Your Options for Acne Treatment

Before selecting a treatment, you must have a solid understanding about acne, and determine the exact type of acne that you have. In addition to this, it is also important to set goals for your acne treatment. Here are some points to keep in mind when thinking about acne, and when selecting the best acne medication for yourself.

Goals of acne treatment:

• You should understand how much acne and what type of acne you have.
• To stop new acne blemishes from developing with appropriate treatment.
• To treat acne scars and prevent new scars from forming.

Points you should remember:

• You can control and cover the visible lesions and avoid embarrassment.
• Treatment is available that can prevent acne scarring.
• You should get help for your acne as soon as you notice it. Early treatment minimizes the severity of acne. This is important especially if one of your parents had severe acne.
• Treatment may last for months and often years.
• You should understand that improvement can be slow, and will often take months (not weeks) to work. There may even be an initial flare of your acne.

Points To Remember For Selecting Your Best Acne Treatment:

• The severity level of your acne
• Your personal goals for therapy
• The effectiveness of the treatment and possible side effects
• Your personal preference.

Other Circumstances Specific To Girls And Women:

• Pregnancy: is it possible you could become pregnant during treatment, or are you already pregnant?
• Breastfeeding: Will you be breastfeeding during treatment?
• Are you in the childbearing age range?
• The acne treatment that you select will depend on the factors listed below:

• The severity of your condition
• The type of acne (comedonal vs. inflamed) lesions you have
• Any previous experience you have had (and your skin’s response) to other treatments
• The degree of oiliness or sensitivity of your skin
• Any history you may have of sensitive skin or extreme irritation to specific products.

Note: Acne may flare in the initial stages of treatment. However, this is not necessarily an indication of unsuitable treatment. On average, you’re likely to see about a 20% improvement per month.

ACNE STAGE:

ACNE TREATMENT: