Drugstore Treatment for Acne

Treatments for acne include medicines and creams. For people with moderate acne, over-the-counter acne treatment can often clear their skin. Drug store acne remedies are sold in creams, gels, sticks, washes, masks, and other forms. Salicylic acid unclogs pores and breaks down the cycle of bacterial growth that causes pimples. Various oral medications have been developed to cure adult hormonal acne.

Medications such as spironolactone and flutamide are the most recommended anti-androgens. Benzoyl peroxide is considered a very effective acne agent. It is an antiseptic agent that has a drying effect, which is beneficial for getting rid of blemishes. Injections of corticosteroids may be used for treating large red bumps (nodules). Injections of corticosteroids may help them go away quickly. Topical retinoids are medicines based on vitamin A, which are rubbed into the skin once or twice a day. They work by encouraging the outer layer of skin to flake off. Another cure for hormonal acne is oral contraceptives.

These drugs have progestin and estrogen to replace androgens. Light chemical peels with salicylic acid or glycolic acid help to unblock the pores, open the blackheads and whiteheads, and stimulate new skin growth. Birth control pills may significantly improve acne, and may be used specifically for the treatment of acne. Microdermabrasion may be used to remove the upper layers of the skin improving irregularities in the surface, contour, and generating new skin. Sulfur is used in acne masks, spot treatments, and other products to heal and prevent acne without over-drying the skin.

Neutrogena is an over-the-counter brand that is recommended. Anti-androgens control the body’s production of the said hormone. As such, it minimizes the risks of the skin becoming too oily, which in turn will prevent acne from forming. Antibiotics taken by mouth such as tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, or erythromycin are often prescribed. Resorcinol is another popular medication and is effective in many cases, especially when combined with other compounds such as sulfur. Acne treatments work by reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection, reducing the inflammation.