Clearasil

July 8, 2010

Acne Medication – Common Acne Cures

Bill Nadraszky asked:

There are a few very common acne medicines and these products have been proven over the years to be very effective in most cases to getting rid of your acne. So the question that you need to have answered is: What acne medications should you use?

Benzoyl peroxide - Benzoyl peroxide has been a popular acne medication for many many years. This is the base medication in Clearasil and if your look through the pharmacy it is probably in most of the lotions for acne relief that you can buy. Probably the most effective active ingredient, benzoyl peroxide kills the P. acnes bacteria that causes acne. Benzoyl peroxide also helps to remove excess oils from the skin and removes dead skin cells that clog pores. Available in strengths from 2.5 percent to 10 percent. There are of course some drawbacks to using these lotions benzoyl peroxide can cause excessive dryness, redness and some swelling. It can also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight or suntan beds.

Salicylic acid - Salicylic acidis an ingredient that slows shedding of cells inside the hair follicles, as you can imagine this prevents the pores from clogging which is one of the big ways that acne can grow. Salicylic acid may also break down blackheads -pores that are open and have a dark surface- and whiteheads -clogged pores that have no opening- as these are the two types of acne that you are struggling with. What is the drawback of using Salicylic acid? Well it can cause mild stinging and skin irritation. Over the counter acne products are available with 0.5 percent to 2 percent salicylic acid.

Sulfur and resorcinol - I had some luck with Sulphur based products in the past although it is rarely used alone. Sulfur and resorcinol are often found together in products. These ingredients remove dead skin cells that clog pores and help remove excess oil. They may also break down whiteheads and blackheads. Resorcinol and Sulfur can cause redness and peeling, which may occur several days after using the product.

Alcohol - Alcohol is probably the most common product used to fight acne although it is the least effective. Alcohol is often available in astringents and other cleansing washes, alcohol and acetone remove dirt and oils from the skin. Although alcohol can kill lots of bacteria most people use it for it's ability to clean grease out of pores. Products that contain alcohol can cause a mild burning or stinging sensation.

So which is the best for you? I would say that the alcohol once a day is probably good for getting rid of your oily complexion but it is not nearly as effective as some of the others for actually killing the acne bacteria. There are also many new products on the market that work from the inside out instead of using these lotions to cure acne from the outside in.

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