Info to know before you shop for Acne Medication

Before You Buy Zit Cream/Acne Medication:
"you can successfully control most break outs and flare ups with over-the-counter acne products and we've assembled a list of the most teen friendly products on the market. Whether you prefer medicated products or natural therapies, we can help you find the ones that work and avoid the ones that don't.

Before you buy any acne treatment product you should take the following into consideration:

1. Know your skin type. People with oily skin should choose a gel based product, those with dry skin should choose a cream. If you are like most people and have combination skin, choose the product that best works with the afflicted area. If your acne flares up in the oily spots, choose a gel, if it is the dry skin that gets the zits, choose a cream.

2. The more sensitive your skin, the lower concentration of active ingredient you will need. Choosing a product that is too strong could actually make the situation worse by over drying the area and causing the skin to react by increasing oil production. This can end up causing more acne. If you have sensitive skin, stick with the milder formulations.

3. Some mild creams can be used as a preventative measure, but most acne creams are too harsh to be used before you see or feel a zit. Read the lables carefully and only apply the medication to places that are acne prone or actually have acne present.

4. If the acne is excessively painful, or if it becomes painful after trying an OTC product, try taking an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen and get to a doctor ASAP.

5. If your skin has large pustules that appear in clusters, if they are painful, if your acne causes scars, or if you can't seem to get rid of a blemish (it starts to go away only to reappear just when you thought it was gone), your acne may require treatment by a doctor."

MY REACTION:

Solid advice and lots more on that website.

New Acne Drug Gets Approved

New Acne Gel Gets FDA Approval:
"The FDA has approved a new gel to treat acne. Aczone Gel 5%, made by QLT Inc., is approved to treat acne vulgaris. That's a common skin condition in which oil and dead skin cells clog the skin's pores.

The water-based gel's active ingredient is dapsone. It is the only acne treatment to use dapsone in a topical formulation.

Aczone was tested in two clinical trials with more than 3,000 acne patients aged 12 and older. It was compared with a similar gel without dapsone. Aczone fared better than the comparison gel. After three months, Aczone reduced more pimples. Women tended to have more success and fewer pimples with Aczone than men."

MY REACTION:

Another drug -- I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Here's hoping this one works, without killing too many people with side-effects.

Acne & skin care

Acne:
"Whatever you put on your skin will move into your skin and into your bloodstream.

Most commercial creams, lotions, and soaps are filled with all kinds of chemicals that are toxic to your body. By using them you are making your liver work harder.

During the day or at night avoid resting your cheeks or chin on your hand(s) or arm(s). This can irritate your face and cause acne to breakout. When you sleep, try to sleep on your back and not with your face or side of the face into your pillow."

MY REACTION:

Even if you get acne only on your face, make sure that any lotions you put elsewhere on your body do not ultimately contribute to the facial acne problem.

Skin care

Skin care: Cosmeceuticals: The New Wave in Skin Care Solutions:

"Skin is the largest organ in the body, both by weight and surface area. In adults, the weight of your skin accounts for about 16% of your total body
weight."

MY REACTION:

Wow 16%. I'm not over-weight, I just have too much skin!

Acne FAQs

Acne FAQs: "Is it harmful to squeeze my blemishes?
Yes. In general, acne lesions should not be picked or squeezed by the patient. In particular, inflammatory acne lesions should never be squeezed. Squeezing forces infected material deeper into the skin, causing additional inflammation and possible scarring."

MY REACTION:

I agree. But ... sometimes I just can't help myself. Bad boy. Very bad boy!

Acne OTC Treatments As Effective As Drugs!

Acne Info Center: Many Acne Treatments Found Effective: "Many Acne Treatments Found Effective
Over-the-counter products for mild-to-moderate facial acne are just as effective as prescription antibiotics, and they can cost much less, according to a study reported in the medical journal The Lancet.
The big difference between the products is price, with over-the-counter preparations containing benzoyl peroxide sometimes costing one-tenth the price of some prescription antibiotics.
Benzoyl peroxide is found in dozens of over-the-counter acne treatments, the researchers say."

MY REACTION:

Yeah, baby. Big pharma takes another hit. Of course, if you like side effects, drugs are the way to go.

Ever notice how many drug ads there are these days on TV? Where do you suppose all that money comes from for the huge ad budgets?