For millions of people, acne medicine represents one of the best and most effective ways to treat this irritating skin condition. However, the decision to use acne medicine to combat at outbreak of acne raises a number of important issues, such as which form of treatment is best, are there any side-effects etc. All that creates quite a problem. After all, there are so many different acne treatments available you can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.

So before you go any further, here are the most important issues to bear in mind before you select your acne medicine.

1) The Cause Of Your Acne

Make sure you take steps to discover the exact cause of your acne. This is because there are various causes of acne and treatments that may work well for one person may not work as well for you. It’s only after you know the cause of your acne that you can select the best tye of acne medicine to treat your condition. So at this stage it’s a good idea to consult your doctor or dermatologist for help if your acne is any worse than slight.

2) Determine Your Skin Type

As already mentioned, acne treatments that may work well for one person may not work as well for another, so it’s important to take account of your skin type. For example, certain people and certain skin types are sensitive to some of the chemicals typically used in acne medicine.

So it’s a good idea to check whether you’re allegic to any of the ingredients in the treatment that you select. This will help to avoid more serious allergy problems midway through your treatment.

As always, the more natural your chosen acne treatment, the less likely you are to suffer a reaction to it. For example, if you find that you can’t use a number of mainstream acne medicines, you may want to consider various treatments prescribed by homeopaths or herbal medicines which can be highly effective and are generally less likely to cause an adverse reaction.

3) The Types Of Acne Medicine Available

Acne medicine can be divided into two main types, topical and oral.

a) Topical Acne Medicine - Topical medicines are those which are applied to the surface of the skin, usually in the form of lotions, creams, ointments, gels or foams. These treatments can be divided into two main sub-categories antimicrobial and retinoid.

i) Antimicrobial

The aim of these treatments is to destroy the acne causing bacteria that lives on the surface of the skin. This helps to prevent the development of further pustules and reduce the inflammation associated with acne. These antimicrobial medicines have shown to be quite effective in mild to moderate cases of acne.

As a general rule, if your skin type is dry or sensitive, topical acne medicine in the form of a cream or a lotion will provide the best results. This is because treatments that take the form of foam or gel are typically alcohol based, which tends to dry the skin. However, these options are best if you have oily skin.

ii) Retinoid

In moderately severe cases of acne, retinoid treatments are available on prescription from your doctor or dermatologist. This type of acne medicine which is a relative of vitamin A, aims to unblock the skin pores and remove the potential for acne to exist.

However, due to their increased strength, these medicines, which are available in gel, liquid and cream forms, can cause skin irritation and photosensitivity.

b) Oral Acne Medicine - These treatments can be divided into two main sub-categories antibiotics and contraceptives.

i) Antibiotics

These are prescribed for more severe and persistent cases of acne with the aim of destroying the acne causing bacteria to reduce the level of inflammation. Due to the increased strength and potency of these acne medicines it’s vital to follow the instructions of the prescription, otherwise it could lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria on your skin.

The use of antibiotics can also place a strain on your immune system leaving you more vulnerable to various other diseases. So always consult your doctor before taking any antibiotics to treat your acne.

ii) Contraceptives

It has also been discovered that oral contraceptives can provide long term acne treatment by reducing the amount of oil created by the sebaceous skin glands. This reduces the chance of skin pores becoming blocked which can lead to acne.

However, there are fairly serious side effects linked to the long term use of oral contraceptives, including heart attacks, strokes and blood clots, so it’s vital to consult with your doctor before selecting this form of acne treatment.

4) The Severity Of Your Acne

The severity of your acne will also play a major part in the type of acne medicine that you finally select. As mentioned in the last section, mild to moderate acne can often be successfully treated with a wide variety of over the counter medicines. However, moderate to severe acne often requires a more powerful form of medicine that has to be prescribed by your doctor or dermatologist.

5) Other Considerations

And finally, there are certain other considerations that may affect your ultimate choice of acne medication. For example, pregnancy will limit the number of treatments that are safe to use.