Acne medications come in many forms, and are usually categorized in two ways: over-the-counter or prescription and topical or oral. Most acne medicines (in contrast to acne cleansers) are used to control inflammation and fare-ups. Others target the acne causing bacteria P. Acnes, thereby lessening the chance of acne. Most medications have a scientific name (the active chemical compound or agent) and a brand name. Here are some common acne medications:
Topical Medication:

Benzoyl peroxide: Used in many acne medications, benzoyl peroxide is one of the most common chemical agents used to fight acne. Clearasil and Oxy-10 are two common brand names that use benzoyl peroxide as their active ingredient. Benzoyl peroxide kills P. Acnes bacteria and dissolves keratin-clogging pores. Benzoyl peroxide is one of the most common acne solutions.

Two very popular acne medications are Exposed acne treatment and ZenMed, which both work to penetrate pores and remove sebum, keratin and debris, clearing the skin.

Topical Antibiotics: There are prescription antibiotics available as acne medications and used as a topical treatment. Enthromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline are examples of antibiotics used as acne medication. Although antibiotics kill the P. Acnes bacteria, they do not cure any dermatological issues (overproduction of sebum, over production of dead skin cells) and therefore acne usually reappears days after the treatment has stopped. Because antibiotics tend to be less effective after prolonged use, the use of antibiotics as an acne medication is becoming less and less common.

Retinoids: Retinoids can be taken orally or used topically. Retinol is closely related to isotretinoin and Vitamin A and is used to regulate or speed up the skin cells lifecycle which in turn, inhibits keratinisation of the cells, decreasing the chance of follicle blocking. Retinoids can have adverse side effects including skin irritation, additional inflammation and patchy rash areas, but work quite well to control acne.

Oral Medication:

Oral retinoids: Are used for the same reason as topical retinoids, but can have less side effects relating to the skin. Oral retinoids are usually taken for a prolonged period (4-6 months) for the treatment of acne. Relapse from oral retinoids can occur, where further treatment is necessary. Orally ingesting retinoids as an acne medication can have much more serious side effects than topical retinoids. Some examples are liver damage, and damage to fetuses in pregnant women. In many cases a doctor will prescribe mandatory birth control to a woman while prescribing oral retinoids.

Oral Antibiotics: Oral antibiotics are used as an acne medication in cases where other treatments fail. Like topical antibiotics, they can have less of an effect over prolonged periods of time. Examples of oral antibiotics are doxycycline, minocycline and lymecycline. Differin is an example of a product that uses doxycycline.

The above examples of acne medications are classified very strictly. There are many other options for treating acne than the ones described above. For example, there are thousands of topical acne products that, although they are not necessarily ‘medication’, they do work for many people.

Examples include topical products that heal the skin or light cleansing acne products. Exfoliating and masking products are also available world wide. Products also differ in efficacy depending on the type of acne you have; teenage acne, adult acne, etc.Talk to your doctor or dermatologist to find out what acne treatment is right for you.

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