Five Different Physical Treatments Available As Acne Solutions

Acne solutions for mild conditions are usually best treated by topical ointments. If your case of acne is more severe than that, there are plenty of other acne treatments you can try. One of them is physical treatments such as chemical peels and drainage.

The first thing you need to know is that physical treatments must be conducted by a dermatologist. They are great acne solutions but physical treatments done under controlled conditions minimize risk while providing the best outcome. The following is a list of acne solutions and treatments that are most likely available from your dermatologist.

Exfoliation – In this acne solution, the top layer of skin can be removed either chemically or with abrasion. Chemical peels are usually done with salicylic acid or glycolic acid. These work by destroying a microscopic layer of skin cells to unclog pores and remove the build-up of dead cells. The same effect can be achieved by using an abrasive cloth or liquid scrub. Glycolic acid treatments can be done every two to four weeks over a period of about six months, but salicylic acid treatments are milder and are often included in over-the-counter medications. They can be used on a daily basis.

Comedo Extraction - Comedones are basically blackheads and whiteheads that are the main cause of pimples and acne. They can be removed by a dermatologist using sterile instruments. What happens is that an anesthetic cream is used in the immediate area and then the comedones are extracted using a pen-like instrument which opens the top to allow removal of the plugged skin cells and sebum. The procedure is usually followed by an application of antibiotic cream. It is important not to try this at home because squeezing or picking at pimples can lead to infection and permanent scarring.

Drainage - Severe acne can sometimes cause cysts to form under the skin. These cysts can be painful and disfiguring. Smaller cysts can be treated with cortisone injections which flatten the lesion in a day or two. Larger cysts may need to be drained and surgically removed. Drainage can help relieve the pain associated with cysts and also reduce the chance of scarring. It is best performed in the dermatologist's office with sterile instruments. Remember, it is important not to try to drain cysts by yourself because of the risk of infection which could lead to permanent scarring.

Light Therapy – Light therapy is an acne solution used to combat the acnes bacteria that cause acne. This particular acne treatment is especially useful when you're trying to treat hard to reach areas. The draw back is that it may only have a short term effect because it does not do anything about the production of sebum or the accumulation of dead skin cells.

Laser Therapy - This is useful for treating the scars caused by acne. An acne solution like this one can be used for both surface-level scarring as well as deep tissue scarring caused by serious acne conditions. Research is currently being conducted on the use of lasers for acne treatment. Several such as burning away the follicle sac which produces the hair, burning away the gland which produces sebum, and forming oxygen in the bacteria to kill them are being examined. It is not yet known if laser acne treatment can cause permanent damage to the skin.

Acne Solutions