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Acne Cures: Retinoids
There is no real acne
cures . Any products that claim they can cure acne are exaggerating
their claims much the same way products declare ‘acne
free in 30 days’. Nonetheless, medical research has
made large leaps towards an acne cure. Retinoids are presently
considered the closest thing to a cure for acne; and retinoid
treatment is becoming increasingly popular, particularly with
people who have severe cases of acne.
Retinoids are in a class of chemical compounds very similar
to Vitamin A, and are sometimes referred to as synthetic Vitamin
A. Retinoids can help heal skin conditions and are also being
used in skin cancer research. Besides inflammatory skin issues,
retinoids also help with vision, bone growth, tumor suppression
and the immune system. Because retinoids are synthetic, over
use or prolonged use of retinoids can cause complications such
as the swelling of the bones, hair loss, and malaise to name
a few.
How Do Retinoids Work?
Although the exact effect of retnoids (retinoic acid is what
is used for acne treatment, commonly called isotretinoin) is
not known in detail, we do know that retinoid treatment does
speed up the growth of cells, enables skin cells to release
certain proteins (collagen for example) and to inhibit other
proteins. Retinoid treatment is not only used for acne, but
for other disorders such as leukemia, stretch marks, aging and
more.
How Do I Use Retinoids?
Retinoids are prescribed by your doctor and can be taken in
many different ways. The most common retinoid treatments are
retinoids gels or tablets that are ingested orally. Retinoids
break down in the presence of benzoyl peroxide, so acne medication
containing these two chemical compounds should not be used at
the same time. Retinoids are prescribed by your doctor –
usually only in the case of severe acne or chronic acne. Make
sure you try other, less dangerous methods before trying retinoid
treatment.
Caveats
It is not recommended that you use any other treatment or natural
acne remedies while using retinoids. Retinoid treatment
should not be practiced during pregnancy. In addition, pregnancy
usually induces a shift in hormones that will cause hormonal
acne. This is natural and should only be treated with regular
light cleansing. Retinoids can also have severe side effects,
particularly if taken for prolonged periods or in higher dosages.
Some side effects include the swelling of the bones, hair loss,
and malaise to name a few. Talk to your doctor to find out if
retinoid treatment is right for you before using retinoids or
any other prescription acne
medicine.
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