Defining Moderate to Severe Acne
What is acne? Acne is a skin disorder which is characterized by an accumulation of material in the pores. There are two forms of acne. Comedones, or blackheads and whiteheads, result from the buildup of material (oil, dirt and dead skin cells) in the pores. Another form of acne is the inflammatory acne. Examples of inflammatory acne are papules, nodules, pustules, and cystic acne. They result when fatty acids that are normally enclosed within the skin glands escape into the surrounding skin and cause an irritation. Acne may vary in severity, and moderate to severe acne is described as the widespread distribution of acne, which may be inflammatory and skin damaging. Severe acne treatments target different kinds of acne. The types of severe acne treatments given are determined by the forms of acne and extent of the acne. An acne treatment may be given or prohibited.
Kinds of Severe Acne Treatments
The purpose of severe acne treatments are to clear up existing acne, prevent new acne, and reducing scarring. Severe acne usually needs more treatments than mild acne. There are many severe acne treatments to choose from, depending on the person’s budget and preference. Severe acne treatments may last for a week up to a year.
Oral antibiotics. When the severe acne is mostly inflammatory, meaning that they are caused by irritation, an antibiotic for severe acne treatments may be prescribed. This is especially the case when the acne has become infected due to the entrance of bacteria through the wounds on the skin. These antibiotics are taken regularly for at least a week or more, depending on the severity of the acne. Severe acne treatments with antibiotics may last for months, but it is stopped when the oral antibiotics don’t have an effect on the acne, to avoid the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the body.
Oral isotretinoin therapy for severe acne treatments. A course of isotretinoin produces a good effect when given with other severe acne treatments. It’s taken by mouth to treat persistent cases of acne. It’s given for 3 to 4 months to clear severe acne, including cystic acne. This prevents comedones from developing, reduces the oil production of skin, decreases bacteria, and counteracts inflammation. These drugs are not advised for pregnant women, because they reach the baby in the mother’s body and cause it to develop abnormally.
Applying medicated remedies over the acne. There is a variety of acne medication used with severe acne treatments that are applied directly to the acne. Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria and it also helps in destroying foreign matter that creates comedones. It reduces the severity of inflammatory acne, thus it is commonly prescribed for severe acne. Tretinoin causes the growth of new and healthier skin, and encourages the removal of comedones. Pregnant women are not allowed to use this medication because it may cause birth defects to their unborn child. Other topical antibiotics reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin and prevent infections and irritations from occurring.
Estrogen as an acne medication for severe acne treatments. This hormone helps make women have clearer skin by preventing the skin from producing excessive oil that may result to severe acne. This is not advisable for men because excessive amounts of estrogen, which is naturally found in a woman’s body, may cause a negative side effect for them. Most women may take birth control pills to relieve them of their severe acne. A checkup is usually done before a woman is prescribed birth control pills, however. Certain women, such as those with blood clotting disorders, may experience side effects with birth control use for severe acne treatments. Birth control pills are not generally safe to be used as an acne treatment but may be effective for some.
Corticosteroid therapy. This is used for very severe acne only because of its many side effects in the body. Topical corticosteroids are applied to the acne and cause the skin to normalize. An interlesional corticosteroid injection may be given for inflammatory acne. This usually results to the disappearance of the acne. However, the acne may return once the corticosteroids therapy is stopped, thus corticoids used for severe acne treatments are repeatedly given.
Acne surgery. There are many types of surgery for severe acne treatments. Acne surgery to treat comedones involves the extraction of the material embedded within the pores with the use of syringes. Severe cystic acne may be surgically removed and the skin sewn back together when the wound left is large. In severe acne treatments, laser surgery may be used to irradiate the severe acne and shrink the glands that cause excessive oil production. Laser may also cause the growth of new and clear skin. Scarring is common with surgery, so it’s best done by an expert surgeon.
Acne freezing. Severe acne treatments may involve quick freezing. Acne is removed by freezing it quickly with liquid nitrogen and removing it. No anesthesia is needed for this type of therapy. However, repeated therapies are usually required to remove most of the severe acne, especially if there are numerous acne formations.
Dermabrasion. This therapy involves scraping the top layers of the acne-ridden skin with a surgical instrument for severe acne treatments. This also removes the foreign materials that are responsible for the production of comedones. Dermabrasion is painful and it requires the use of a general anesthesia. Additional medications are given to take care of the newly-exposed layer of the skin.
Chemical peels. Similar to dermabrasion, chemical peels that are formulated for severe acne treatments remove the layers of the skin with the severe acne. These are chemical agents such as mild acids, such as alpha hydroxy acid, which cause the topmost skin to separate from the layer beneath it. Stinging, blistering and infections may result from this therapy, thus medications are given to counteract these side effects.
Lifestyle modification in severe acne treatments. Severe acne treatments involve treating the underlying cause of the severe acne. To determine the cause of the severe acne, a doctor will interview the person with regards to medical history, lifestyle, and other pertinent information. If in case something in the diet is causing the severe acne, a dietician may be consulted to correct the cause. A thorough physical assessment of the body is done to determine present illnesses that may be causing the formation of severe acne. An appropriate acne treatment will be given to treat the cause of severe acne.
Collagen filling. Severe acne may cause the skin to look rough and pitted at areas. Collagen may be administered via an injection to fill up the skin, if in case acne has caused it to become depressed or hollowed out. This doesn’t make the severe acne disappear like in certain severe acne treatments, though it makes the skin look more appealing.
Concealment. When it’s not yet convenient to get severe acne treatments, the person may choose to conceal the severe acne. Water-based make-up may effectively cover the severe acne and make it look like normal skin. Avoid make-up products that are too oily, because excessive oil may irritate the pores and aggravate the severe acne. Wash the make-up after use to prevent dirt from lodging into the pores and causing comedones. Use a good cleanser to keep bacteria from infecting acne wounds. Adequate clothing may help with cases of body acne.
A tip for effective severe acne treatments
Be careful when treating severe acne. It’s always best to consult a health professional, such as a dermatologist, who has specialized training and experience with severe acne treatments. Avoid using remedies that are not proven to be safe, even if it’s a natural acne treatment. Natural acne treatments and some skin products may cause the severe acne syndrome to worsen or cause other side effects. Make sure that the severe acne treatments you get are safe and appropriate for you.