There are many "cure acne" treatment options available today. Some, such as Accutane, are only available by prescription through a dermatologist, while many are purchased over the counter or over the internet. There are even some bizarre home remedies that can have you reaching into your spice rack looking for a quick fix. I warn you - use some common sense before you spread sugary or acidic liquids all over your face. Not every cure acne treatment is created equally!
The good news is that we know much more about acne than we used to. Acne is caused by androgen hormones, not poor hygiene. If you have moderate or severe acne, you should choose a cure acne treatment that focuses on this hormonal cause. If you have mild acne, you may get way with a simple topical treatment. Let's break it down in terms of how severe your skin condition is:
Light (mild) acne. You have some blackheads and whiteheads. You get the occasional breakout, but your pimples tend to be near the surface and clear up in a few days. If this sounds like you, congratulations - you're one of the lucky ones! In this case, over the counter products should be all you need. Try a benzoyl peroxide gel at 2.5% strength. Don't be fooled into stronger formulations - they are not more effective, except at irritating your skin and separating you from your money!
Apply a thin B.P. film once in the morning and again right before bed. Don't spot-treat. Spread it over the area that is prone to acne. For a little extra punch, use the gel in combination with a salicylic acid cream. This helps the benzoyl peroxide penetrate more deeply into your pores. Expect your skin to improve in a month, but remember: if you stop your treatments you are back to square one.
Moderate to severe acne. If you have regular outbreaks and your pimples are deeper and take longer to clear, topical treatments won't do much good for you. But there are some cure acne treatments that can be very effective. If you are a woman, you can attack the underlying hormonal cause of acne by undergoing hormone treatments such as taking estrogen rich birth control pills. If you opt to take hormones for your acne, you will need to consult your doctor.
Another option for men and women is a drug called Accutane. This is a very effective cure acne treatment but also a very powerful drug with serious side effects. In fact, Accutane was recently removed from the U.S. market because of the cost of lawsuits related to side effects. You must be closely monitored by a doctor while you are on this treatment. One disappointing feature of Accutane is that it will inflame your skin and your pimples while you are on it. Your face will actually get worse and your lips will be raw and sensitive. Accutane is a longer term solution, but keep in mind that you will look worse for up to a year or longer depending on the number of cycles you take.
Because most people are not enthusiastic about the prospect of "laying low" for such a long period of time while on Accutane, a holistic approach is perhaps the best cure acne treatment for people with moderate to severe acne. Holistic approaches correct the hormonal causes of acne through changes to diet and lifestyle. You can expect to see some improvement in only a week and clear skin in only a few months. The best thing about holistic treatments is that you do not have to see a doctor or take expensive and harsh drugs. Maybe this is why your dermatologist will probably hesitate to recommend the holistic approach. Still, it has helped many thousands of people effectively beat their acne and is a cost effective approach as well.
I recommend that people explore the holistic approaches before taking a drug such as Accutane. If you can clear your acne yourself, without harsh drugs, and experience better overall health in the process, it's really a no-brainer. When you are considering a powerful drug like Accutane, you owe it to yourself to exhaust your other options first. You may be able to spare yourself the aggravation that comes with Accutane, and be rewarded with clear skin in the process!
The good news is that we know much more about acne than we used to. Acne is caused by androgen hormones, not poor hygiene. If you have moderate or severe acne, you should choose a cure acne treatment that focuses on this hormonal cause. If you have mild acne, you may get way with a simple topical treatment. Let's break it down in terms of how severe your skin condition is:
Light (mild) acne. You have some blackheads and whiteheads. You get the occasional breakout, but your pimples tend to be near the surface and clear up in a few days. If this sounds like you, congratulations - you're one of the lucky ones! In this case, over the counter products should be all you need. Try a benzoyl peroxide gel at 2.5% strength. Don't be fooled into stronger formulations - they are not more effective, except at irritating your skin and separating you from your money!
Apply a thin B.P. film once in the morning and again right before bed. Don't spot-treat. Spread it over the area that is prone to acne. For a little extra punch, use the gel in combination with a salicylic acid cream. This helps the benzoyl peroxide penetrate more deeply into your pores. Expect your skin to improve in a month, but remember: if you stop your treatments you are back to square one.
Moderate to severe acne. If you have regular outbreaks and your pimples are deeper and take longer to clear, topical treatments won't do much good for you. But there are some cure acne treatments that can be very effective. If you are a woman, you can attack the underlying hormonal cause of acne by undergoing hormone treatments such as taking estrogen rich birth control pills. If you opt to take hormones for your acne, you will need to consult your doctor.
Another option for men and women is a drug called Accutane. This is a very effective cure acne treatment but also a very powerful drug with serious side effects. In fact, Accutane was recently removed from the U.S. market because of the cost of lawsuits related to side effects. You must be closely monitored by a doctor while you are on this treatment. One disappointing feature of Accutane is that it will inflame your skin and your pimples while you are on it. Your face will actually get worse and your lips will be raw and sensitive. Accutane is a longer term solution, but keep in mind that you will look worse for up to a year or longer depending on the number of cycles you take.
Because most people are not enthusiastic about the prospect of "laying low" for such a long period of time while on Accutane, a holistic approach is perhaps the best cure acne treatment for people with moderate to severe acne. Holistic approaches correct the hormonal causes of acne through changes to diet and lifestyle. You can expect to see some improvement in only a week and clear skin in only a few months. The best thing about holistic treatments is that you do not have to see a doctor or take expensive and harsh drugs. Maybe this is why your dermatologist will probably hesitate to recommend the holistic approach. Still, it has helped many thousands of people effectively beat their acne and is a cost effective approach as well.
I recommend that people explore the holistic approaches before taking a drug such as Accutane. If you can clear your acne yourself, without harsh drugs, and experience better overall health in the process, it's really a no-brainer. When you are considering a powerful drug like Accutane, you owe it to yourself to exhaust your other options first. You may be able to spare yourself the aggravation that comes with Accutane, and be rewarded with clear skin in the process!
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