You can help control you acne is either of three types of acne medications. most acne medications in the market are over-the-counter or prescription type drugs. While there are many choices to choose from, the use of natural acne treatment systems is covered in another article on this site.

Through specially formulated soaps, acne toners and creams that are widely available and affordable in the market. These contain certain chemicals that help in opening up the clogged pores of your skin and even nourish the skin when applied correctly.

Nowadays, it is very common to use antibiotics to control acne. This reduces the amount of bacteria resident in the affected skin or follicle. Antibiotics aid in the control and treatment of acne by reducing the chemicals produced by the white blood cells that irritate the skin. They also help to lessen skin inflammation by reducing the amount of fatty acids concentrated along the sebum. The most popular ones in the market are Clindamycin, Minocycline, Tetracycline, Erythromycin and Doxycycline. You should however, beware of their side effects as they can cause Candida vaginal yeast infections.

Acne Control Pills: Birth control pills are also widely used as a means of treating skin diseases like acne as they help to regulate the hormonal level of a person and thereby controlling the acne. The birth control pills, which contain artificial female hormones called estrogens or progestin and used in balancing the increasing male hormones known as testosterones and androgens (which cause an overactive sebaceous gland). Using birth control pills to treat and cure acne can also have side effects like water retention, nausea, mood swings, weight gain, etc. However, they do work for some people while others don't see much benefit coming out of it as they suffered instead from its side effects.

Along with the acne guidelines above, you may want to consult with a qualified dermatologist concerning the best medication for controlling acne. You physician will test you and determine your allergies to what drugs, so that you will get the right prescriptions and type of treatment system that work for you and provide you with some much-needed skin relief.

Watch Your Diet: The kind of food you eat goes a long way in determining whether you will be afflicted with acne and how your body handles it. Eating less of oily foods will ensure that the excess oil doesn't get clogged in the hair follicles and cause you to develop pimples and eventually cystic acne. On the other hand, eating more of healthy fruits and vegetables will help clear up your system quicker than it would have been.

Helpful tips for naturally treating acne

• The Right Cosmetics: Greasy or oily skin products can actually block the pores in the skin and thereby allow a lot of pus to collect under the skin and lead to pimples or cystic acne. Choosing the rights cosmetics will save you a lot of headaches (and acne) now and in the future.
• Multivitamins: Zinc is found in most or all multivitamins and can help control your acne. Just be sure you don't overdose yourself. If in doubt as to the right amount of multivitamins you are to take, consult a qualified medical professional.
• Shave Carefully: Taking care not to cut the affected areas will make sure that the acne doesn't get worse or even cause ugly acne scars on your face.
• Rosewater: The use of rose water to wash your face is also proven to aid in controlling your acne.
• Cucumber Mask: The use of a cucumber mask is also proven to rid the skin's pores of excess oil and prevent its build up and subsequent formation of pimples or more serious skin conditions like cystic acne.
• Avoid Excessive Scrubbing: Excessive scrubbing of your acne-infected skin in a bit to get rid of it will actually worsen it. Instead, wash the affected area gently and as recommended, rather than increase the magnitude of the acne.

Following some of these natural acne treatment techniques will allow you to make drastic games in your battle with acne and acne prevention. If you are really serious about controlling your acne, there it is best to act right away. following the natural acne guidelines listed above is a great way to start.

Medications for acne are basically divided into three main categories. These categories are listed below:

Types of Acne Medications

1. Topical Creams and Lotions: The use of specially formatted lotions and creams is one of the most effective forms of acne medication for skin problems, especially acne, since the medicine is applied directly on the affected area. Most times, the acne may start disappearing in a few days or so.

This could also have a positive effect on the general well being of the human skin as it helps to prevent and remove wrinkles as well. It nourishes the skin and prevents premature aging signs.

2. Prescription Drugs: These are strictly based on recommendations by a qualified medical practitioner such as a dermatologist. These drugs are customized for your own personal use only. Prescription of these drugs usually follows thorough diagnosis by your dermatologist. These drugs are azelaic acid creams, Benzoyl Peroxide and even Accutane for severe or acute cases of acne. They could also be oral antibiotics designed to kill the bacteria in your skin.

But never take prescription-type drugs like over-the-counter ones. Only use them when and as recommended by your doctor.

3. Traditional and Home Made: A lot of times, the use of traditional or home made medication can also be very effective. While traditional medications are mostly prevalent in third world countries or cultures that depend more on alternative medicine, these are also frequently used the world over.

Homemade acne remedies are mostly made by using certain herbs or plants which are believed (and sometimes proven) to cure or at least control acne. The most common plants used are garlic, oranges, etc. The type of home remedy used also largely depends on the type or seriousness of the acne. However, it is always advisable to consult a qualified medical professional if you are in doubt before using them or if your acne is quite serious.

The type of medication for acne that you use will depend largely on the type of acne you have and the seriousness of it. These acne guidelines for medication should be approached carefully. It is always best to be cautious in following the medical instructions carefully in order to prevent wrong or excessive usage of these acne medications.

So just what is cystic acne? Cystic acne is actually a pimple that forms deep in the skin, mostly at the root of the hair and may be painful and sensitive, thereby resulting in an eruption on the skin, which is mostly filled with pus. However, squeezing them in a bid to get rid of them will only worsen the situation and cause more pain.

Recent studies have shown that genetics play an important role in the probability of you having any form of acne. If you have parents who were prone to have acne, there is greater possibility of you being afflicted with it than someone who doesn't have parents that had it. Other usual causes include:

• Hormonal changes as a result of growth;
• Pregnancy
• Menstrual cycles
• The use of birth control pills which leads to hormonal changes that trigger cystic acne.

However, these are not the only things that can trigger cystic acne. Other much more controllable ones are:

• Stress: An emotional upset can result in an outbreak of acne or worsen an already existing one. A mental imbalance will definitely offset the physical balance of the body. And depending on your body, the resulting effects may be directly on the skin, such as acne.
• Excessive Cleaning: In a bid to keep their skins clean and acne-free, some people scrub so hard or so often or use very harsh cleansers. These excessive measures could do just the opposite: destroy the skin's defense mechanism and put it out of synch with natural moisturizing methods that are built into the skin.
• Oil-based Cosmetics: The use of greasy or oily skin products can block pores in the skin and lead to the collection of a lot of pus under the skin. This causes the glands through which hair grows to the surface of the skin to get blocked by sebum, thereby forming a pimple near the surface. This may lead to a more serious form known as cystic acne when a cyst forms under the skin.
• Excessive Squeezing: The tendency to get rid of any blemish that appears on the skin by squeezing it may actually cause a bigger problem by pushing the bacteria deeper into the skin, thereby causing cystic acne.

It is advisable that once you know the root causes of acne, that you try all you can to find befitting and effective ways to cure or control it, even if it means scheduling an appointment with your local dermatologist.

It is advisable to avoid these controllable cystic acne causes if it is within your abilities. After all, the most proven way to stop acting is too prevented from occurring in the first place.

Acting treatment methods

1. Topical Creams: The application of topical creams like Clearasil, which contains benzoyl peroxide, is very effective as they help to kill the bacteria which cause acne. It also aids in dissolving the things that clog the skin pores, such as keratin. One caveat to using topical creams though is that they can bleach your hair and clothing resulting in discoloration.

2. Exfoliation: This is the process of peeling off the outer layer of the skin to make way for the healthier skin beneath and to prevent clogged pores, which cause acne. There are two ways of doing this. One, you can engage in regular but gentle scrubbing of the skin to peel off dead skin or open up the clogged pores in it. You could also use exfoliation solutions and apply it to the affected area. Pads are soaked in salicylic or glycolic acid or other such liquids and applied to the acne spot. This results in a tingling sensation.

3. Phototherapy: Another method of treating your acne will be to resort to phototherapy. This is the use of light to help in clearing up your skin. However, this excludes sunlight as exposing your acne-affected skin to sunlight tends to result in more acne in the long run as it will cause your skin to produce more natural oils which penetrate the clogged pores and there springs more acne. However, exposing it to intense blue light can result in a reduction of your acne remarkably and stay that way for many weeks or even months sometimes.

Whatever acne treatment you choose, the ultimate choice should rest on the nature of your skin. It would be wise from a medical perspective to first consider any pre-existing skin allergies or drug allergies. For effectiveness of various acne medications and treatments, it is always helpful to consult your health provider on which acne treatment works best for you.