Bacteria

BACTERIA

IF IT WEREN'T FOR A STRAIN OF BACTERIA CALLED P. ACNES, THERE WOULD BE NO PIMPLES. ALTHOUGHT EVERYONE HAS P. ACNES PRESENT ON THEIR SKIN, THE BACTERIA BECOME PROBLEMATIC WHEN COUPLED WITH CLOGGED PORES.

1. OVER-THE-COUNTER Benzoyl peroxide

Often recommended along with antibiotics to treat acne, benzoyl peroxide is available in concentrations ranging from two-and-a-half to ten percent. It is also available by prescription in combination with topical antibiotics. One such product called BenzaClin combines fire-percent benzoyl peroxide with one-percent clindamycin (an antibiotic).

HOW IT WORKS - Benzoyl peroxide slows the growth of bacteria and reduces inflammation.

RESULTS SEEN - Benzoyl peroxide alone can help clear up mild, noninflammatory blackheads and whiteheads within a month or two.

SIDE EFFECTS - As benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria, it can dry up excess sebum and lead to redness, peeling and burning. Those with sensitive skin may not be able to tolerate benzoyl peroxide, and it's beast used at night.



2. PRESCRIPTION Antibiotics

A wide variety of oral and topicalantibiotics are prescribed to treat acne, including tetracucline, erythromycin, minocycline, doxycycline and clindamycin. Many factors come into play when choosing the antibiotic, including a patient's age, allergies and if they are pregnant or nursing. It's an easy once-a-day dose and it's well tolerated by most patients.

HOW IT WORKS - Antibiotics decrease the amount of bacteria present in the pores. In addition, they help hunder the inflammatory response once a pore is clogged, thus reducing the telltale redness and swelling associated with blemishes.

RESULTS SEEN - No matter the therapy, it takes six to eight weeks to see improvement.

SIDE EFFECTS - Oral antibiotics can cause yeast infections, and may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. Antibiotics can also cayse sun sensitivity, so it's important to wear sunscreen during treatment.

COST - May be covered by insurance



3. AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE Light-based treatment

Early laser treatments designed to address acne used UV light to eliminate blemishes, but these have fallen out of favor due to skin-damaging side effects. Today's most popular light-based acne treatments harness the poewr of blue light to sagely and painlessly treat inflammatory acne without the harmful side effects. One of the ways blue light improves acne is by creating heat that causes the bacteria to produce "suicide" proteins, so they essentially kill themselves. Red light may be used in conjunction with the blue light to help treat the inflammation associated with acne.

HOW IT WORKS - The wavelenght associated with blue light is able to zero in on P. acnes bacteria and kill them without affecting other components of the skin.

HOW MANY TREATMENTS - Generally , eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each seeion lasts about 15 minutes.

RESULTS SEEN - Within the first four weeks, but most patients see improvement after the first two or three treatments.

SIDE EFFECTS - Any reactions to blue light tend to be mild, and include temporary pigment changes, swelling and dryness in the treated areas.

COST - Starting at about $250 per treatment.