Acne: Treatments

How is acne treated?

Although acne cannot be cured, many effective treatments are available to reduce its symptoms. These include over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription medications, and surgeries. Fortunately, with time, most young people with acne will outgrow the condition.

OTC medications

You can buy a number of topical medications in stores without a prescription. These medications typically dry out the pimples and kill bacteria. The following products are available in both OTC and prescription strengths:

• Benzoyl peroxide (Clearasil)
• Salicylic acid (Noxzema Anti-Acne Gel, Neutrogena)

Prescription medications

If these OTC medications do not work, your doctor or dermatologist (skin doctor) can prescribe something stronger. These medications treat the infection and causes of oil buildup. They include:

• Antibiotics, either oral (taken by mouth) or topical (applied to the skin), such as erythromycin (Ery-tab or Erythra-derm), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin), or tetracycline (Acnecycline, Tetra-bac)
• Birth control pills or other hormonal treatments

Other treatments

• Chemical or laser skin treatments to remove scars
• Cyst removal or drainage

What you can do to improve your acne

There are several self-care measures you can take to improve your acne. These include:

• Changing your pillowcases frequently
• Keeping your hair away from your face
• Keeping your hands and fingers away from your face and other areas of eruption
• Washing your hair and face often, especially if you have oily skin

What are the potential complications of acne?

Although untreated acne is not associated with life-threatening complications, it can produce both mental and physical scars. These include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Embarrassment
• Scarring and dark spots long after original eruptions have cleared