What are the treatments for acne?

Treatment of acne includes topical creams, antibiotics, hormones, and herbal remedies. Unfortunately, successful treatment varies between each patient and thus there is no single treatment that works all the time. It is important to note that each treatment should be evaluated for at least two months before trying another treatment.

Topical Creams to treat acne

Topical creams still remain the gold standard to getting rid of mild acne problems. The combinations of retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, and topical antibiotics have been proven to be more effective than any single acne treatment alone.

• Topical retinoids (Vitamin A) work by unblocking follicles and is applied once a day.
• Benzoyl peroxide has antibacterial properties that can reduce the overgrowth of the bacteria that leads to acne inflammation (P acnes). Benzoyl peroxide can be applied twice a day.
• Topical antibiotics, such as erythromycin or clindamycin, are also effective acne medication treatments.
• Salicylic acid also works by unblocking follicles, but is less effective than topical retinoids.

Treatments that have not been proven to effectively treat acne:

• Azeliac acid
• Topical zinc
• Aluminum chloride

Oral Antibiotics to treat acne

Oral antibiotics are used to treat moderate to severe acne conditions by limiting the growth of bacteria that causes acne inflammation.

The most effective antibiotic acne medication is minocycline, followed by doxycycline, then tetracycline.

Antibiotics should be given as a treatment only in severe acne cases. Young children or pregnant women should not be given oral antibiotics as acne medication. Due to the growing usage of antibiotics to treat acne, bacterial resistance to antibiotics is becoming a problem. In addition to bacterial resistance to oral antibiotics, there are also some side effects in some patients. Women can develop vaginal yeast infections. Patients taking doxycycline can have problems with increased sensitivity to light. Minocycline has been associated with pigment color changes in the skin.

Hormone therapy to treat acne in women

Estrogen hormones can help regulate the other hormones that cause acne. In some women, estrogen oral contraceptives can successfully treat acne. It may take six months after starting treatment to evaluate the success of acne hormonal therapy. Pregnant women should always talk to their doctor about acne treatment, since many acne treatments can be harmful during pregnancy.

Natural acne therapy

Herbal and alternative therapies have been used to treat acne, although there have not been many studies to evaluate the effectiveness of natural acne remedies.

Topical Tree Oil

One study showed that topical tea tree oil is effective for the treatment of acne, although this treatment is slower compared to other topical treatments. Other herbal agents, such as topical and oral ayurvedic compounds, have been reported to have value in the treatment of acne.

Psychological therapy

Stress has been shown to worsen acne in many patients. It may be beneficial to lessen stress through various forms of psychotherapy.