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Acne Treatment - Overview

Acne is a skin disease that results in pimples - red bumps on the skin that are often filled with white pus. In addition to leading to other medical problems, acne can cause emotional stress and discomfort. Through Push Health, you can request prescription acne treatment online from a local medical provider and get acne medication treatment that you need at a local pharmacy or delivered to you.

What Causes Acne Vulgaris?

How do we get acne? Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, occurs when the pores in our skin gets blocked by dead skin cells or other debris. Inside the pore, a gland known as the sebaceous gland produces a natural oil known as sebum which, because the pore is clogged, has no way out and provides a space for bacteria to fill the pore. This combination of an infection inside a clogged pore leads to the unsightly results known as pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads. Unfortunately, acne can lead to long-term scarring, especially if not managed appropriately. Acne has been linked to a genetic predisposition in a majority of people and can be made worse by a variety of environmental causes or a diet containing specific types of foods.

How To Get Rid of Acne

With all of the stress that acne causes, many people wonder how to get rid of acne. Depending on the cause, specific treatments can reduce or even eliminate acne. Initially, most medical providers will want to learn about one's acne symptoms such as where on the body it is an issue before recommending an acne treatment plan.

Makeup Acne - Treatment

Anything we apply to our skin can cause acne and acne from the application of makeup is a common cause. Makeup acne can be reduced by limiting the amount of makeup one uses and washing off the makeup every night. Some people find that using cleansers such as Cetaphil can be useful in wiping the makeup off and limiting the risk of acne. One important note is that the application of sunscreen can also cause acne.

Hormonal Acne - Treatment

Hormones are chemicals in your body that are important in a variety of metabolic and growth processes. However, at different stages of life, hormones - particularly androgen hormones - can get out of balance and cause an acne breakout. To help stabilize the balance of hormones, birth control prescriptions are often used to provide the hormone estrogen to counterbalance the effect of androgens. Spironolactone (Aldactone) for acne is another medication treatment that may be occasionally utilized, particularly for hormonal causes of acne.

Back Acne - Treatment

Acne on the back can be disconcerting. Back acne often results from tight clothing combined with excessive sweating while engaging in activities like exercise. Back acne treatment often involves over-the-counter medications, good hygiene, and lifestyle changes such as using looser clothing, washing more carefully, and changing skin care products.

Acne Medication Options

Prescription medications for acne are regularly used to help treat acne. Different classes of medications are used in the treatment of acne breakouts. Doxycycline (Oracea) and minocycline (Amzeeq, Minocin) are tetracycline antibiotic medications and have been used in the treatment of acne for some time. These medications help slow down the reproduction of bacteria in the pores and pimples. Aczone is a dapsone-based gel that is sometimes used in cases of severe acne. Azelaic acid is also prescribed and thought to bactericidal. Winlevi (clascoterone) is a newer treatment for acne.

Tretinoin (Altreno, Retin-A), adapalene (Differin) and trifarotene (Aklief) are another class of medications known as retinoids that have demonstrated success in treating acne in some instances. In some cases of facial acne, tazarotene (Arazlo, Tazorac) might be prescribed. Clindamycin gel is another topical ointment used for the treatment of acne vulgaris and is often combined into a gel with benzoyl peroxide in the medications BenzaClin and Duac and with tretinoin in Veltin. Another combination medication using benzoyl peroxide is Epiduo Forte. In cases of hormonal acne, birth control may also be a useful option. Acne scars may also require bleaching medications such as hydroquinone to improve them. While research is being done on using mupirocin (Bactroban) and rifampin for acne treatment, it is not approved yet. Ultimately, the right acne treatment for any person should be individualized to one's needs and health.

Can I Buy Acne Treatment Online?

Some acne treatments do not require a consultation or prescription from a medical provider. These types of acne treatments may include home remedies for acne such as tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, combinations of essential oils and other ingredients in acne face washes, witch hazel, coconut oil and zinc. Unfortunately, clinical data on how well home remedies for acne result in acne treatment are limited. To get prescription acne medications, one needs to first consult a medical provider before one can even try to buy acne medication online. People who might be candidates for prescription acne medication treatment can use Push Health to connect with a medical provider who can prescribe acne treatment when appropriate and indicated to do so.

Additional Acne Resources

- FDA Acne Information

Last updated February 5, 2023. Given the evolving nature of medicine and science, this information might not be accurate and should not be construed as medical advice or diagnosis / treatment recommendations. Please consult a licensed medical provider if you have additional questions. Please call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room if you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency.