Acne Medicines and Drugs

Nowadays a wide variety of prescription medications are being used to eliminate acne. Topical medications may be prescribed for mild to severe acne, while systemic therapy may be used for moderate cases. These medications attack the different factors that cause acne to achieve long-term control and removal.

On one hand, some acne medicines are used to control inflammation and flare-ups. On the other hand, there are acne medications that target the acne causing bacteria P. Acnes, thereby lessening the chance of acne. The most common medications are listed below:

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to treat mild to moderate acne, and can produce a response in a few days. It is available in several strengths, some of which are only available by prescription. Benzoyl peroxide can be found in lotions, gels, washes, soaps, and creams. Gel preparations are usually the most potent.

Adverse side effects: the most common side effect of this medicine is skin dryness and irritation. To help alleviate this side effect, start with a lower potency concentration and increase the strength as needed for acne control. You can also begin by applying it every other day and then work up to a maximum of two daily applications. Applying benzoyl peroxide products to cool, clean, dry skin will also reduce irritation.

Benzoyl Peroxide creates free radicals and it is known to cause accelerated skin aging, just like exaggerated sun exposure or long-term acne. Damage is determined by the proportion of benzoyl peroxide, the frequency, and duration of use. While moderate to severe acne will cause the skin to age rapidly, the use of benzoyl peroxide will significantly increase this speed.

Retinoids

Retinoids can be taken orally or used topically. Retinol is closely related to isotretinoin and Vitamin A and is used to regulate or speed up the skin cells lifecycle which in turn, inhibits keratinization of the cells, decreasing the chance of follicle blocking.

Adverse side effects: they can have adverse side effects including skin irritation, additional inflammation, and patchy rash areas, but work quite well to control acne.

Isotretinoin

Isotretinoin is a medication used for the therapy of severe acne. It is sometimes employed in prevention of some skin cancers. It is derived from vitamin A and is found in tiny quantities naturally in the body. Oral isotretinoin is marketed under several trade names, most Accutane (Roche), Amnesteem (Mylan), Claravis (Barr), Sotret (Ranbaxy), or Roaccutane (Roche); while topical isotretinoin is usually marketed under the trade names Isotrex or Isotrexin (Stiefel).

While these drugs have a proven efficiency, they work against only one element of acne - the Propionibacterium, acnes bacteria. The antibiotics gradually became less effective over time as more resistant strains of the bacterium became prominent.

Isotretinoin dramatically reduces the secretion of sebum and shrinks the sebaceous glands. It regulates keratinization and prevents comedones from forming. The exact mechanism of action is not known, however it is known that like other retinoids, Isotretinoin acts by modifying DNA transcription. This effect decreases the size and output of sebaceous glands, makes the cells that are sloughed off into the sebaceous glands less adhesive, and therefore less able to promote comedones.

Azelaic Acid

Azelaic Acid is a cream used in the treatment of mild to regular acne. It has antibacterial effects and may help with skin inflammation. Azelaic acid is generally well tolerated with a minimal incidence of transient side effects like skin redness, itching, and burning. It should be applied to clean, dry skin.

Sulfur, Sodium Sulfacetamide and Salicylic Acid

Sulfur, sodium sulfacetamide, and salicylic acid products are not considered as efficient as benzoyl peroxide but may be tried for treating mild acne. These products are less irritating than benzoyl peroxide, but some have a strong smell and may cause the skin to turn dark.

Oral Antibiotics

Oral antibiotics are used as an acne medication in cases where other treatments fail. Like topical antibiotics, they can have less of an effect over prolonged periods of time. Examples of oral antibiotics are doxycycline, minocycline and lymecycline. Differin is an example of a product that uses doxycycline.

The skin has a reservoir of antioxidants that reduce the volume of free radicals and their harm. It is believed that moderate to severe acne literally depletes the skin's stock of antioxidants, leaving it almost defenseless against free radicals made by normal skin functions.

Additionally, the healing process of acne infections includes thousands and thousands of chemical processes. These chemical processes produce more free radicals as an organic by-product and add to the extension of free radical harm.

Exfoliating and masking products are also available world wide. Products also differ in efficacy depending on the type of acne you have; teenage acne, adult acne, etc. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist to find out what acne treatment is right for you.

Depending on the severity of your acne, we offer a choice of products to both prevent and heal acne.

BIOSKINCLEAR is an oil free acne gel product, but also totally compatible with living cells. It can prevent and control acne breakouts quickly and effectively without drying out your skin and no side effects. BIOSKINCLEAR also softens, and dissolves existing acne scar lesions beyond what is seems possible with any other non-surgical treatment.

We also offer a natural product that has been designed to combat acne from all of its sources, BIOSKINFORTE. This acne cream yields what no other natural acne product does for recurrent stubborn acne and acne cysts because of the synergistic benefit of combining a potent biological serum with the most powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-irritant and sebum regulation botanicals.