Acne medicine is continually being developed and improved for acne treatment. In the past, most adolescents were told that nothing could be done to cure the condition. They were also cautioned to eliminate certain foods from their diet. Most people were led to believe that they contracted acne because their skin was not kept clean. Prescribed treatments had limited effectiveness and tended to be expensive. Today, though, there are options in the treatment of acne that are not only effective, but are simple to implement. If you have acne, you can expect to find relief from the symptoms with some of the treatments listed below and also prevent further breakouts.

Retinoic Acids

A popular form of acne medicine is that of retinoic acids. Retinoic acids are composed of lotions, creams and salves with a vitamin A base. Vitamin A acids help to open the pores and reduce the bacteria related to acne. In topical cream form, retinoic acid is used in the treatment of acne and keratosis pilaris. Retinoic acid is marketed as tretinoin. For recalcitrant cases of acne, an isomer of tretinoin, isotretinoin, is prepared to be taken orally. The medicine is sold under the trade names of Accutane and Roaccutane. This medication is generally the first course of defense again the scourge of acne.

Antibiotics - Topical and Oral

Although not the first stop in the way of acne medicine antibiotics are a strong acne treatment component to fight the bacteria that are implicated as a cause of acne blemishes. Topical antibiotic creams and lotions are aimed at fighting the bacteria. Oral antibiotics help increase the body's defenses against bacteria. Antibiotics work by reducing the number of bacteria around the follicle of the hair. They also have the effect of reducing the amount of chemical irritants cause by the production of white blood cells. Finally, antibiotics reduce the amount of free fatty acids in the sebum so that the inflammation response is reduced.

Birth Control Pills

Women who have begun a proscribed course of birth control pills are often pleasantly surprised to find that the severity of acne symptoms is reduced when oral contraceptives are prescribed. In fact, one specific type of oral contraceptive is prescribed as a standard acne medicine. The birth control pills work due to the hormone levels contained in the pills. A combination of acne medicine and birth control medication makes a lot of sense. In low dosages, birth control pills prevent new outbreaks and reduces the number and severity of breakouts.

Isotretinoin

Isotretinoin is also known as Accutane and is a revolutionary acne medicine. Accutane is one of the retinoid family, similar to Vitamin A. Accutane works by varying the transcription of DNA so the sebaceous glands are affected in the amount of output. The cells that are sloughed off are thus not so sticky which reduces the blackheads and whiteheads that are symptomatic of acne. Although previously, Accutane was prescribed for acne that had not responded to previous doses of oral antibiotics, it is now being prescribed earlier in the acne treatment course.