The medications for acne work through reduction of oil produced, speed up of turnover of skin cells, reducing inflammation or fighting bacterial infection. With the majority of drugs that are used, the results may not be seen for the first four or eight weeks. The skin may actually get worse before it gets better. When considering acne treatment Worcester residents have many options that are useful. It could take several months or even years for the condition to clear out fully.

The medication that the doctor will recommend depends on severity and type of the acne. Topical medications are those that are applied to skin while oral medications are taken through the mouth. In majority of the cases, these medications are taken in combination. Oral prescriptions are not recommended for women that are pregnant. The best time to apply topical conditions is when the skin is clean and dry. This is done some 15 minutes after washing. Benefits of this treatment will only be realized after a while.

Some side effects will be experienced, notably skin irritation, redness, peeling and dryness. The doctor will recommend certain steps to reduce the side effects. These include switching to other medications, increasing medications gradually or washing off the medication after some time. An example of topical medication is antibiotics. These function by killing any excess bacteria in the skin and minimizing any redness.

Some oral antibiotics are used for either severe or moderate acne. In addition to minimizing bacteria, they fight inflammation. The moment there is improvement in the symptoms or the medications prescribed are not working, tapering off of the medications is recommended. Tapering is useful in preventing resistance of antibiotics which occurs when they are used for treatment over a long time.

One will normally use oral antibiotics and topical medications together. There is the possibility of side effects from the use of oral antibiotics. The most common are dizziness and stomach upsets. The drugs will also tend to increase the sensitivity of the skin to the sun. Furthermore, there is the possibility of discoloration of the teeth and reduction in bone growth in kids. There are instances when therapies are considered, either in combination with other medications or alone.

Light based therapies are known to bring a lot of success. This therapy targets bacteria that cause acne inflammation. There are forms of light therapy which are able to be done in the office of the doctor. Blue light therapy is able to be done from home by a hand held device. Some of the side effects include temporary redness, pain and sensitivity to light.

There is chemical peel which uses repeated application of chemical solution like salicylic acid. Treatment through chemical peeling is best effective if used in combination with other treatment forms. This therapy is not for people taking oral retinoids. There will be side effects.

The dermatologist may use special tools to remove whiteheads gently and blackheads that were not cleared with topical medications. There is some possibility of scarring. The mode of treatment used on an individual depends on the doctor and what they think is best for the particular patient.