Acne Treatments

For a quick list of acne treatments and how well they tend to work, check out the acne treatments overview page.

Generally speaking, for most people, proper application of benzoyl peroxide can completely clear acne and keep it clear until it naturally subsides with time.

For people with severe, widespread, and scarring acne, isotretinoin (Accutane®) is an oral treatment that can produce long-term remission of acne in about 2/3 of people, but comes with many side effects, some of which can be lifelong. It also causes severe birth defects, and may cause premature aging and joint pain in the long-term. For all of these reasons, all other options should be exhausted first. If it is used, it must be administered in close partnership with a physician.

Females: If you are experiencing irregular menstruation, particularly if it comes with excessive hair growth, be sure to see your doctor concerning poly-cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). If PCOS is diagnosed, oral contraceptives are normally prescribed and can clear acne and relieve other symptoms at the same time.

Many other topical and oral treatments exist for acne, most of which produce moderate, yet incomplete, results. Home remedies, aside from a few exceptions, tend to produce little to no results.
 

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Retinoids What Topical Retinoid Formulation Is Most Effective for the Treatment of Acne? No studies have directly compared all 3 topical prescription retinoids, so we can't say for sure which works best, but from a few head-to-head studies... November 24, 2020

Isotretinoin (Accutane) What Is the Actual Relapse Rate of Accutane (isotretinoin)? Many people think of isotretinoin as a permanent solution to acne, but 14.6 to 52% of people see their acne return after isotretinoin therapy ends. Male gender, more severe acne, hormonal imbalances, lower dosages, and not taking isotretinoin pills with fatty food increase the chance of relapse. November 24, 2020

Esthetician Treatments What Is Comedone Extraction, and Should You Do It? Comedone extraction involves a doctor/nurse or esthetician/cosmetician using a tool called a comedone extractor that has a small metal loop on the end to remove the contents of whiteheads or blackheads. It is at best a temporary solution and can lead to irritation. November 10, 2020

Benzoyl Peroxide How Does Benzoyl Peroxide Work in the Skin? Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria, opens clogged pores, and combines with other topical treatments for synergistic effects. October 29, 2020

Scar Treatments How Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) Reduces Acne Scars (and May Also Help with Acne) Trichloroacetic acid, usually referred to simply as TCA, is a strong acid that is most commonly used in a method called TCA CROSS to treat... October 27, 2020

Acne Treatments Can Fenugreek Seeds Help with Acne? Fenugreek might help with acne by reducing inflammation, fighting free radicals, killing acne bacteria, and speeding up wound healing. However, it might also make acne worse by increasing skin oil production. We will need studies on people with acne before we know for sure. October 20, 2020

Benzoyl Peroxide What is Benzoic Acid and Can it Help Clear Acne? After you apply benzoyl peroxide to the skin it breaks down into (1) hydrogen peroxide, and (2) benzoic acid. Hydrogen peroxide kills acne bacteria. But what does benzoic acid do? It is hypothesized that it helps exfoliate the skin, reduce inflammation, clear clogged pores, and reduce bacteria. October 20, 2020

Body Acne Treatments How To Apply Skin Care Products to Your Back October 13, 2020

Isotretinoin (Accutane) What are the side effects of Accutane (isotretinoin)? Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an oral medication for severe acne that does not respond to other treatments. The reason it is reserved for only severe cases... October 12, 2020

Acne Treatments Treating Acne in Male vs. Female Skin Male skin is thicker with more skin oil, but acne is treated the same in both males and females with two exceptions: (1) hormonal treatments like birth control pills (oral contraceptives) and (2) anti-androgens (spironolacone) are reserved only for women. October 12, 2020

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