the skin, you do not burn more easily in the sun and you do not need to take blood samples as with isotretinoin. They also have the advantage that it is possible to eat them for several years if you want, unlike for example a course of antibiotics.
Among the disadvantages, the most obvious is that birth control pills are meant only for women. It also takes a little longer to notice any difference.
- The effect starts a little slower than with antibiotics. You sometimes have to wait up to three months before you see the effect of the contraceptive pill.
Birth control pills have been a fairly controversial topic both in the treatment of acne and in general. Some have noticed that they get acne after stopping taking birth control pills, while others fear dangerous side effects such as blood clots.
- It is quite common to hear such things. "Then when you stop using birth control pills, you get acne,"
And that's actually true in some cases.
local Medications
Acne can also be treated with topical medications, ie gels and creams specially developed for the treatment of acne skin. In today's situation, many of these work really well. In addition, new preparations, so-called combination gels, are constantly being developed. They contain several different active substances and are therefore more effective than their representatives.
- The most relevant substances are retinoid, a vitamin A-related substance, antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide - a dehydrating and antiseptic medicine.
For example, these substances are combined in local acne medications. While one product contains benzoyl peroxide and retinoid, another consists of antibiotics and retinoid. Together with the dermatologist, you arrive at the best combination for your own skin.
- The medicines have a slightly different effect depending on the skin type. For example, for Scandinavian skin type, benzoyl peroxide can be quite dehydrating, while darker skin types tolerate it better.
However, it is not always so practical or cheap to use local medicine. If you have acne on the back, for example, or on several body parts, it can be difficult and expensive to lubricate yourself. In addition, benzoyl peroxide bleaches textiles.
-If the patient has acne on his back, I do not usually prescribe benzoyl peroxide. With acne on several body parts, I would probably consider an internal medicine.
Different treatments for different situations
When choosing acne treatment, whether it is pills or ointments, it is not possible to pull all patients under the same comb. There are many factors that need to be considered.
- It is completely individual on the basis of the patient's situation. You choose one of these treatments or a certain combination to achieve a good result.
Many people, for example, have obstacles to eating birth control pills.
- Then they are not an option. You may also not be able to use antibiotics.
Which treatment you choose also depends a lot on how the patient himself experiences his acne and whether the local treatment would give the desired effect. How a person experiences their acne is not related to how mild or severe the person's acne really is.
You could still say that in mild acne you usually start with some local treatment.
- If you have mild and superficial acne, I would advocate starting with some local medicine and see how far you get with it.
But you do not have to start with a local medicine.
- Especially if the acne is severe, deep or scarring, you can start with internal medicine immediately.
The stores' acne products
Ordinary department stores also have a lot of skin care products that are marketed for oily and acne-prone skin. It pays to have realistic expectations with these.
- They are quite gentle. For oily skin, there are absolutely great products that make the skin not glow.
- If, on the other hand, you have inflamed pimples, there is quite a bit that these products can do.
If you want to buy a non-prescription product, would recommend something that contains benzoyl peroxide, which can be found at the pharmacy.
- It is the most effective local medicine that is not prescription-only.
Tips for everyday life
There is a lot you can do, and not do, to treat your acne at home.- I think that many people take care of their acne so that the skin becomes completely powder dry,
Then the skin can blush and it just looks worse. It pays to be careful and use mild products when taking care of your skin.
- If you want to moisturize the skin, the pharmacy's acne products are completely good enough.
- You should not squeeze the pimples because it only makes things worse. Then they can turn red and scars can form.
If the acne is bothersome, it is still always recommended to consult a dermatologist.
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