Acne: a treatment overview
Teenagers and many others with acne, seek five-minute cures for acne and a return to a clear skin free of blemishes. The truth is that there are no instant cures, but a twice daily routine and appropriate treatment based on the severity of acne, can alleviate acne's distressing symptoms. In recent years the treatment of acne in all its stages and levels of severity has advanced significantly. In many cases these advances have resulted in dramatic improvements in the sufferer's appearance. Examples of new and better medication include tretinoin and isotretinoin (Roaccutane). Many young people would have been scarred by acne but for these advances. So don't despair! Appropriate and timely treatment can ensure that virtually no teenagers need to suffer a deterioration of their condition or permanent scarring.
The worse the acne, the more drastic the treatment
The choice of treatment depends on the stage to which the condition has advanced: the worse the problem, the more drastic the treatment. The severity of acne is measured on a scale of 0 - 8, with anything higher than stage 2 necessitating medication available only on prescription. Use our Acne Grading Scale Tool to grade your acne, and it will lead you to the appropriate treatment.
In a nutshell, here's how the stages of acne are graded:
- Stage 0: white- and blackheads (realy nothing to worry about)
- Stage 2: papules (small red bumps; We can still call this mild.)
- Stage 4: pustules (full-blown pimple; Yes, it has a ripe, yellow centre and is completely unwanted, but it is usually still in the read more
