Simple Acne Care Solution

Acne can strike at any age and many people go to great lengths to ensure proper acne care. Despite any number of best efforts, some people find no relief, no miracle cure that will eliminate acne forever, and these individuals have the acne scars to prove it. Acne is more than a physical affliction; it can eat away at a person's self-esteem and change the way that others react to him or her.

While acne care for people with mild to moderate acne is not usually a terrible enigma, people with cystic acne, considered the worst type of acne, can be very difficult.  For individuals that consistently develop cystic acne lesions or have lesions that will not go away, the majority of over-the-counter acne medications have little effect.  In this event, the help of a dermatologist is usually needed. 

Depending on the severity of your acne, your complexion, and how oily your skin is, a dermatologist has a wide variety of acne care options to control cystic acne or even remove acne scars.  Oral medications are the oldest type of treatment for severe acne, but many of these medications are very harsh and have some very undesirable side effects.  If a dermatologist does suggest an oral acne medication, you should inquire to the side effects and possible alternatives. 

Lasers are becoming a more common solution for severe acne care.  Lasers can even be used to remove acne scars, if used properly.  However, an inexperienced laser operator can cause permanent scarring. 

There are two types of lasers used to treat acne, called ablative and nonablative lasers.  Ablative lasers are the oldest type and the most potentially dangerous.  Both types of lasers shrink the oil glands, which slows oil production and prevents acne breakouts, but ablative lasers destroy the outermost layer of your skin.  This causes the area treated by ablative lasers to be very red, sensitive, and painful until the skin fully heals.  Because the scar tissue is destroyed, the skin that grows back will lack acne scars or wrinkles. 

Nonablative lasers, on the other hand, do not harm the outer layer of skin, but get rid of acne scars by stimulating collegen growth.  However, nonablative lasers, because they are gentler, require multiple treatments, while ablative lasers only require a single treatment. 

Azelaic acid is one product that might help reduce the appearance of acne scars. This type of acid comes in the form of a moisturizer and is easily obtained over the counter without a prescription for acne care. Azelaic acid might not work for everyone, but many people have attested to seeing some reduction in their acne scars.
 
A professional dermatologist best treats chronic cystic acne. The acne may not be completely eliminated, but a dermatologist can help you to keep it under control. Severe acne is bad enough, and the risk of scarring makes it worse. Rather than wait until scars occur and search for treatment, it is a better idea to treat cystic acne early.