How is Acne Treated?

Reasons for treatment

Despite acne being very common, it is still very important to treat it effectively. Acne can be aesthetically and sometimes physically unpleasant. It may cause you pain, recurrent bleeding or discharge. In adolescents it can cause psychological distress and sometimes social problems due to poor self-esteem. Scarring is possible in the long-term, which may cause psychic distress. With early intervention and treatment, however, much of this scarring can be prevented.

Aims of treatment

The main goal of treating acne is to eliminate comedone lesions. This is achieved by normalising skin cell shedding, decreasing the activity of the sebaceous glands, and decreasing the amount of bacteria and inflammation in the skin.

There are both local and systemic medications which can help treat acne. In mild cases, localised therapy applied to the skin should be sufficient.

General measures

Skin affected by acne may be washed several times a day with soap and water. Holding a hot wet flannel on the face, followed by gentle rubbing with a plain soap, may be more effective. Vigorous scrubbing or squeezing of acne should be avoided because it may rupture the comedones and aggravate acne lesions. If dry skin is also a problem, a light moisturiser may help.

While most non-oily cosmetics are relatively safe, excessive makeup should be avoided and removed at bedtime.

Mild acne may benefit from over-the-counter soaps and washes. Check the label to see if the soap or wash contains any ingredients helpful in getting rid of acne (e.g. benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or sulfur).