Cleansing, Topical and Oral Antibotics to get rid of Acne Fast

First things first! Get your skin clean! Getting rid of acne fast begins with the most fundamental basic. You have heard the term cleanliness is next to godliness? Well take this to heart because clean skin is the starting point for CLEAR skin! Begin buy purchasing a good acne cleanser. The most effective ingredients for cleansers for getting rid of acne fast are those with one of these two ingredients: Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid. Both of these ingredients kill acne bacteria and cleanse the skin throughly. Cleanse both morning and night for optimal results. Tip#1!: Avoid harsh or overscrubbing at all costs! Cleaning your skin harshly or too often can send the oil glands into overdrive and actually produce more oil, thus making your acne worse. Tip #2!: Keep dirty hair away from your face as much as possible. Oil from your hair can seep down your locks and end up on your skin. Pull hair back at night and shampoo that head of yours after the gym. Tip #3!: No touching! Avoid excessive touching of your hands to your face throughout the day. Bacteria is everywhere our hands touch - so keep your hands clean and away from your face. Be kind to you skin and it will be kind to you!

Cleansing complete! The next step for getting rid of acne fast is to medicate the skin with Topical Antibiotics and/or Oral Medications. As mentioned above for for acne cleansers, the same ingredients apply when searching for a good OTC (over the counter) product to treat acne. Your best picks at a local drug store are a cream or gel of 10% Benzoyl Peroxide or 2% Salicylic Acid. There are lots of options at the drug store so be sure to read your labels! Let's say you have tried the supermarket stuff and it's just no cutting the mustard. Time to visit your Dermatologist or Aesthetician to really get this acne to clear up. Prescription medications are able to penetrate deeper into the skin and work at a cellular level getting to the root of the problem - or in otherwords, killing bacteria at it's source. Depending on your particular type and severity of acne, your doctor may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics or perhaps even a combination of both. The most common topical medications are called Retinoids, otherwise knows as Retin-A, Differin or Tazorac. These powerful medications are derived from Vitamin A and work by unclogging the pores and reducing inflammation. Available in a cream or gel, these topicals are applied directly to the skin once a day at bedtime or per the instructions of your doctor. Many acne sufferers swear by Retin-A as the most optimal choice for treating acne. It's advantages go beyond just treating acne. Retin-A has been proven to reduce dark spots and discoloration left behind by previous acne flareups - otherwise known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Another WONDERFUL fact about Retin-A is that it can reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles!! Who wouldn't love that?! Retin-A is a one stop shop - treats acne and aging all in one. Awesome!

Some types of acne do not clear up with topical medications. This persistent type of acne can be in the form of Cystic, Nodule and Lesion type acne associated with a lot of inflammation. In these cases when topical medication has proven ineffective, oral medications are prescribed to clear up your skin. Oral Antibiotics (taken by mouth) work on these types of acne by killing the bacteria and reducing inflammation IN your skin's pores as opposed to Topicals which kill bacteria ON the skin. The most commonly prescribed oral antibiotics include: Doxycycline, Minocycline and Tetracycline. Always take your medication as directed by your doctor and communicate with your doctor with any concerns you have while taking medication.

So there you have it! Now you are educated and are aware of the options you have to get rid of acne fast!

Let's Define Acne

Let's face it - Acne is not fun! The good news is that it's 100% treatable! Acne does not discriminate. People of all ages and skin types can experience breakouts at some point in their lives. Factoid: Between 17-45 million people have acne making it the most common skin disease in the United States. Chances are, if you are reading this, you want to know how to get rid of acne...and not just get rid of it, but get rid of ance FAST! This blog is just for you!

The most simple definition of acne is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by clogged pores, blackheads and pimples. The main culprits for acne are too much Sebum (Oil) in the skin along with a buildup of dead skin cells. The combination of these two enemies will most often produce the dreaded "Z" word....ZITS!

Acne is most often found on the nose, forehead, cheeks, chin, back, and trunk - although really, you can literally get it anywhere. Ance comes in different sizes and colors. We've all heard the terms "Blackhead" and "Whitehead,' - you know, the ones that are almost impossible to ignore and not pop? A whitehead usually appears on the skin as a small, round, white bump. A blackhead is a pimple that appears dark at the surface of the skin. Next we have the more inflamed type of acne which are known as Papules, Pustules, Cysts and Nodules. The REALLY difficult ones not to pick at! Papules are inflamed lesions that appear as small, pink bumps on the skin. Pustules are also inflamed lesions filled with pus that are red at the base. Cysts and Nodules are large, inflamed, pus filled lesions DEEP under the skin. While it may be tempting to want to pick or pop your acne, try your best to refrain! Leave it to the experts such as your dermatologist or aesthetician who are properly trained to treat your acne. Doing it yourself can cause scarring and the spreading of acne - so hand off!