Acne Treatment Reviews
Finding the best on the spot acne treatment will depend on whether you are inclined to use natural remedies or medication as well as your skin type and the severity of your acne breakout.
What to Know about Medicated on the Spot Acne Treatment
Below is a list describing the most popular medications for acne and how they work.
Benzoyl Peroxide
This is arguably the most popular on the spot acne treatment in general. This compound is not only found in acne treatments but in cleansers as well. It works by killing acne-causing bacteria, reducing skin inflammation, and unclogging pores. These are sold in strengths ranging from 2.5 until 10%.
Salicyc Acid
This medication is probably the next most popular to benzoyl peroxide as an effective on the spot acne treatment. It treats acne by making the skin shed old, acne-marred skin and having new cells grow. It works even better when you are also suffering from whiteheads and blackheads. Its strength is significantly lower compared to benzoyl peroxide, ranging from .5 to 2 percent, but besides lotion and cleanser variants, there are also salycic acid treatment pads available.
Sulfur and Resorcinol
Rarely will you find an acne treatment that has one without the other. Sulfur, until today, has unknown properties that make it an effective remedy for treating acne while resorcinol, like salicyc acid, helps by promoting shedding of dead or old skin cells. If sold separately, sulphur are available in five to eight percent solutions while resorcinol has only a two percent solution available.
Alcohol and Acetone
These two common household products are generally used for hygiene and cleansing but they, too, can help in eliminating acne. Acetone works by reducing your skin’s excess oil while alcohol has antimicrobial properties to kill bacteria that are contributing to your acne breakout. They are usually found in astringents and toners.
What to Know about Natural Acne Remedies
If you are in urgent need of an acne treatment then scour your kitchen cupboards for ingredients of commonly used natural remedies.
Tea Tree Oil
To make use of this type of natural remedy, you need to dilute the oil first before topically applying to scars and other kinds of skin damage caused by acne. Tea tree oil’s antibacterial properties will then do the rest of the work.
Zinc
Finally, we have zinc. It has been used in the past as a placebo but it has also proven to work when included in antibiotics. It is not advised, however, to use this as your primary choice of on the spot treatment for acne scarring.
If your loved one is suffering from rosacea, be aware that his or her condition will only worsen without treatment. Laser treatment for rosacea, although somewhat costly, is your best choice and will ensure the health and comfort of your family member.
Understanding the Need for Laser Treatment for Rosacea
For those unaware, approximately fourteen million Americans are presently afflicted by rosacea, which is a condition that produces noticeable redness starting with the nose and cheeks and may spread to other areas. Alcohol and coffee intake are recognized as triggering factors and acne are a common symptom of rosacea.
Although the growth or visibility of spider veins and redness produced by rosacea takes time, its development is rapid once they take concrete and noticeable form. From there, it will rapidly go downhill for the patient until he or she undergoes laser treatment for rosacea.
How Laser Treatment for Rosacea Works
Although available data about the safety of laser treatments is scarce, the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had already categorized these treatments as “procedures”, making strict and continuing studies unnecessary.
For rosacea, laser treatments target three major symptoms: rhinophyma or thickened skin on the patient’s nose and cheeks, chronic redness, and enlarged blood vessels.
Different Types of Laser Treatment for Rosacea
Make an informative decision for your loved one by understanding the different options you have for treating rosacea.
Treatment for Enlarged Blood Vessels
Few people are aware that pulsed dye laser or PDL had been used to treat rosacea for a good number of years already. One study had, in fact, shown how all sixteen of its subjects had enjoyed forty to sixty percent reduction on their skin’s redness as well as minimized sensitivity, swelling, dryness, itching, and burning of skin.
Of course, PDL is not the only laser treatment used for blood vessel dilation. Nd:YAG, KTP, and Diode lasers may also be used, all of which offer a lower likelihood of scarring.
Treatment for Rhinophyma
There are basically two types of laser treatments used for treating rhinophyma. Both erbium and carbon dioxide lasers are able to reduce skin thickness and improve nose shape or contour. Surgical procedures such as scalpel excisions and dermabrasions may also be used in combination to achieve better results.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
Finally, IPL is the ultimate laser treatment for rosacea as it’s able to treat not only the symptoms stated above but even acne development.
Now that you’re aware of your options, consult your loved one to make the best treatment choice possible.
If your acne problems have proven to be too severe for over-the-counter or OTC medications to properly treat, don’t lose hope just yet. You can still undergo laser treatment for acne scars and with it, look forward to enjoying acne-free looks for the rest of your life.
Who Needs Laser Treatment for Acne Scars?
If you are suffering from acne problems then you immediately qualify for laser treatment. It is up to you, however, to determine whether or not you wish to undergo this treatment. If you are considering laser treatment under a new doctor, be sure to inform him or her about your medical history and any previous medications you’ve taken. Those who have taken photo-sensitive drugs, for instance, are advised to wait for at least six months prior to having laser treatment to avoid possible complications.
How It Works
Laser treatment for acne scars works by targeting and destroying active bacteria that are causing your acne problems. With laser technology, precision is guaranteed and ensure that nothing besides acne-causing bacteria is eliminated. Not only that, but laser treatment also reduces the healing process for acne scars as well as stunting oil production of sebaceous glands.
If and when you do undergo this treatment, you will notice the new, pinkish color of your skin. Do not be alarmed by this as it is only temporary.
Effectiveness and Recovery Time
How effective this treatment can be differs in a case-to-case basis, but they are often long lasting and well worth its somewhat expensive price tag. Patients have reported visible results as early as three weeks. As for recovery time, most patients are able to get back to work or resume their normal lifestyles immediately.
The Costs of Laser Treatment for Acne Scars
One session alone will cost anywhere between two to five hundred dollars ($200 – $500). But rarely will such treatments require a single session. Expect your dermatologist to ask you to schedule for follow-up treatments or sessions to maintain an acne-free skin. Also, one single session alone may not be enough to treat your entire face and other affected areas. As such, the overall cost will be largely dictated by how severe your acne problem is.
Thankfully, there are some ways to reduce the costs of this treatment. First, inquire with your company’s human resource department to determine if the treatment could fall under your insurance package. Consider availing of the treatment from a much more low-profile clinic or those that aren’t located in metropolitan areas.
Laser treatment for acne scars is, strictly speaking, not necessary but if you want a short cut to enjoying acne-free beauty then this treatment is what you need.
Laser, for those who don’t know, is short for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”, and from there you’ll already have an idea of how laser for acne scar works. There are various types of laser wavelengths used and each type has its own way of treating acne problems.
How Laser for Acne Scars Work
Technology ensures that thin beams of laser light are able to accurately target affected areas without causing damage to surrounding, acne-free parts. Laser for acne scars basically work in two ways.
Some treatments primarily focus on laser resurfacing, which is a process that removes acne scars. Other laser treatments, however, are more concerned on ensuring that treated areas do not cause additional scarring by stimulating growth of collagen or new skin cells. As a result, skin in affected areas tighten up and becomes firm until your skin is good as new.
Types of Lasers Used
As mentioned earlier on, laser for acne scar differs in terms of type of laser used.
Non-ablative Laser
There are actually many kinds of non-ablative lasers used for acne scar treatment, but Diode and NdYAG are the most popular. Instead of removing old scar tissues, they focus on collagen growth and ensuring that no residual scars are left by the treatment.
Some say that non-ablative laser treatments are not as effective as ablative laser treatments. What you can be sure of, however, is that when you’ll come out of the operating room with better-looking skin, fewer fine lines tracing your face, and definitely lesser acne.
Erbium Laser
Unlike nonablative lasers, erbium laser treatments target water molecules in the dermis rather than skin ducts. It is the preferred treatment for patients with minimal acne scars and facial wrinkles.
Carbon Dioxide Lasers
This is arguably recognized as the most effective laser treatment of all. It emits brief spurts of light beams to the patient’s skin and damaged skin is vaporized one layer after another until the patient is left with glowing, acne-free skin. Of course, the glowing will come after a few weeks. At the start, you’ll look like a pretty person in pink…literally speaking.
Is This for You?
Most people consider laser for acne scars as a last resort and understandably so. Laser treatments, after all, come at prohibitive rates. Then again, they are your best bet if you’ve tried every medicated and natural remedy available and none of them had worked.
There’s nothing more embarrassing than having acne problems when you’re going out on a date or you’re about to make a huge presentation at work. The tips below should teach you how to get rid of zits and say goodbye to them for good.
How to Get Rid of Zits with a Honey Mask
Honey masks may sound sweet and nice but they’re actually a potent force against acne. Their antibacterial properties will not only minimize acne visibility but also help in preventing future breakouts. Even better, they’re gentle enough to work well with sensitive skin.
How to Get Rid of Zits with the Proper Hairstyle
Sporting bangs or a long hairstyle may make you more feminine, but be aware that these also make you prone to having acne. Hair can secrete oil and when they come into contact with your skin, the likelihood of an acne breakout is greater.
If you can’t do without either of these layouts, do try at least to keep them away from your face when you are perspiring. Wash your hair everyday as well.
How to Get Rid of Zits with Vitamins
As skin is the largest organ of the human body, it’s understandable why your skin has a vital need for nutrition as well. Suffering from acne could be a sign that your skin is nutritionally deficient but you can readily address this by taking the required dosage of vitamins daily. If you don’t, this could lead to worse skin problems until your zits are the least of your concerns. Don’t wait for that to happen!
How to Get Rid of Zits with the Proper Diet
For those already working with a weight loss diet, you’ll be delighted to know that your diet – as long as it meets your body’s nutritional requirements – is already helping your body minimize acne breakouts. But if diet sounds like a foreign word to you then it’s best to get acquainted with it as soon as possible for the sake of your skin.
Start by increasing your consumption of carrots. Yes, this doesn’t sound appetizing to most but carrots have a substantial amount of Vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant and able to reduce or eliminate acne-causing toxins in your body. Vitamin A also helps in strengthening and repairing your skin. Include chromium supplements in your diet as well. They’ll help your skin heal more quickly.
Besides these tips, you should also consider minimizing use of makeup as oil-based cosmetics could clog your pores and lead to more pimple breakouts.
