Hormone Therapy for Acne

Acne is such a common skin problem that a lot of skin experts and dermatologists continue to develop various treatments for the skin disease. One of the treatments for acne is hormone therapy. This treatment is especially effective for women.

The Hormone Therapy acne treatment has long been used by dermatologists. This treatment is recommended for women no matter how severe the acne is. So why is hormone therapy effective? Hormone is known as a contributing factor for the development of acne, and if there is a way to balance our hormones, it will help reduce or eliminate acne for good.

How hormones affect our skin

Androgens which are the masculine hormones are the ones that contribute to the growth of acne. These hormones increase when we reach puberty, and they affect the production of oil in the oil glands or sebaceous glands. When too much oil or sebum is produced, the pores of our skin will be clogged. If this happens, the dead skin cells get trapped too. Now, when the bacteria from outside factors like dust and dirt come in contact with the clogged pore, they will cause an infection. When the bacteria have not propagated yet, what you see is either a whitehead or a blackhead. Clogged pores that you usually see are whiteheads, and they become blackheads when some pigmentation caused by melanin makes them dark-colored. Now, when bacteria have infected a certain area on our skin, inflammation will develop. That?s what we call a pimple.

Hormonal Therapy

The purpose of hormonal therapy is to disrupt abnormal hormonal activities that cause acne growth. Hormonal therapy is done by taking oral contraceptives such as:

1. Diane-35
2. Tri-Cyclen
3. Alesse
4. Yasmin

On the other hand, there?s a non-contraceptive anti-androgen medication that can be taken for hormonal therapy. This medicine is called Spironolactone, which comes in the form of estrogen and progestins. As mentioned previously, androgen contributes to acne growth. By keeping androgen production at a minimum level with anti-androgen medication, acne will be reduced, or even eliminated.

You can also check out Acne Guide for more helpful tips about hormone therapy for acne.

Labels: acne, acne treatments, hormone therapy

Find Out the Side Effects of Acne Treatments

People have different skin types and react to various acne treatments differently. Therefore, the treatment that you found to be effective on your skin may not be effective for your friend. Reversely, what your friend used to treat his or her acne may cause you side effects. Though some people may not encounter any side effect from a certain treatment, it is best to know the possible side effects that come with acne treatment. Before you take any prescription medication or start a treatment, learn about it and the problems that may occur. Below is a list of side effects from acne treatments:

1. Allergies
   One of the most common problems experienced by patients when treating acne is allergic reaction. Some people do not know that they have an allergy for a drug or cream until they first use it to treat their acne. If you are using a new product and you encounter rashes or difficulty in breathing, immediately stop your medication and call the dermatologist. Let your doctor know what you have experienced and let the expert tell you what you should do.
2. Flaking, Redness, Inflammation, Itching
   Since acne treatment products are mostly made of chemicals, it is most likely that the skin will experience dryness. Most chemicals will drain the moisture from the infected skin and cause dryness. As we all know, itching, flaking, and redness are some of the conditions that result from dryness. When we first use a treatment product, we may not be aware of the problem it may cause, so we tend to scratch the infected area because of the itching. However, it will only get worse as it becomes inflamed.
3. Yeast Infections
   Antibiotics are among the drugs that can trigger yeast infections. This will happen if you have been using antibiotics for a long time. The bacteria will become more resistant to antibiotics if you use them regularly.
4. Depression, Birth Defects, and other Serious Side Effects
   There are some drugs like accutane that can cause depression, birth defects on expecting mothers, and other serious side effects such as suicide tendencies. Though some people may not experience these side effects, it?s best to check the warning text of any medication or treatment you plan to use.

There are other side effects that come with certain medications or treatment products. Make sure you ask your doctor about the side effects before you use any treatment. You can learn more about acne treatment side effects from Ezine Articles, Acne Guide, and Chet Day.

Labels: acne, acne treatments, side effects