Acne Medication TopicalWhy do you need acne medication topical, such as exfoliants? Although the
essential five acne skin care components
In order for any skin care product to work, it must get past the outer layer of dead skin cells. No matter how much you've paid for your soaps, lotions and so on, they will not be effective unless you have first exfoliated the skin. A recently completed new case study was performed at Johns Hopkins University on patients receiving skin care treatments to show the reality of those treatments on the skin... how well they really work. The groups were divided in to two - those who first had a deep exfoliation facial and a group who applied the products without proper exfoliation. The results? Those who had the deep peel immediately saw results... from even the less effective products! The results for the "no peel" group were either nonexistent or not significantly measurable. The FDA (Federal Food and Drug Administration) does not allow ANY over-the-counter preparation (OTC) - no matter what you pay for it - to penetrate below the outer layer of skin. That means OTC products don't exfoliate properly. So, if you want the products you already use to be truly effective, you must get rid of the outer microscopic layer of dead skin cells that are blocking your skin care routine from working. And, if you have ever wondered why products you pay top dollar for often do not deliver the results you are seeking, this is the reason why.
Acne Medication Topical: #1: TCATCA (Trichloroacetic Acid) peels are a very effective way to remove the outer layers of skin and are used by dermatologists and certified salon estheticians for lightening and evening the skin.WARNING: This treatment does burn the outer layers of skin and carries with it some discomfort and risk of infection. It all but removes the outer layers of skin and there is a healing time of about one and a half to two weeks.WHEREVER the acid goes it burns off skin. If it runs down the neck it will remove that skin, if it gets on the hands it will remove that skin, and if it gets in the eyes it will cause burns that can result in blindness. TCA's come in several strengths and recently were approved for limited home use. However, we do not feel that these are to be fooled around with - this is a real acid and needs to be applied by a certified salon specialist or a dermatologist. By using a TCA peel the results can be good as it works deep enough to help improve superficial discoloration, fine lines and wrinkles, and very mild acne scarring. However, the peels can be and often are very painful. You need to understand TCA's will not do anything for moderate to severe acne scarring, age spots, photo-aging, sun damage, or deep lines and wrinkles. Multiple peels must also be performed over a period of time to get really good results. Application of an antibacterial/antibiotic cream is required post peeling. ACNE SKIN CARE TREATMENT COST: TCA Total cost of a full-face TCA chemical peel averages $2,000. If you wish to have only a portion of your face peeled, such as the area around your mouth or the area around your eyes, you will pay about $1,200. Acne Medication Topical: #2: Phenol PeelsPhenol peels act in much the same way as the TCA peels but are very strong and are required to be performed by a medical professional. I don't recommend you use Phenol peels, as they are being replaced by the milder glycolic and TCA peels in the dermatological profession.ACNE SKIN CARE TREATMENT COST: PHENOL If you can still find a dermatologist to perform a Phenol peel for you, the treatment will more than likely cost from $3000 up to $6000 for the entire face. Acne Medication Topical: #3: AHA PeelsAlphahydroxy acids (AHAs), such as lactic or fruit acids are the mildest of the peel formulas and produce light peels. These types of peels can provide smoother, brighter-looking skin for people who can't spare the time to recover from a medium or deep peel.AHA peels may be used to treat fine lines, areas of roughness ordryness, and uneven pigmentation (by being mixed with a bleaching agent.) Various concentrations of alphahydroxy acids may be applied weekly or at longer intervals to obtain the best result. Your doctor will make this decision during your consultation and as the treatment proceeds. AHA's are also widely available over-the-counter, working veryslowly over a long period of time to speed up the exfoliationprocess. They range in strength from 5% up to 20% generally. Thestronger ranges (20% and higher) are reserved for more intensivepeeling perform by a doctor or certified esthetician. AHA peels may cause stinging, redness, irritation, and crusting. Temporary flaking or scaling may also occur. Eventually your skin should adjust to the treatment regimen and these symptoms will subside. If not, please consult a physician immediately. As with glycolic peels, these types of peels are only able toremove the two outermost layers of the skin - depending on thestrength used. AHA peels can leave the skin softer and more eventoned, but usually take many treatments over a period of three tosix months to have any noticeable improvement. Please keep in mind alphahydroxy acid peels will not be able to do anything for moderate to severe acne scarring, age spots,photo-aging, sun damage, or deep lines and wrinkles. Even higherstrengths will have minimal impact on an individual's appearancewhen it comes to these types of skin problems. ACNE SKIN CARE TREATMENT COST: AHA AHA peels are usually priced by the peel or individual session. Cost ranges anywhere from $75 (lower strength) up to $200 (higher strength)per peel or session. You can also find them over-the-counter at even lower concentrations and pricing. Although at first glance AHA peels seem to be a fairly inexpensive option, the ongoing costs and very limited results they achieve can cause them to be much more expensive in the long run. If you have one of the skin problems mentioned previously, you are better off going with a different skin rejuvenating option. Acne Medication Topical: #4: Glycol Peelsbeing worked onReturn from ACNE MEDICATION TOPICAL page to Acne Treatment Skin Care Home page |