Alternative Treatments For Cystic Acne
What Is Cystic Acne?
| Common Acne Treatments |
Topical Treatments |
Dermatological Treatments
| Artificial Hormones
Accutane / Roaccutane |
Does A Safe,
Effective Treatment For Cystic Acne Exist? |
Bioherbaceutical Medicines |Comparison
Chart
Synopsis:
4 - page report outlining the nature and effects of cystic acne; describes
traditional methods of treating moderate to severe acne; evaluates
the effectiveness and safety of alternatives to Accutane /
Roaccutane.
OK, we're ruling out the
standard methods of treating acne on the grounds that they're either ineffective
or compromise overall health, and sometimes unfortunately, both.
What's Left?
There exists a group of
products that have been described as "Bridge Products" or
bioherbaceutical medicines. These are so called because they are compounds
designed using the principles of homeopathic or traditional Chinese medicine to
produce specific outcomes (such as the regulation of sebaceous gland
secretions), have been developed through rigorous research, and in several
cases, have been subjected to proper clinical trials to ascertain both their
effectives and safety, but have not been recognized as pharmaceuticals by the
FD, who have no authority over the regulation of traditional medicines.*
Taken orally, these formulations work to combat acne not by treating the
secondary symptoms (i.e the spots and lesions), but to treat the problem at
source, that is; regulating the production of sebaceous gland secretions.
Of the traditional Western methods of treatment, only Accutane and oral contraceptives
do this. Those products shown to be the most effective include:
The manufacturers of these products have been able to demonstrate
improvements in all grades of acne vulgaris, including cystic acne, with up to
95% effectiveness in the treatment of adolescent acne, and 80% effectiveness in
individuals over 31 years of age after one month of treatment.
This is clearly good news for acne sufferers, but the benefits of using these
bioherbaceutical treatments continue in that they do not appear to produce
the worrying range side of side effects associated with the use of Accutane.
Evidence for this assertion has been offered via both clinical trial and
informal feedback. The only reported side effects include a slight
increases in bowel activity and skin shedding. Internet based
investigation of relative performance for each of these products suggests that
complaints about them occur more frequently than the manufacturers would like to
suggest, but even this feedback is about minor side effects, including headaches
and initial worsening of symptoms (which is in fact common with treatments based
on homeopathic and Chinese herbalist principles).
Does This Stuff Really Work, And Is It
Really Safe?
With the exceptions of
AcnEase® and to a limited extent,
Actimine, these
bioherbaceutical treatments have not been
subjected to the full rigor of type of clinical trial of the nature we in the
West have come to associate with reliable research. However, before we
dismiss the claims of these manufacturers as pure quackery, let us consider a
few of things;
-
These companies don't have the limitless financial
resources and research networks possessed by multi-national drug companies like
Roche, the makers of Accutane / Roaccutane. This makes it difficult to
conduct large-scale clinical trials.
-
The formulation for most of these products are
based on principles well established in both Western and Chinese herbalism, which
are disciplines that are increasingly finding acceptance within modern Western
medicine.
-
Although they don't fall within the remit of the
FDA for evaluation as pharmaceuticals, they are nevertheless subject to strict
FDA safety criteria.
If you were to rely solely on the sales pitch and
selected testimonials provided by the companies who manufacture these
preparations, you might easily be led to believe that each was a unique wonder
drug, with near 100% efficacy and 0% side effects.
The truth is that like all other drugs, both
standard and "alternative", each of the treatments are more effective for one
person than another; while an individual might have experienced poor results
with for example,
ZENMED™, another might achieve a
fantastically clear skin within a couple of months using the same treatment.
Likewise, one user might experience absolutely no side effects while taking
Oratin, while another might complain of dry lips or initial breakouts.
I have to confess that I was concerned to see
claims by several manufacturers that because these products are "100% natural",
they can be safely used in conjunction with other medicines.
It is established by both Eastern and Western
medical practitioners that the compounds found in all drugs, whether
artificially produced or occurring naturally have the potential for harm if
taken in access or if they are contra-indicated for any reason. It is
therefore important that you consult your doctor before taking any of these
products if you are taking any other medication, whether for acne or another
condition, or if you are in a high risk health group for any reason.
Conclusion
Given the scarcity of hard scientific data available for
these products, it's always wise to undertake your own research by scouring the
internet for feedback from users. The various acne websites and forums
vibrate with
comments and posts from users both satisfied and dissatisfied. While
the rather polarised nature of such comments render them unreliable as a source
of scientific evidence, they are nevertheless useful in helping a potential user
to decide whether to trial a specific product.
On balance, these preparations appear to
produce good results for a significant proportion of their users, with few
reported side effects other than breakouts and mild headaches at the beginning
of a course of treatment.
For a detailed comparison of all the major oral treatments for acne,
including Accutane, antibiotics, contraceptives and bioherbaceutical, please
visit
Accutane Alternatives
* Of the group of bioherbaceuticals developed to combat acne,
only AcnEase® has published the
results of clinical trials of the product, conducted under academic conditions.
Actimine draws on the results of clinical trials on the effectives
of its active ingriedients. The rest of the group listed here offer anecdotal evidence in the
form of case studies, customer feedback and informal polls as to the
effects of their products.
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