Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Acne Care Medication

Acne generally affects people between the ages of 10 to 40 and over. It manifests as clogged pores, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, pustules or cysts. They occur in the oil glands of the face and sometimes the chest and back.

Acne care medications deal with the proactive treatment of acne and helps control the spread and eliminate scarring. There is much that you can to for acne either on your own or with the help of a physician. If you have a mild form of acne, there are many over-the-counter medications that you can find in your local pharmacy. The Internet is also a good place to do research, as there are many companies that offer acne care medications. Just make sure that the company is reputable and has proven results with the products they sell.

If you consult a physician, preferably a dermatologist, there are several drugs that they can prescribe that will be beneficial to your condition. They include topically applied antibiotics and antibacterials like erythromycin, clindamycin, sulfacetamide and azelaic acid. Another popular prescribed medication is an oral antibiotic like tetracycline, Doxycycline and minocycline. Cefadroxil, Amoxicillin and sulfa drugs are also used. For extreme cases of acne, many doctors prescribe

* Retinoids: Retin-A has been around for years, and has become milder and gentler while still maintaining its effectiveness. Newer retinoids include Differin and Avita. These are especially helpful for unclogging pores.

* Oral antibiotics: Most doctors start oral treatment with tetracycline or one of the related "cyclines," such as Doxycycline and minocycline. Other antibiotics that are useful for treating acne are cefadroxil, Amoxicillin, and sulfa drugs.

* Oral contraceptives: Modern contraceptives, which are low in estrogen to promote safety, have little effect on acne one way or the other. One pill, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, has been shown to help acne, but its effectiveness is only modest.

* Isotretinoin (Accutane): Isotretinoin is a wonderful treatment for severe, resistant acne. Used properly, it is safe and produces few side effects beyond annoying, dry lips. The most important issue with isotretinoin is contraception. Women of childbearing age must be sure they cannot become pregnant while taking this drug or for one month after stopping it, because of risk of birth defects.

* Cortisone Injections: To make large pimples and cysts flatten out fast, doctors inject them with a form of cortisone.

Patience, Patients! Rome wasn't built in a day, and acne won't clear in a week. Any of the treatments listed above may take 2 or 3 months to start working (even isotretinoin.) Unless there are side-effects such as dryness or allergy, it is important to give each regimen or drug enough time to work before giving up on it and moving on to other treatments. Otherwise, treatment becomes a merry-go-round going nowhere. With patience and perseverance, however, you'll get there. Just hang in there. And don't pick!

Acne Care provides detailed information on Acne Care, Acne Skin Care Products, Acne Care Skin Tips, Adult Acne Skin Care and more. Acne Care is affiliated with Acne Product.

Acne Treatment With Oral Antibiotics

Oral antibiotics work by removing the p.acne bacteria and decreasing inflammation. However there is a big challenge today in using modern antibiotic - that is, over-prescription of antibiotic. The result is a growing resistance to these drugs which means that diseases that once could have been wiped out with a course of antibiotics may now have dire potential.

We are not suggesting not to use antibiotics. In fact, they should be used as long as they are prescribed for the right reason. For example, antibiotic should be used on patients with moderate to severe acne. Two of antibiotic that we feel are safe and effective are Doxycycline and minocycline. They are easily absorbed form of tetracycline which has been used for decades to reduce acne inflammation. Tetracycline has very few side effects however there is an emerging resistance to this drug.

Another effective antibiotic for patient with moderate to severe acne is erythromyclin. Unfortunately it has been overly prescribed which resulted in 50 percent of the people are resistance to it. Still erythromycin and eteracycline are very useful because of their anti-inflammatory potential.

Other oral antibiotics include sulfa drugs such as Bactrim and Septra. They are effective orally but can cause worrisome reactions such as skin allergies and bone marrow suppression.

Clindamycin taken orally has been use for over forty years and is a second-line antibiotic, prescribed when the tetracyclines or erythromycin medications fail. The most significant, though rare adverse reaction associated with clindamycin is pseudomembranous colitis, which is a bloody diarrhea that required treatment by a gastroenterologist.

When prescribing antibiotics to patient, it is important that the dermatologist set a timetable to its use. The average course of antibiotic treatment is about one to six months.

After the end of the course, the dermatologist should schedule an appointment with the patient to assess the acne condition. If the condition improves and there is no side effect, the treatment is to be continued until the skin is clear. Usually topical medication is to be used concurrently and some time

Differin or Retin-A is prescribed to aid in further improvement or addresses other problem such as post-inflammatory pigmentation.

A second appointment is to be arranged with the patient after six to either weeks into the treatment. If the acne condition improves, then the dermatologist is likely to lower to stop the oral antibiotic dose and just continue with the topical treatment.

There is no miracle antibiotic cure for acne. Just like you don't get acne over night, neither will it goes away over night. Sometime if the condition does not improve with the use of one type of antibiotic, another type may have to be prescribed.

For female patients, they can use birth control pills and spironolactone (Aldactone) for acne treatment. However if the condition does not improve and the acne is severe enough and likely to create scar, then the dermatologist may even issue Accutane as the next remedies. In our opinion, it is better to have five months of Accutane treatment than months or years on antibiotic that does not help in solving the acne problem.

Alvin Poh shares more ideas and articles like this on the very popular website "Ask About Acne" at http://www.askaboutacne.com

Acne Drugs Not Safe Pregnancy

The following acne drugs should not be used use during pregnancy:

Topical retinoids

These consist of tretinoin, Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac, and Avita. Even though there is minimal absorption of topical retinoids that can potentially reach a fetus, and there's no evidence that these agents can harm an unborn child, you should stop applying them once you think that you're pregnant. Clindamycin: Prescription product s that contain this antibiotic include Cleocin-T, as well as several generics. The effects of clindamycin during pregnancy haven't been adequately studied. Clindamycin combined with Benzoyl peroxide is also found in the combination products Benzaclin Gel and DuacGel. Because clindamycin may appear in breast milk and could affect a nursing infant, it's probably not advisable to use products containing it if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Aczone Gel

This agent contains dapsone. There is minimal absorption of this drug in the bloodstream when it's applied topically; however, it's known that dapsone is excreted inhuman milk when taken orally.

Clindamycin and Benzoyl peroxide are also found in the combination products Benzaclin Gel and Duac Gel.

I recommend avoiding all oral medicines to treat acne when you're pregnant. However, an oral penicillin derivative, such as Amoxicillin (if you're not allergic to it), may be taken safely if your acne is really bad. If you're allergic to penicillin or it's not working, your dermatologist may prescribe another oral antibiotic that can be used in pregnancy.

Many oral drugs can harm your unborn baby. In these cases, clear evidence exists that your child may have serious birth defects if you use them. The following medications must be avoided if you're pregnant or if you're contemplating becoming pregnant:

Tetracycline

Tetracycline and its derivatives, minocycline and Doxycycline, may cause some inhibition of bone growth and discoloration of teeth in a fetus.

Hormones

The anti-androgens such as spironolactone that are sometimes used to treat acne, can, by blocking testosterone, interfere with the normal development of a male fetus and cause feminization. (See Chapter 11.)

Oral isotretinoin (Accutane)

Oral isotretinoin (eye-so-tret-ih- no-in) available as Accutane, RoAccutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, and Sotret, is a powerful drug that's used to treat severe nodular acne in carefully selected patients. This drug can cause severe fetal abnormalities. There are many restrictions currently in place regarding oral isotretinoin, and with understandable cause. Oral isotretinoin can cause serious birth defects to infants born to women exposed to them. They should never - not under any circumstances - be taken during pregnancy! Even if a woman becomes pregnant within one month after stopping the drug, problems can still occur. There also is an increased risk of miscarriage, premature births, and infant death associated with taking oral isotretinoin during pregnancy.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Skin Care- Common Topical Retinoids

The common compounds of Vitamin A that are used in skin care are - Adapalene, Tazarotene and Tretinoin.

Adapalene- this is available in the form of gel. It unclogs the pores and keeps them open. thios is an effective remedy for blackheads. Adapalene may cause reactions such as excess peeling of skin , redness etc . in the beginning but these side effects last only for few weeks. Adapalene is available as Differin( Registered) brand in the USA.

Tazarotene

Tazarotene is another retinoid that is used to treat acne and also psoriasis. It keeps the pores clear and prevents acne formation. It also reduces patches of Psoriasis and reduces the redness. Tazarotene is available as Tazorac ( Registered) brand in the USA.

Tretinoin:

Topical tretinoin can be effectively used for treatment of mild sun damage, fine wrinkles and lines. Tretinoin is easy to use as a non-surgical method to get a youthful look. The skin care treatment has to be continued otherwise the benefits disappear. After some time of treatment, your doctor may reduce the dose of tretinoin to be used by you for a younger look. Tretinoin is generally used for the face because the face is the most exposed part of the body. And acne, rashes, sun damage, etc. are more apparent on the face. Let us find out more about how tretinoin helps us non-surgically in skin care.

What Is Tretinoin? It is a form of retinoid that is derived from vitamin A. It is also very popular in treatment of acne. Generally tretinoin is recommended for use by older patients who have fine wrinkles, sun damaged skin and spots. It is also used for younger people, who want to maintain a youthful look. Tretinoin may also be used as a preparation for further treatments such as chemical peeling. Use of tretinoin thins the skin and this prepares the skin for better absorption of chemicals in peeling treatment.

For best skin care, your doctor may prescribe tretinoin for daily use at night time for about a year. After that, this interval may be increased to once every two to three days. As tretinoin produces dryness, you may need to use a moisturizer twice a day. You may also need to adopt better protection from sun because tretinoin makes the skin more sensitive to UV radiation. If it is properly used, tretinoin can help reduce fine wrinkles, age spots and also help you maintain a young look.

Brands in USA- Avita(R) , Renova(R) Emollient , Retin-A(R) , Retin-A(R) Micro(R)

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

DoctorGoodSkin.com is a popular skin care guide where you can find a lot of information, articles and tips about acne, skin care, STDs, skin diseases and conditions, skin treatments, procedures, skin care products, etc. If you love solving quizzes and tests, visit funquizcards. Myspace users, click myspace comments such as compliments, cool comments, flirty, birthday, holidays, religion, funny, cute, etc.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Will an Acne Cream Treatment Work?

For mild to severe breakouts an acne cream treatment can be quite effective. Although they do not work for everyone, they are worth looking into to clear your skin of unsightly blemishes. To get you started, we'll discuss the various acne cream options, and your dermatologist can help you figure out which is right for you.

There are a number of over the counter and prescription acne cream treatments to choose from, depending on the severity of your skin problem. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, with varying degrees of potency.

The most common acne cream ingredient is Benzoyl peroxide, and it can be found in such popular medications as Clearasil, Oxy and Proactive Solution. In small amounts, Benzoyl peroxide is the magic bullet, but it is important to know what concentration works best for your condition. Too high of a concentration level can leave your skin dry and scaly which can lead to more problems down the road.

Another typical acne cream ingredient is alcohol. Once again, alcohol in small concentration levels will do wonders for the face, but too much can lead the face to become dry like with Benzoyl peroxide. This can be found in many popular OTC medications.

For serious cases of acne, your dermatologist might recommend a more powerful prescription acne cream treatment such as adapalene, sold as Differin, or Retin A (tretinoin), yet these also come with the potential for dryness, scaling, burning or pruritus. Some users experience increased sun sensitivity. Although these powerful drugs can be quite effective, you may be allergic to the acne cream ingredient so monitor your situation carefully.

One of the newest treatment options are natural supplements with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other therapeutic nutrients that can remedy pimples and unclear skin from the inside out. Instead of a cream for acne rosacea or other skin problem, these are pills taken twice a day that completely eliminate toxins in the body that are responsible for causing skin infections.

The acne cream ingredient that can cause side effects will not be present in a natural supplement, so you can safely and effectively fight acne without worrying about allergic reactions, burning, itching or other irritating effects.

Whether you have a serious acne problem or the occasional break out that leaves your face discolored, there is an answer out there for you. For more severe cases a prescription acne cream treatment might be your only option, but before you try one you ought to look at over the counter applications and natural treatments. It may be an acne cream ingredient such as Benzoyl peroxide or a supplement ingredient such as bioperine extract that is the solution you have been looking for.

David Bloom is an avid health enthusiast and a regular contributor to a variety of health websites. He is the author of Natural Acne Cream Treatment, a blog dedicated to the treatment of acne, covering conventional and natural remedies for clearing up blemished skin.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Acne Treatment Review Online

Are you having trouble with your complexion? Maybe that delicate face of yours is brandishing a few breakouts. You need to obliterate those nasty little bumps and do it with the utmost haste. Do you grab a bar of soap from the nearby shower and start scrubbing? That will dry them up, right? Well, sadly that will also wreak havoc on your entire face. Bar soap is simply not meant for the human face. It's time to pull up a few acne treatment reviews online. Find out what products will zap those zits the fastest.

I have read several different acne treatment reviews. I needed a great skin care regime for my eldest daughter. She sadly suffered from some severe acne breakouts. Acne treatment reviews helped me find a great acne remedy for her. I hated to see her in utter turmoil over her complexion. Being in school and suffering from acne can be very difficult. So it was off to the family doctor. Our doctor did know and understand very well skin disorders such as acne. In fact, she ended up prescribing my daughter Differin for her breakouts. In addition, she was given an oral prescription as well. Within a couple of weeks, her acne had reduced significantly. These days she is much more confident and able to mingle with her peers.

There are also many different over-the-counter acne treatments. Some work very well for mild cases of acne but not all of them are right for every case of acne. Your best bet is to talk to the pharmacist about the different acne treatments available. Better yet, do your research online first about the different acne treatments available. That way, when you do talk to your pharmacist or doctor, you will be better informed about them. This will help you decides whether an over-the-counter acne treatment will work as well as a prescription one. There are many sites online with acne treatment reviews.

Does your child suffer from severe acne? Or maybe you've been grappling with this burden your entire life. Either way, you can put an end to the countless days of depression. Jump online and check out a variety of acne treatment reviews. Find out what is the most commonly effective acne treatment available. There are several options out there. Whether you need something from an infomercial or a prescription from the local doctor, there's no time to lose. Take care of that acne dilemma before it gets worse.

Dean Novosat writes for WellHabit.com. Here you'll find a collection of health and fitness research and articles.

Friday, July 11, 2008

It's Time To Say Good Bye To Acne And Blemishes Once And For All!

What comes to mind when you hear the terms acne and blemishes? Do you picture a pizza faced boy from your high school class? Or maybe your personal affliction with acne and blemishes comes to mind. The truth is the majority of us human beings are afflicted with this skin disorder and nothing is going to change that. It basically comes down to how you care for your skin.

Are you a sufferer? Come on, all of you out there who feel afflicted, go ahead and raise your hand. You surely know what I'm referring to. You can't help but wince at it every time you glance in the mirror. Yep, it's all about the acne and blemishes. You want to just obliterate them into oblivion, don't you? I mean, why in the heck did they have to take up residence on your face anyway? You certainly didn't invite them here. Well, don't get too bent out of shape.

Find out what level of acne and blemishes you're grappling with. Most likely the doctor will offer you a prescription for one of those new-age acne treatments. Differin is a major one now days. It's a topical cream that's smeared on the face in order to battle bacteria and keep new acne from forming.

Sure there are folks out there with flawless complexions, who tend to get you down. But, the good news is that you can say bye bye to those irksome acne and blemishes once and for all with the proper skin care system. Get that complexion you're so envious of. It's time to stop dealing with the battles and start winning the war.

What are you currently using to battle those nasty acne and blemishes, and keep them in check? You want them to vanish and not leave any confidence-breaking aftermath behind. Well don't just sit there and ponder how great it would be to be acne-free. Get up and do something about it. Your first notion may be to see the local dermatologist. This is a great way to assess your situation.

If your acne and blemishes are too far out of hand, you can also acquire an oral prescription. This will aid you in the battle against ruthless pimples and zits. And don't forget to jump online and see all there is to offer. A number of acne treatment kits are available in cyberspace, and need no prescription. Possibly one of these remedies would be choice for waging war on your acne and blemishes.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for health, skin care, and other related information.