Nursing

Acne is a frequent inflammatory skin disease that affects anyone at all ages. Even though it is more common during puberty and usually decreases during the early twenties, it is not unusual for a person in his late thirties or forties to still suffer from it.

Fortunately, almost any acne case can be treated. The key for treating and preventing acne problems is following a few basic guidelines. You have to keep in mind that resolution takes time and what works for someone else may not work for you and in some cases you may even need to consult a dermatologist.

Resolution Takes Time

Don't be fooled by medications that claim miraculous, overnight results. Generally, the first effects can be noticed after 6 to 8 weeks. After you have achieved these results, you need to continue treatment to prevent acne from reappearing. If you don't notice anything different after 8 weeks, the treatment probably needs some adjustments or may not be working at all.

What Works For Someone Else May Not Work For You

If one of your friends recommends you an acne treatment that has done wonders for him, don't expect it to autmomatically have the same effects on you. You should always follow a treatment that fits your skin type.

There are also several types of acne, each requiring a different treatment. The choice of treatment you make should be based on your skin type, the causes of the acne problems and the lesions you have at the moment.

You Might Need a Dermatologist

Given the fact there are many factors leading to acne problems, deciding which treatment would work best for you is sometimes a tough decision to make. There's a wide range of acne treatment products available on the market nowadays and if you don't choose wisely, you may even get the opposite of what you had expected. This is why it is sometimes best to seek professional help.

Dermatologists have the necessary knowledge and experience to examine your skin type and what sort of acne you suffer from. Before prescribing a treatment, they take many things into account, such as how severe the problem is, the type of lesions you have, as well as your age, lifestyle, motivation and skin type. Based on these factors they create an individualized acne treatment to fit your specific characteristics.

A dermatologist often combines several acne treatments, asking you to use one medication in the morning and another in the evening. However, it's not safe to do this on your own, because there are several side effects that might make matters worse.

As any other health problem, it is easier to cure if treated earlier. This way you will get better and faster results. An early acne treatment is also helpful for preventing scars that sometimes remain from pimples.

As always, it is much easier to prevent than treat, so it's best to take care of your skin even before suffering from any acne problem.