Prescription Acne Medication

Acne or acne vulgaris is a skin disorder faced by most people across the world, irrespective of their age, sex or ethnic. It causes skin eruption and inflammation with the formation of pimples, papules, pustules or comedones mainly on the body's visible areas like face, neck, chest and back. One of the major reasons for acne is excessive production of sebum, an oily secretion from the sebaceous glands present in the skin. These glands get stimulated due to release of androgen hormone which blocks the exit from the glands, causing an oil build up and acne formation.

Apart from this, hormonal changes, stress, psychological disturbances, unhealthy lifestyle and even use of certain medication like steroids or the contraceptive pills, can all lead to acne formation. However, to control and cure acne there are variety of acne skin care products available nowadays, but which is the best amongst them can be difficult to decide.

Best Prescription Medication for Acne

A good acne treatment medication is one that can slow down oil production, remove or dry oil from the skin and help in clearing the acne scars and marks. Hence the medication for acne given below plays an essential role in treating acne by combating the various factors that lead to acne.

Oral Antibiotics
Oral antibiotics are usually given to patients with mild to severe acne or persistent acne. These medications work by inhibiting the growth of bacteria causing acne called P. acnes, reducing the inflammation and opening of the blocked pores. Common oral antibiotics include:

• Erythromycin: Erythromycin is an effective oral antibiotics that fight a broad spectrum of acne causing bacteria, including P. acnes that block the sebaceous gland with sebum.
• Tetracycline: Tetracycline and its derivatives like doxycycline and minocycline are used to treat moderate to severe acne, as well as reduce the papules and pustules (inflammatory lesions) of acne.
• Sodium sulfacetamide: Sodium sulfacetamide is a topical antibiotic which is effective in treating inflammatory acne. It works by inhibiting the growth P. acnes and opening the clogged or blocked pores.

Topical Antimicrobials
Just like topical antibiotics, antimicrobials are also commonly used to treat mild to severe acne. They work by suppressing the P. acnes bacteria population and other factors that lead to acne.

• Clindamycin: Clindamycin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic that works by killing P. acnes, and reducing the skin inflammation.
• Azelaic Acid: Azelaic acid cures inflammatory and non inflammatory acne by subduing the populations of P. acnes, reducing the abnormal shedding of skin cells and inflammation.
• Benzoyl peroxide: Similarly, benzoyl peroxide which comes in a gel, lotion, cleanser, cream and wash works by combating P. acnes that clogs the sebaceous glands with sebum.

Topical Retinoids
Topical retinoids, considered to be the best acne treatment products, are used for treating mild to moderately severe acne and keep them from coming again. These medications are derivative of vitamin A and work by opening clogged pores and preventing whiteheads and blackheads from forming.

• Adapalene: Adapalene is a synthetic retinoid that comes either in gel or cream form and possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties for unclogging the pores.
• Tazarotene: Tazarotene is another synthetic retinoid that comes either in gel or cream form and is effective in clearing clogged pores and treating acne.
• Tretinoin: Tretinoin is one of the most oldest and commonly used retinoids that not only unclogs the blocked pores but also keep them from clogging in future.

Isotretinoin
Isotretinoin (Accutane) is an oral retinoid that is used to treat scarring cystic acne or acne which do not respond to other medication. This medication is very powerful and should only be taken under a dermatologist's recommendation.

Topical Combination Therapy
As the name says, topical combination therapy includes medication formed by combining topical antibiotics with other acne fighting ingredients. This medication benefits by killing acne causing bacteria, keeping the pores clear and reducing the abnormal shedding of skin cells. This combination mainly includes:

• Benzamycin (benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin)
• BenzaClin (benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin)
• Duac (benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin)
• Sulfacet-R (sodium sulfacetamide and sulfur)
• Ziana (tretinoin and clindamycin)

Oral Contraceptives
Though surprisingly, research shows that oral contraceptives or birth control pills are quite effective for acne prevention and control in women as they work by simply suppressing the highly active sebaceous glands.

These were some of the best types of prescription acne medication that can help you get rid of acne and those ugly acne scares, and prevent them from reoccurring. Apart from these medications for acne control, you can also try some home remedies in order to remove acne scars naturally. Remember, before opting for any of these acne medications, consult your dermatologist regarding their various pros and cons as some of them have been reported to cause side effects like skin irritations, redness, itching, etc.