The Cause of Acne

At the moment the most agreed upon cause of severe and acute acne is the existence of a bacteria that increases during puberty called Proprionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). Theoretically it is the build up of this bacteria inside clogged pores and on the skin in general that causes the infections we call zits, pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads.

A Cure for Acne

While there is no real "cure for acne," there are several methods that physicians and dermatologists use as acute acne treatments:

Acne Medication

There are three major types of prescription acne medication, and these include: antibiotics, topical antimicrobials, and topical retinoids. Antibiotics are meant to fight the acne causing bacteria P. acnes, while the antimicrobials are meant to fight the same bacteria on the surface of the skin and retinoids are meant to fight acne by clearing pores. Talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.

Acne Microdermabrasion

This method is most often employed when acne becomes cystic; that is, when acne becomes so bad that cysts and boils begin to develop under the skin causing pain and eventually acne scars. Dermabrasion works by using either a metal brush or a laser to remove the top layers of skin, opening pores and allowing new skin to take the place of infected or scarred tissue.

Contraceptives

It is no big secret by now that oral contraceptives, taken in relatively small doses, do get rid of acne; though, this solution only works for women, leaving the other 49% of our population to take either acne fighting antibiotics or antimicrobial acne treatments.

The Zeno is a trendy little device that has seen a lot of play in recent advertisements and magazines. Basically, it's used to treat individual pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and other blemishes. It uses a concentrated heat element to make contact with the pimple, theoretically killing the bacteria that are causing the infection that is causing the pimple. It's a cosmetic device, obviously, and it won't help people who suffer from severe acne breakouts.

Lavender Oil, like tea tree oil, is used by alternative medicine professionals to help reduce the amount of acne blemishes, sores, and pimples. Like tea tree oil, lavender oil is considered a natural astringent, which means its an antimicrobial agent that kills bacteria and other nasties that may eventually lead to more severe, cystic acne.

In a previous version of "how to get rid of acne," we suggested five different parts of the natural way to prevent acne breakouts. We will keep those tips below, but we are also going to add some advice about the medical relief of acne on the sidebar to your left. Now, getting rid of acne is a terribly broad and almost impossible mission to accomplish with one article. Some of the other articles we've written on the topic of acne are concerning acne scars, pimples, blackheads, oily skin, and the blemishes that often accompany an acne problem. The suggestions that follow are practical solutions to get rid of acne without the use of medication and soaps, call them acne home remedies if you will. Below that you will find information and our opinions of acne skin care products, and in the sidebar to the right we will suggest to you some of the more common, but less well-known, natural acne remedies--things you can do to get rid of acne without the use of medications or acne skin care products.

Preventing Acne is Getting Rid of Acne

It is true that prevention and personal care are the best ways to prevent an acne breakout. Here are five things you can do to make sure you get rid of acne before it becomes a serious problem:

If you want to get rid of acne, you'll want to wash your face and hands regularly. Most dermatologists would agree that washing once in the morning and once in the evening with a very mild soap specifically designed for facial acne treatment is one of the best ways to prevent acne breakouts. But please remember the term "very mild," because harsh soaps that are used as a sort of skin peel can cause more irritation and residual acne from infections than they might solve.