{"id":181,"date":"2016-05-13T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-13T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foreo.com\/mysa\/?p=181"},"modified":"2022-03-25T11:06:23","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T11:06:23","slug":"what-best-acne-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.foreo.com\/mysa\/what-best-acne-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Best Acne Treatment?"},"content":{"rendered":"
We assess the pros and cons of the most commonly prescribed treatments<\/p>\n
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When it comes to skincare, we\u2019re all a little different. Even though we search tirelessly for that \u201cmagical\u201d product, nothing is one-size-fits all. The true key to great skin care is sticking faithfully to a full routine. The routine will differ from skin type to skin type, but the basic formula for acne-free skin remains the same:<\/p>\n
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Here we\u2019re going to cover Step Number 2 in your skin care routine – curative agents and how they work. For more info on Steps 1 and 3 – keeping clean and properly moisturized skin – read our Ultimate Guide to Washing Your Face<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A lot of factors both environmental and internal can cause acne. But at a basic biological level, acne is caused by our sebaceous glands, which produce sebum. Overactive sebaceous glands produce too much sebum, which can build up and get clogged up. When sebum accumulates just under the surface of the skin, a bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes <\/em>thrives, feeding on the excess sebum like it\u2019s an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner. Their waste products irritate the sebaceous glands, making them inflamed and causing the spots we know as acne.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Antibiotics are prescription medications and not available over the counter, which means you should visit your family doctor or dermatologist to ask if antibiotics might be the right fit for your acne-clearing skin care routine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If your acne is mild to moderate, your doctor may first prescribe you a topical antibiotic such as a cream, gel, solution, cleansing pad or lotion of clindamycin or erythromycin. These drugs are anti-inflammatory and can be effective against a number of bacteria. \u00a0While this might work, topical antibiotics are limited in their ability to penetrate the skin and deep clean more stubborn acne, so if you don\u2019t see the results you want after six to eight weeks, visit your doctor again to discuss the possibility of oral antibiotics.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The scientific truth is that no matter how well you wash your face and keep it clean, healthy skin is most heavily influenced from inside our bodies – by our genes<\/a>, by our eating<\/a>, sleeping and exercising<\/a> habits and any medications we may be taking. (See below for more information on how birth control pills may influence your skin.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once you start taking an oral antibiotic regularly (most commonly tetracyclines, such as minocycline and doxycycline), the drugs build up in your system, circulate throughout your body and penetrate your sebaceous glands – the glands in your body within follicles that produce the enemy Propionibacterium acnes<\/em>. The antibiotics do exactly what they\u2019re named for – they kill the bacteria that cause acne.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once you take the medication for long enough – roughly 3 to 4 months – your doctor and you will be able to assess the effectiveness of the drug. If it\u2019s not working as well as hoped, your doctor may change your dose, the kind of antibiotic you\u2019re taking or take you off the antibiotics altogether and try something else. If the drugs are effective at clearing up your acne, your doctor may still recommend tapering off the antibiotics. Taking antibiotics regularly over a prolonged period of time carries a number of risks, including building up antibiotic resistance, which is bad not only for your own immune system, but also for the rest of the world as well – increased antibiotic use worldwide has led to a startling diminishment in the once-miracle drug\u2019s effectiveness at preventing and curing infection.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You should also keep in mind the potential side effects in taking antibiotics. Although usually mild, antibiotics can cause tummy troubles like diarrhea, dizziness, teeth discoloration and sensitivity to the sun – so you\u2019ll need to apply sunscreen even more faithfully than you already do!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat causes acne?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How do antibiotics clear up acne?<\/strong><\/h2>\n