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There are many types of acne, and there are also many types of acne facial treatments. This post discusses the various types of acne facial treatments, their procedures, and their side effects.
Acne Facial Treatments
The skin on the face is different from the skin on the other parts of the body. That is why there are treatments dedicated to treating only facial acne.
Acne is a pervasive skin problem – it affects anyone from their teen years even to adulthood. There are many possible causes for an acne breakout. Acne treatments address not only the symptoms of acne but also its causes.
Systemic Therapy
Systemic therapy refers to orally taken acne medication. The medication usually contains antibiotics such as minocycline, erythromycin, tetracycline, or doxycycline, which can treat even severe acne by eliminating the bacteria that festers in acne breakouts. Medication taken by mouth can also help alleviate inflammation induced by acne.
Oral contraceptives also help reduce acne in some women. Examples are spironolactone – a pill that reduces the hormone androgen – and isotretinoin – a high-dose prescription of Vitamin A. The anti-androgen medication called spironolactone helps reduce acne by combating the hormone that causes acne in women.
Isotretinoin, on the other hand, helps fight severe cases of cystic acne. It is only administered on such a case or if no other treatment works. You have to regularly see your dermatologist while undergoing a course of isotretinoin treatment.
Procedure
The procedures for any systemic acne therapy differ slightly from each other based on the medication you are taking. Most of the differences lie in the number of pills you have to take, how often you should take them, and how long you have to take them. Another difference may be the need for a doctor’s prescription, as is the case with isotretinoin.
Side Effects
Each medication may have its own set of side effects. The realm of possibilities includes an upset stomach, dizziness, and lightheadedness for antibiotics; blood clots and high blood pressure for birth control pills.
Isotretinoin can cause the severest side effects. It can cause depression, suicidal thoughts and affect how your liver functions and your cholesterol levels. Furthermore, oral isotretinoin also causes severe congenital disabilities if you become pregnant while taking the drug.
Topical Therapy
Any acne medication that you directly apply to the skin is called topical therapy. Topical therapy includes gels or creams designed to fight acne. However, over-the-counter topical products are not very potent – the best they can do is fight mild acne.
Topical acne facial products contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, salicylic acid, or resorcinol. More potent topical products – usually prescribed – may be antimicrobial or retinoid creams.
Procedure
Because there are many different types of topical products that treat acne, procedures for each may vary. They may differ in how often you have to apply the product when you should use them, and how long you have to apply them.
Each topical cream or gel may also require you to wash your face before and after application.
Side Effects
The most common side effects of topical acne therapy are skin dryness and irritation. Luckily, these side effects are temporary, most of the time. Your skin may just need time to get used to the treatment.
The more severe side effects are allergies, the symptoms of which may be burns, severe peeling, or unprecedented itchiness. If any of these happen to you, consult a dermatologist or a doctor.
Drainage and Extraction
Drainage and extraction is a manual acne treatment that drains large cysts of fluids, dirt, pus, and dead skin cells. The doctor manually removes those substances to reduce the inflammation, infection, and pain caused by the cyst.
Procedure
The procedure for acne drainage and extraction is simple enough. Since acne drainage and extraction treatment is relatively painless, you won’t need anesthesia before the procedure.
The professional – a doctor or even an esthetician – will begin by sterilizing the treatment site. Then, using sterilized tools, the professional will make small incisions on the cyst. After that, the doctor will push the pus, fluids, dirt, and dead skin cells off the cyst.
Lastly, the professional will clean the treatment site to prevent infection. Antibiotics or steroids may be injected to speed up healing and lower the risk of scars.
Side Effects
If acne drainage and extraction are not done right, the risks of developing side effects go up. The side effects are:
- Permanent acne scars
- Infection
- More painful and noticeable acne
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy uses various light frequencies to program skin cells to behave in a specific way. Laser therapy can also target the bacteria that cause acne.
Procedure
Many types of laser therapy treat acne, and their procedures are pretty much the same. The first step is cleaning the treatment site, of course. The next step is applying a topical gel on the treatment site. Then the expert uses the laser technology across the acne-infested skin.
Side Effects
The most common side effects of laser therapies on the face are dryness and redness. But you can expect these to subside in a few days.
Acne Facials
Facials can accomplish a lot of things. They can clean, exfoliate, and even extract unwanted substances in the skin’s pores. An acne facial is specifically customized to treat acne.
Procedure
The Modern SLC Injections & Aesthetics acne facial customizes and tailors the treatment for an individual’s needs and purposes. The products are chosen to suit your skin type and current acne situation.
As a bonus, a deep cleansing pore mask with a high-frequency treatment is included in the package. These will clean your pores, prevent more acne from developing, and speed up healing of the acne-damaged skin.
Side Effects
Because the treatment is customized to fit your skin type and specific requirements, there is minimal risk of side effects.
More Treatments
There are many more types of acne facial treatments – too much to cover in one sitting. Other examples are chemical peels and microneedling. To learn more about the best way to treat a case of acne, talk to us – you can reach us via phone at 801-516-8884 or via email at [email protected].
