AcneDay

If you have been bothered by acne and many over-the-counter medications have failed to help. Seek professional help. In some women, acne can be caused by an excess of androgen (male) hormones. Not every acne sufferer falls into this category. But there are some signs that yours could be the case. One of them is that if you notice excessive growth of hair on your face or body. Another one is irregular menstrual cycles. Although many women have irregular menstrual cycles, not all suffer from acne. So if you notice both, you could have an excess of androgen hormones.

Once you talk to your doctor, he or she might prescribe medicine to help. There are three possibilities: birth control pills, low-dose corticosteroid drugs, or antiandrogen drugs such as spironolactone. Medications do wonders but there could be side effects such as irregular menstruation, tender breasts, headaches, and fatigue.

Source: NIAMS

If over-the-counter acne medicine didn’t work for you, your doctor might prescribe oral acne medication or creams. Many of the medicines used to treat acne can make you more prone to sunburn. Many young women notice the benefits of a beautifully and evenly tanned skin can hide many blemishes.

Especially a sunburn that reddens the skin or suntan that darkens the skin may make blemishes less visible and make the skin feel drier. However, these benefits are only temporary, as we all know it. If you’re fair skinned naturally, you know how long that tan can last. There are known risks of excessive sun exposure, such as more rapid skin aging and a risk of developing skin cancer.

So if you’re on acne medication, be extremely careful with suntan and sun exposure. You might be able to hide your blemishes temporarily, it’ll become a bigger problem later on.

Source: National Institute of Health

If you have severe acne problems, seek the help of dermatologists. These doctors specialize in skin problems and they treat all kinds of acne, particularly severe cases. However, if your case is mild, talk to your family doctor, or pediatricians.

The acne treatment plan is usually to heal existing lesions and stop new ones from developing. Medicine can be prescribed to reduce problems such as inflammation, bacteria growth, and oil production.

Over the counter lotions, creams, and medicine can be used too. The treatment usually involve medicine taken by mouth and medicine applied to your skin.