At some point in their lives, most everyone has dealt with pimples or acne. Most take it as a part of life and may cover their pimple up or even choose to avoid going out during an acne flare up. Although it may seem like acne is incurable or untreatable, there are proven and effective treatments readily available over the counter or through a prescription from a dermatologist. There are many different advertised acne treatment solutions; below are some of the most effective treatments available. You may be surprised to see the similarities in active ingredients across all of the treatments available on TV, on your drug store’s shelf or behind the most popular prescription acne treatments. Also, get more information about the recently released combination medication Epiduo Forte that has proven to be very effective in treating moderate to severe acne.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is an acid that lightly peels the skin and thus cleans your pores. Clogged pores are the basis for the whiteheads, blackheads and lesions that make up acne. Salicylic acid is one of the most popular ingredients in acne cleansers and washes. You’ll see many of the products on the shelf at your drug store list salicylic acid as the main active ingredient. Salicylic acid cleansers must be used at least once a day to help keep your pores clear.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is one of the oldest forms of acne treatments and is another popular ingredient in cleansers and creams. Benzoyl peroxide most often comes in the form of a liquid cleanser, bar cleanser, gel or cream. Also, benzoyl peroxide is offered in varying strengths. Typical strengths include 2.5%, 5% or 10%. However, a study has shown that using benzoyl peroxide at strengths greater than 2.5% does not lead to additional effectiveness in terms of treating acne. A side effect of benzoyl peroxide is skin dryness and skin peeling. Also, benzoyl peroxide may bleach any fabrics it comes into contact with.
Retinoids
Retinioids are derived from vitamin A and are applied topically, too. Popular retinoids include: Retin-A and Differin. These drugs require a prescription and are best used to treat light to moderate acne. Typical application of retinoids only requires a dab of medication for your whole face, applied once daily. Increased skin sensitivity to sunlight is a side effect of retinoids.
Other Topical Antibiotics
Benzoyl peroxide is an example of a topical antibiotic but there are other topical antibiotics commonly used to treat acne. Clindamycin is one of the most popular topical antibiotics used for acne treatment. These medications work by reducing the amount of bacteria that infects the pores on your face or body. Irritation on and around the applied areas is a potential side effect of most topical antibiotics.
Combination Treatments
With the development of acne treatments has come new combination medications. These combination treatments can include combining multiple topical antibiotics like benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin or combining different types of topical acne treatments. One of the more effective combinations of topical antibiotics includes adapalene, a retinoid, and benzoyl peroxide. Epiduo Forte, a different formulation of Epiduo, was approved by the FDA in 2015 for acne treatment. Epiduo Forte includes a stronger formulation of adapalene compared to Epiduo. A study by the FDA showed that 50.5% of patients saw a significant improvement in their severe acne after 12 weeks. However, some patients saw improvements after only 1 week. Epiduo Forte’s rapid results could lead to great relief for patients with moderate to severe acne.
At HelpRx, we provide discounts and coupons for most all prescription acne treatments include Epiduo Forte. View our Acne Condition page for more information.
