The method used to treat acne varies depending on the severity of the disease. Mild acne can be treated with topical solutions such as Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid. Moderate acne may require a combination of one or more treatments, possibly a topical solution combined with an oral antibiotic. Severe acne can be treated with these methods as well as more aggressive methods such as acne surgery.
Dermatologists are still not sure why some people develop acne and others do not, therefore there is no permanent remedy for the condition. Treatment will need to be continued even after the visible signs of acne have gone, as sufferers are pre disposed to having oily skin or irregular shedding of dead skin cells.
Acne treatments work by controlling the production of sebum, combating the P. acnes bacteria and encouraging skin cell renewal. Sebum is produced naturally by the body, however some people produce more than others causing the oil to build up in the pores. When this is combined with dead skin cells it creates a blockage, if the follicle is closed this will appear as a whitehead, if the follicle is open the keratin in the skin will react with the oxygen and form a blackhead. Some acne treatments contain ingredients to break down the keratin in the skin, preventing a blackhead from forming.
Topical antimicrobials and oral antibiotics work by killing the P. acnes bacteria. These bacteria thrive in the follicles where there is a build up of sebum and dead skin cells. Oral contraceptive pills are also prescribed to women to regulate the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands.
In severe cases acne surgery is a common treatment. The lesion is drained and then flushed with diluted cortisone. This treatment is hugely successful and the appearance of blemishes is dramatically improved within 3 days.