Brief Introduction to Medications for Acne Treatments

Acne is a skin condition that causes spots. Acne usually affects the skin of the face, back, neck, chest and arms and the severity of the condition can vary. Acne is a very distressing condition and a patient often experiences emotional disorders while suffering from it. To get rid of it a range of acne treatment options are available which even if not able to cure completely can at least lessen the effects left by acne. As acne can't be cured, treatments aim to control the symptoms by:

1. preventing new spots from forming
2. improving those that are already present
3. preventing scarring

There is a range of medicated acne treatment options available to help treat acne, such as the over-the-counter remedies available from pharmacies to treat mild acne.

These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide. As well as its antibacterial effects, benzoyl peroxide can dry out the skin and encourage it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. Together, these effects make it harder for pores to become blocked and for infection to develop. Benzoyl peroxide can cause redness and peeling, especially to start with. This tends to settle down if you reduce the number of times you use it. You can then build up your use gradually.

If this doesn't work, or if you have more severe acne, there are a range of other acne treatment options. These come as creams or lotions that you can rub on to your skin, or taken as tablets.

Creams and lotions

There are several creams and lotions available on prescription, including the following: Azelaic acid (Skinoren) is an alternative to benzoyl peroxide and may not make your skin as sore as benzoyl peroxide. Retinoids (eg Adapalene) are medicines based on vitamin A, which you can rub into your skin daily. They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off.

An antibiotic lotion, such as clindamycin (eg Dalacin T) or erythromycin (eg Stiemycin), applied to your skin can be used to control the P. acnes bacteria. This treatment is usually taken for at least six months.
Creams and lotions that combine an antimicrobial with other acne treatment medication are also available. Creams and lotions will only work effectively if applied daily to all areas of your skin that are prone to acne.

Tablets

There are several oral treatments also available on prescription. Antibiotics, such as tetracycline, can be prescribed for inflammatory acne. These are taken daily for around three months, although it might take four to six months to see the benefits. The success of this acne treatment can be limited because the strains of bacteria are often resistant to the common antibiotics. Antibiotics don't prevent pores from becoming blocked so treatment to prevent blackheads, such as benzoyl peroxide, is often also prescribed at the same time.

Some types of oral contraceptive tablets help women who have acne. A combination of the usual contraceptive pill hormone called ethinylestradiol with cyproterone acetate (eg Dianette) suppresses male hormone activity. This drug has been shown to reduce sebum production so is often used in women with acne.

Isotretinoin (eg Roaccutane) is a medicine known as an oral retinoid, which is also available as a cream. Isotretinoin works by drying up oily secretions. It tends to be prescribed to people with severe forms of acne that have proved resistant to other treatments. There are a number of serious side-effects of this drug, such as liver disorders and depression. Isotretinoin shouldn't be taken if you're planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, as it's very dangerous to an unborn baby. For safety reasons, isotretinoin is only prescribed under the supervision of a dermatologist (a doctor specialising in skin conditions).

By following good hygiene and appropriate acne treatment, most people are able to control their acne.