Professional approach to skin care

What do the ads say?

Wherever you look, you see ads for cosmetics. One way or another, you learn about the different ways of painting the skin, adding to the look of the eyes, and so on. As a nation, we are fascinated by the way we can present ourselves to the world. Yet, let one blemish show and the world ends.

So, in parallel with the beauty market, you have the over-the-counter market for acne treatments. The most popular and reasonably effective, is benzoyl peroxide. It’s packaged as a liquid, lotion, gel and cream but the effect is the same. It cleans off the dead skin cells and gives the bacteria a less supportive environment in which to grow. Using this and a non-medicated soap will clear up the more mild outbreaks. Some of the products based on alcohol are also worth considering.

When to ask a professional?

If simply keeping your face clean is not preventing further eruptions on your skin, the next step is to use an antibiotic. There’s a long-term problem with this strategy. Acne is not a physical disease so, if you take an antibiotic when you are not suffering a serious infection, many bacteria in your body will develop resistance. Should you later fall ill, the same antibiotics will be less effective in producing a cure.

Oral contraceptives can make real improvements but this is often resisted by parents of younger girls. This pushes people to use one of the retinoids, the most powerful being Accutane. An alternative is chemical peels and what is now described as acne surgery using lasers and light treatments. In the hands of a trained professional, these procedures are effective and can prevent scars. Some health insurance policies will cover the cost of these treatments.