How To Choose Between Acne Medications?

Acne is a common skin condition that is characterized by the presence of pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. It mainly affects people with oily skin that is more likely to become inflamed. Acne occurs when dirt, dead skin cells, and excess oil get clogged in the pores. The plug keeps the pores of the skin open and makes it more exposed to acne-causing bacteria. Acne can be treated using topical or oral medications. When choosing between an oral treatment and a topical treatment, you need to consider several factors to help your dermatologist make the right choice for you. Probably everyone has experienced this dreaded situation once in their lifetime or at least once per month. Pimples pop up like oil on the water when we have fun with friends, at parties, or even during dates. Although acne can affect any area of the body with oil glands, it most commonly appears on the face, neck, chest, shoulders, and back.

Choosing an acne treatment depends on several factors such as:

1. The type and severity of the acne: 

• Mild acne – blackheads, whiteheads, and some pimples
• Moderate acne – inflammatory lesions
• Severe acne – widespread inflammation and cysts If you have severe or widespread acne, you may require oral treatment such as antibiotics.

2. Your preference:

Some people feel more comfortable choosing topical over oral medications. If you are one of them, your dermatologist would recommend a topical treatment for you.

3. The presence of other conditions: 

If you have a skin infection, it is advised to be treated with an antimicrobial agent before the acne. If you have signs of inflammation or illness, you should go for topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide creams. Creams, lotions, gels, and pads are considered topical treatments.

4. Your skin type:

Topical treatments can either be oil-based (occlusive) or water-based (non-occlusive). This mainly depends on your skin type. For example, if your skin is oily with large pores, you would prefer an oil-based cream. If your skin is normal, you can go for either type of topical medication.

5. The cost:

This is one of the main factors to consider when choosing between acne medications, as some treatments may be way too costly for average consumers to purchase.

6. Drug interactions: 

Certain drugs cannot be used with other acne treatments making your dermatologist recommend only certain topical medications based on preexisting medical conditions.

How can you choose the proper acne medications?

Step 1: Talk to your dermatologist about what type of medication is best suited for your condition. Sometimes, both medicines may be prescribed together if one doesn’t work well enough on its own. Choosing between both types is something that needs professional advice.

Step 2: This step will involve understanding how long it takes for different treatments to produce results since no two people experience the same symptom at the same time when suffering from acne. For instance, some people see clear skin in just a few weeks, while others might take months or years without any notable results.

Step 3: Determine the cost of the medications. Although some are expensive, you can always request affordable medication from your dermatologist. This will help you save money since acne is a chronic skin condition that requires continuous treatment until it completely clears up.

Step 4: You should consider the side effects that come with both types of medications before making your choice. Although some topical treatments may cause irritations and discomfort, oral medications may lead to severe adverse reactions, including liver damage, blood disorders, depression, congenital disabilities, seizures, headaches, dryness of mouth or lips, among others.

Which type of medication would work best?

When choosing between an oral treatment and a topical acne treatment, you need to consider several factors that might help your dermatologist decide. However, you can ask whether topical medications for acne would work as well as oral treatments.

In most cases, topicals are considered safer and less likely to lead to severe side effects than oral medications. But this also depends on the type of medication used and how your body responds to it. For instance, some people respond better to topical medications while others show better results with oral treatments or a combination of both types. If you know what works best for you, tell your dermatologist so that they can recommend the proper acne treatment for you.

What are the types of acne treatment?

1. Oral treatments:

Oral medications are regarded as the standard way of treating acne breakouts. This type of treatment is mainly used for moderate to severe types of acne in most cases. Oral prescription treatments include both topical and systemic agents depending on the severity or nature of your skin condition.

Examples may include:

– Isotretinoin (to treat severe nodular acne)

– Erythromycin

– Tetracyclines

2. Topical treatments: 

In this case, your dermatologist will prescribe topical creams, gels, lotions, pads, or face washes that contain an antibacterial agent such as benzoyl peroxide, which kills bacteria causing pimples and acne.

Examples may include:

– Benzoyl peroxide (as face wash, lotion, or gel)

– Salicylic acid (to unclog pores)

– Adapalene and tretinoin (for dry to oily skin types)

3. Combination treatments:

Most dermatologists will prescribe both types of medications to treat acne breakouts, as this strategy works best for many patients. Your dermatologist may also use specific topical treatments to complement oral medication, either instead of or after you stop taking the said treatment, as topical agents such as benzoyl peroxide aren’t as effective when used alone. It’s worth knowing that some studies suggest that people who take oral medications have a lower relapse rate than those who use topicals.

What are the benefits of different types of acne treatments?

Topical acne treatments work by killing the P. acnes bacteria on your skin and unclogging pores. Once inside the body, this bacterium causes inflammation which leads to pimples and breakouts, so it’s essential to eliminate it as much as possible before it builds up in the dermis or inner layers of your skin where you can’t reach with topical treatments such as benzoyl peroxide lotions for instance.

The benefits of using topical medications include:

1. They’re less likely to cause severe adverse reactions than oral medications. This makes them a good choice for many people who may be experiencing side effects from their current treatment or those undergoing other medical conditions that might interfere with oral therapies and lead to unpleasant results.
2. They’re suitable for people who can’t take oral medications, such as pregnant women and younger individuals under the age of 12.
3. They’re great for maintaining the results of your treatment instead of simply treating acne outbreaks and getting rid of existing pimples and breakouts.
   Topical treatments such as facial lotions and creams won’t just reduce or eliminate acne; they’ll prevent future problems from occurring even after you stop using them.

Several factors may help your dermatologist determine which topical acne treatment would work best for you. For instance, a moisturizing cream might be more suitable than a benzoyl peroxide solution to unclog pores if you have dry skin. Some people respond well to solutions or gels because their skin is oily, so ingredients such as salicylic acid work better by dissolving excess sebum, which in turn.

The benefits of using the oral treatment for acne:

Oral medications are effective at treating smaller pimples and some types of breakouts.

1. Oral acne treatments work best in treating hormonal or cystic types of acne.
2. They’re used when topical treatments are less effective.
3. They’re appropriate when you want to treat existing pimples and breakouts quickly instead of using topical agents that take time to show results.
4. Oral medication also has several long-term benefits, such as preventing future outbreaks and unclogging pores, so they may be a better choice if you want great-looking skin for years to come.

At the same time, it’s essential to keep in mind that oral medications can cause unwanted side effects and long-term complications, so this type of treatment isn’t recommended for everyone who experiences mild cases of acne. Since you’ll be taking them internally, they’ll reach the dermis to reduce inflammation on your skin. However, it’s important to note that oral treatments can cause severe side effects if abused, so you should not stop using these medications without speaking to a doctor first.

Benefits of using a combination treatment:

Combination treatments such as the pill and topical creams, and aesthetic treatment work on acne treatment at different levels. The oral medicine works internally while the topical cream or lotion acts as an external treatment that kills P. acnes bacterium on your skin, unclogs pores, and provides longer-lasting results than those produced by topicals alone.

Since combination treatments are more effective, they may be recommended for people who experience severe breakouts or those with inflammatory or cystic types of acne, which can’t be treated with either solo type of medication.

What should you know before choosing a treatment?

Before starting any acne medication, it’s essential to understand what might happen if you don’t take it seriously and carefully follow the doctor’s instructions. Doing so will help you get the most benefits from your treatment while minimizing side effects and health complications that may affect men, women, teens, young adults, and even kids with hormonal or cystic acne.

Some of these cases include but are not limited to:

1. Failure to follow directions can lead to organ damage or failure
2. It’s also possible for the medication to produce severe allergic reactions leading to rashes, itching, burning sensation on the skin, and painful pimples that bleed when popped, which might indicate developing pustules.
3. Topical treatments may cause mild skin irritation such as redness or swelling. Still, if it doesn’t go away within 24 hours after applying them, you should stop using the medication and speak to your doctor immediately.
4. Oral medications can cause mild headache, nausea, and upset stomach. Still, it would help if you never stopped taking them without talking to a medical professional first because doing so may lead to more severe side effects such as organ damage or failure.

It would help if you discussed all concerns with your dermatologist before starting any acne treatment so they can provide helpful guidelines on how to use the topical cream or solution effectively. Also, oral medications are based on the factors such as other medications you use, preexisting conditions, age, weight, and allergies. You can also consider using the homeopathic acne treatment. Homeopathic acne treatment tends to be mild and safe.

Benefits of using the homeopathic treatment for acne:

• Homeopathic acne treatment has no harmful side effects. Homeopathic remedies are made from natural ingredients that come from the earth, which means they’re very safe to use. Further, homeopathy treats the individual as a whole person, and any treatment is customized according to the patient’s specific symptoms.
• The homeopathic treatment for acne offers long-term prevention for all types of pimples. It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The homeopathic acne treatment also helps to prevent scarring on the face.
• Once you stop using homeopathic treatment, your acne symptoms will not return. There are no long lists of possible symptoms or warnings associated with this treatment method.
• Homeopathic treatment is an economical and efficient alternative to other acne treatments. In as little as three months, you can see noticeable results, and it only takes a few moments each day to use this treatment method.
• The homeopathic acne treatment is suitable for pregnant or nursing women who still suffer from pimples. There are no side effects associated with this form of acne treatment, and it is perfectly safe for women who are expecting or planning to become pregnant shortly.
• Homeopathic treatment for acne claims to treat all pimples and give you outstanding results in only three months. Unlike other acne treatments, it contends that homeopathic treatment does not produce any harmful side effects and can revitalize your skin while it clears up blemishes.
• Homeopathic treatment for acne claims to cure all pimples while preventing spots, scars, and acne marks on the face. It is suitable for all types of skin, even sensitive skin.

The homeopathic treatment for acne works efficiently. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy. It works by flushing toxins from your body and revitalizing your skin. Book an appointment now!