Understanding Common Prescription Acne Medications
Acne is incredibly common. It affects over nine percent of individuals around the world! Some cases are easy to treat. However, many cases are challenging due to their severity and variety of causes. For instance, acne is divided into two major categories: non-inflammatory and inflammatory. Inflammatory acne is more common, painful, and more likely to trigger acne scars than the other type.
Most patients want acne treatment. Thankfully, many individuals will use over-the-counter treatments to great success. One great example is a benzoyl peroxide wash. Home remedies for acne are also a common option! Of course, severe cases need prescription acne medication. Many patients use these medications as an acne scar treatment. In all cases, patients need to know about the common prescription medications for acne. This ensures that they receive the best acne treatment for their needs!
Dapsone
Dapsone is rising in popularity as an acne treatment! It is an antibiotic, which means it kills bacteria. This medication also reduces skin inflammation! Patients apply it to their skin as a gel. Unfortunately, it is not clear as to why this medication is an effective acne treatment. However, it still treats mild to moderate acne! Dapsone is more effective on inflammatory acne than it is on non-inflammatory acne.
Most patients are prescribed a five percent concentration of dapsone. They will use this twice a day! Evidence has shown, though, that a 7.5 percent gel used once a day is more effective. In both cases, patients will see good results in twelve weeks.
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Clindamycin-Benzoyl Peroxide Gel
Many acne patients will be prescribed a clindamycin-benzoyl peroxide gel. It is quite common when other treatments have not been beneficial. Clindamycin is a standard antibiotic. Benzoyl peroxide is an antiseptic. The combination helps treat acne from several angles, making it more effective as a result! The benzoyl peroxide boosts the antibacterial properties of clindamycin as well! Using a gel with both ingredients is much more effective than using one with only one of them.
Doctors often recommend this gel to pregnant women with acne. This is because it is effective and has fewer side effects than other acne treatments! Patients will see significant results in twelve to sixteen weeks.
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Azelaic Acid
Azelaic acid, an organic compound, is another effective acne treatment. It reduces sebum production, so patients do not have as much oil on their skin. This medication also has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. Thus, it kills bacteria and reduces inflammation! Many patients deal with skin cells becoming trapped in their hair follicles. This often blocks sebaceous glands and causes acne to form. Thankfully, azelaic acid is effective at stopping this from happening. Overall, this medication is an effective treatment for many types of acne!
Most patients receive this medication in cream form. However, the foam version has been rising in popularity! The foam was designed for other conditions, such as rosacea. It is easy to apply. Patients can also use this medication as a facial peel once every two weeks. It shows the best results as a three-month course!
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Spironolactone
Spironolactone is a common medication for high blood pressure. It also treats heart, kidney, and liver issues! However, many doctors prescribe it 'off-label' to treat acne. This is because it has antiandrogenic properties, meaning that it reduces certain hormones. Specifically, it reduces testosterone and other androgen hormones. These are a common cause of acne! Thus, this medication treats acne when it is due to excessive hormones.
Unfortunately, most men cannot take it since it reduces testosterone. If they do, doctors must monitor them quite closely! Pregnant women, in most cases, cannot take this medication either. This medication is a diuretic, so patients will likely urinate more than they usually would. They need to drink water to compensate! Doctors will prescribe it as an oral tablet for most acne patients. However, it is available in liquid form as well.
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Tretinoin
One of the vital vitamins for skin health is vitamin A. Most individuals consume it in their food. However, many acne patients benefit from using a synthetic version of vitamin A: tretinoin. Most individuals apply it to their skin. It treats both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. The reason this medication works is that it increases the turnover rate of skin cells. Ultimately, it makes a patient's skin heal faster! During this process, new skin cells replace dead ones. Many types of acne are, in part, due to a buildup of dead skin cells. This is another reason why this medication is so effective!
This medication is safe for teenagers with severe acne. Women benefit the most from this medication. However, they also experience more side effects than men! The most common side effect is irritated and dry skin. Thankfully, this usually goes away once a patient's skin adjusts! Patients can help this process by slowly building their tolerance to tretinoin.