Acne Treatment- Best Medications for Clogged Pores

Most  acne and blemishes are caused by blocked pores. Our natural skin oils (sebum) help us maintain smooth supple skin. In adolescence our hormones cause the production of sebum to increase making our skin much oiler than it was when we were children. This increased oil along with dead skin cells and the thickening of the skin surface can result in our pores becoming blocked. When this happens the blocked pore becomes infected and a pimple occurs.

The best way to prevent blemishes is to keep our pores unblocked, but hormonal changes due to puberty, adolescence and other issues in adults can cause the breakouts to still appear. You may think this is easier said than done but there are a wide variety of acne treatment products available that can help you keep your skin clear. Some are readily available at drug stores and cosmetic counters and they will help people with mild acne control their outbreaks and keep their complexion clear.

Moderate to severe acne, however, will require medical attention from a dermatologist to prevent permanent scarring.

Acne Treatment

Over the counter preparations containing low dosages of the following medications all work well for mild cases of acne.

• Glycolic Acid – this can be found in creams and lotions. It is an alpha hydroxyl produced from the sugar cane plant. In addition to topical skin care products, this water soluble fruit acid is used as a chemical peel agent for in office skin treatments. It is effective in unclogging and preventing blocked pores as it removes the excess of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin that extend into the areas of the oil gland openings.
• Beta hydroxy acids – salicylic acid. Like glycolic acid, salicylic acid is used as a chemical peel. The main difference is that salicylic acid is oil soluble and causes superficial desquamation or shedding of cells. This makes it possible for it to penetrate the sebum in the pores to help remove blockages and blackheads.
• Benzoyl peroxide – is very common in many over the counter acne treatments. It works well because it has antiseptic properties that will kill the bacteria causing acne and reduce inflammation of blemishes as well.  However, benzoyl peroxide is not the best ingredient for removing black heads and oil plugs.

Which brings us to the best medications for black heads and clogged pores; this group of medications is referred to as “topical retinoids”.  At this time, in the USA, they all require a prescription in order to be able to use them.

Tretinoin, adapalene, and tazarotene are currently available in a variety of concentrations and vehicles such as creams or gels.  Medications with these ingredients are superior to all of the over the counter acne products when it comes to unplugging the pores and removing blackheads, and whiteheads.

And by the way, they are much better than using your fingers to try to squeeze out oil plugs from the pores!

With any of these treatments, you might not see early results until they have been used for 4-6 weeks and it can take 3 to 4 months to give them a chance to work.

At first it may seem like your acne gets worse but if you persevere and stick it out for an extended period of time you should see a significant improvement in your complexion with the reduction in blemishes and the severity of your breakouts. If after 12 weeks your skin is not improved more aggressive treatments such as oral retinoids might be required.

Whether your acne is mild, moderate or severe, you will benefit from a consultation with a board certified dermatologist to determine the best acne treatment for you. They can set you on the path to a clear complexion and reduce any risk of permanent scarring.