| Teen Acne If you are a teen and have acne, you aren't alone. Research suggests that 85 percent of teens will have acne during their adolescent years. Acne is in fact, a common problem even among people over 25 years of age! Regardless of how common the problem is however, most teens would prefer to live a life that was acne free, right? Acne can cause many problems other than skin eruptions. It can for example, result in physical and emotional impacts, and even affect your social life and self esteem. Treatment Options for Teen Acne There are many different treatments of acne. The treatment method you select will depend in part on the severity of your condition and the type of acne you have. It is important that you work with your medical care provider to select a treatment method that is most likely to be effective. Most doctors will start with medications that cause the fewest side effects. Treatment duration is usually for two to three months. The whitehead or blackhead pimple (comedo) is the easiest to treat. It is the least severe type of acne. Retinoid topical medications are applied directly to the skin in the form of a cream, gel or lotion. Retinoid medications slow the growth of keratin and thus decrease pimple formation as well as prevent the blockage of hair follicles which also can lead to new pimples. If you have oily skin you will be given a retinoid jell, which has a drying effect. For dry skin you will be given a retinoid cream or lotion that has a moisturizing action. The topical treatments are usually applied twice a day. If you can not tolerate the Retinoid topical medications other topical treatments are available such as Salicylic acid, Glycolic acid and an antibiotic preparation. The more severe forms of the whitehead or blackhead pimple may require mechanical removal; this is referred to as comedo extraction. This procedure is performed by a dermatologist or family physician. The physician will use an anesthetic cream to numb the area, then open the top of the pimple and remove the inner plug. Follow up treatment with a cream is generally recommended. Mild to moderate acne associated with inflammation (redness and soreness) are usually treated with a combination of different types of topical medication. The treatment combination includes topical retinoids or topical antibiotics, and benzoyl peroxide. The treatment of choice is usually topical retinoid and benzoyl peroxide. Bensozyl peroxide works both as an antibiotic and prevents pimple formation. Acne associated with severe inflammation and pain may require oral antibiotics (tetracycline or erythromycin) or oral retinoid known as isotretinoin (Roaccutane/Accutane). Oral antibiotics are rapid and effective in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria that causes acne. Oral isotretinoin is potent treatment of severe acne. It blocks sebum secretion, inflammation, and the overgrowth of keratin that leads to pimples. |
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