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Standard Treatments For Cystic Acne
What Is Cystic Acne?
| Common Acne Treatments |
Topical Treatments |
Dermatological Treatments |
Artificial Hormones
Synopsis: << Previous Page | Next Page >>Common Acne TreatmentsThere exists a huge range of skin preparations designed to combat the effects of acne and to care for acne-prone skin. Very mild forms of acne may be kept in check with a good skin care regimen involving regular cleansing (with a non-alcohol cleanser), and general skin quality may be improved by regular sloughing (removal of dead skin cells) and moisturizing. However, more severe forms, including cystic acne, in which the infection is more serious greater and runs deeper, respond neither to care or topical treatments in the form of spot creams and gels. Useful Links
Physical procedures such as micro-dermabrasion,
dermabrasion, chemical skin peels and laser surgery are often used to improve
the skin quality of acne sufferers by removing thickened skin and scar tissue.
Theses procedures are not designed to prevent or treat outbreaks of lesions - in
fact most dermatologists will not undertake the more invasive of these
treatments while a patient is experiencing an outbreak for fear of infection.
They are then, to be treated as cosmetic procedures, having no impact on the
acne itself. Chemical Peel - the removal of dead layers of skin via the application of an acidic solution, which triggers a blistering effect that loosens the skin, causing it to flake off. The underlying skin is left to regenerate without the old scar tissue. Only Phenol (PCA) peels are suitable for acne scarring; the weaker AHA and TCA solutions will not have the desired effect Because phenol peels result in permanently lighter skin, they are not recommended for patients with very dark skin tones and require that sunscreen be used at all times afterwards. Cost: $1000 - $2000. Dermabrasion - similar in method to micro-dermabrasion, but going several layers deeper. A procedure requiring pain-killing medication, dermabrasion leaves the skin red and burnt-looking until it heals, which will take 10 days - 3 weeks. Cost: $1000 to $2000. Laser Resurfacing (ablative) - the use of laser to remove damaged upper layers of skin, allowing a fresh layer to emerge. Performed under local anaesthetic. Cost : $2750 - $4750 It is vital if you are considering undergoing these therapies, that you seek out a properly qualified and experienced practitioner to undertake the work, and consult thoroughly about what gains you can realistically expect to make from the treatment. While the results of these procedures can be startling for some people, others will be disappointed that the appearance their scars has not improved as much as they'd hoped. Many people also fail to realise the seriousness of procedure and are unprepared both for the amount of post-operative pain, bruising and swelling involved. Dark-skinned people run a higher than average risk of experiencing permanent discoloration as a result of under-going dermabrasion or laser surgery, and should take special care in selecting a suitably qualified practitioner. As pointed out above, these procedures will have no effect on the acne itself. Subsequent outbreaks may lead to the formation of new scars, but the facial skin cannot afford to undergo repeated exposure to the more aggressive of these procedures without sustaining some weakening.
Antibiotics are commonly used to treat acne, with varying degrees of success. Mild forms are treated with topical preparations, while the use oral forms (e.g tetracycline, eythromycin) is the preferred treatment option for moderate and severe acne. It would appear that for some users, especially those with moderate acne, an initial benefit may be experienced from use of these strategies. However, the treatment inevitably becomes subject to the law of diminishing returns, as the p. acnes bacteria become resistant to the antibotics after repeated courses. Side effects (in each case affecting a small percentage of users) include allergic rash, gastrointestinal disturbance in the form of nausea, colicky pain and diarrhoea, thrush, increased chance of failure of the oral contraceptive pill and photosensitivity,. Useful Links Some progestin-based contraceptives have been demonstrated to offer a significant degree of relief to sufferers of mild to moderate acne. However, this treatment option is obviously limited to females. Choosing an effective brand of contraceptive is of necessity a question of trial and error, so that a patient may try several brands over many months or even years before finding one that achieves the desired effect. She must be prepared to weather the possible side effects associated with many oral contraceptives; headaches, change in sex drive, vaginal discharge, weight gain, and in certain groups of women, increased risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots. Naturally, fertility will be interrupted as long as the contraceptive is used. Useful Links
When everything else fails, a course of Accutane / Roaccutane (a Vitamin A
derivative) may be considered by a sufferer and his or her
physician, but side effects of this medication have make this a treatment of last
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