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When to Look Into Acne Prescriptions
Acne is a common skin problem that many people face. More common in teenagers and young adults, it is seen in other age groups as well, however.
If you have acne, there are a range of valuable over-the-counter medications that can help. Most dermatologists recommend using a face cleanser two to three times a day. Medicated creams can be used in conjunction with the cleansers as a daily regimen to fight and prevent acne.
While over-the-counter treatments can be very effective for various types of acne, they may not be enough for some people. After battling for an amount of time with acne, many are left wondering how long they should wait to proceed to further measures.
The normal rule of thumb is three weeks for acne medications, unless otherwise noted. If you are in this group, give over-the-counter medications at least this amount of time before trying something new. The medication needs time to work for your skin, which in many cases does not take less than two or three weeks.
Pay attention to the active ingredient in each medication. In many cases Benzoyl Peroxide is the first line of defense in acne medications. Thus, if your skin isn’t responding well to an over-the-counter medication with Benzoyl Peroxide, you would want to move onto a different medication, with an appropriately different active ingredient.
If you still don’t find relief from acne you will want to speak to your doctor. If you have a dermatologist, you could start here as well. Remember to keep a log of what medications you have tried and their appropriate duration; your skin’s reaction to it would also be valuable.
Your general doctor or dermatologist will be able to give you a number of medications to try. Currently there are many options in the field of acne medications, so you will hopefully be able to find something that works for your skin and acne.




