Are Acne Treatments Safe and Effective?

Acne is a skin condition that affects people from their teen years all the way through adulthood.  Acne treatments also have a range from the purely natural to laser treatments using targeted rays that kill bacteria and prevent the formation of pimples and pustules.

Acne sufferers usually want a fast fix and miraculous cure.  Advertising for many of today’s over-the-counter medications promise clear skin and a bright future.  But many of these manufacturers are setting their customers up for a big let down. (1)

There is no “one size fits all” for treatment and prevention of acne.  In 2005 the sales for acne treatments rose to 441.1 million dollars. This proves that there are many people who suffer from acne and are looking for a way to improve their condition.

Skin has very small pores that are connected to oil glands beneath the skin.  Those glands produce a substance that moves dead skin cells to the surface of the skin.  The tube that connects the pore to the glands will sometimes clog due to excess oil production.  The result is pimples, pustules, whiteheads and blackheads.

Before taking action, you should consult your doctor, a dermatologist and do your own research.  Before taking systemic medication or putting medicine on your skin, you should know what the side effects and the expected results can be.

Just because a product is sold over-the-counter does not mean it is meant for everyone.  Most acne treatment products sold over-the-counter are designed for adolescent skin. Consequently, they can be more drying and irritating to adult skin.  And treatments designed for older skin will give the adolescent too much moisture, which can perpetuate acne problems.

The process of using a laser treatment is pretty straight forward.  At the dermatologist office an expert technician will aim a powerful and accurate laser at specific oil producing glands to destroy any existing bacteria in the area.  That’s it! (2)

There are several drawbacks to acne laser treatments that you should understand before considering the procedure.  The treatment, although usually successful, commonly lasts only six months.  It is not a cure for acne and treats the problem with an external process.  Acne laser treatments don’t address the underlying problem of why the acne is happening.  It does however, give the sufferer a six month hiatus from the condition when they may be willing to make changes to their lifestyle to assure the problem doesn’t reoccur.

Also, the sufferer may need more than one treatment to complete the process and since this procedure is not cheap and not covered by insurance, there may be other options that should be considered first.

Acne causes significant emotional and psychological stress in a person’s life.  Often consumers are willing to buy the next greatest product to get rid of a condition that requires long-term management.  Before making decisions about a treatment plan be sure to have all the information you need to make an informed choice based on your own individual needs and specific skin type.

(1) MayoClinic.com: Acne Treatments: What works and Why?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne-products/SN00039

(2) Baylor College of Medicine Department of Dermatology: Laser Treatment with Smoothbeam

http://www.bcm.edu/dermatology/index.cfm?pmid=1904