Acne Treatments
There are some very effective acne treatments available to adults ranging from over the counter creams to prescribed oral medication. It may take some time and patience to find the right treatment, or combination of acne treatments to suit your particular skin, but with the help of a dermatologist very few cases of adult acne are incurable.
Getting your acne under control as soon as possible can reduce your risk of scarring and improve your confidence and self esteem. Let’s look at a few of the adult acne treatments available.
Topical Adult Acne Treatments
Topical acne treatments are applied directly to the affected area to clear existing lesions and prevent the occurrence of new ones. These come in the form of creams, lotions or gels, and can be bought over the counter or prescribed depending on the active ingredient and its strength.
Effective topical acne treatments for adults with mild to moderate acne include a mixture of benzoyl peroxide and an antimicrobial such as clindamycin, which must be prescribed. An over the counter alternative might be a product containing a mixture of sodium sulfacetamide and sulphur.
Other topical acne treatments use a retinoid, which is very effective as reducing white and blackheads as well as small bumps under the skin. A retinoid works even on microcomedones, the very beginning of a pimple, and may also help to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Many people avoid retinoid based acne treatments as they can cause skin irritation, but recent medical advances have produced products that are much gentler on the skin. It is still recommended to use a sunscreen every day if you are applying topical retinoid acne treatments.
Cosmetic Acne Treatments
Cosmetic acne treatments are a fast growing market as women begin to demand moisturisers and foundations that will help their adult acne. Although the active ingredients in cosmetic acne treatments are similar to those found in products aimed at teenagers, such as salicylic acid, these products tend to have less of a drying effect on the skin than teenage acne treatments. Some companies market cosmetic acne treatments as having anti ageing properties, but these are currently not very effective.
Hormonal Acne Treatments
For many adults, especially women, adult acne is triggered by changes in hormone levels. This type of adult acne can be treated by various acne treatments including the contraceptive pill, spironolactone and HRT. If you suspect you have this type of adult acne you should consult a dermatologist to determine whether hormonal acne treatments would work for you.
Hormone replacement therapy is only usually recommended to treat adult acne in women that first experience symptoms approaching the menopause. It is unlikely that HRT will be prescribed solely to treat acne, but may be used when the acne is accompanied by other symptoms such as mood swings, sleeping problems and hair loss.
Oral Acne Treatments
Your dermatologist may recommend an oral antibiotic to kick start your acne treatment. This can be very effective when used in conjunction with a topical treatment. Once the acne begins to respond it is often possible to stop taking the oral antibiotic, and just use the topical treatment to keep the acne under control.
In very severe cases of adult acne that do not respond to antibiotics, isotretinoin may be prescribed. The risks and side effects of taking this oral medication have already been discussed in the page on cystic acne, so your dermatologist will monitor you closely whilst taking this treatment, and will only prescribe short courses.
Physical Acne Treatments
To get rid of specific lesions quickly and effectively, a corticosteroid may be injected into it.
This reduces the chance of scarring as well as relieving pain and swelling, but it is not a cure for adult acne, just an occasional treatment for individual spots. Many spas advertise acne treatments such as chemical peels to clear your skin. However, the medical value of these is often questionable and you should consult your dermatologist before trying such a treatment.
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