Recent research has helped to develop products to clear acne and prevent further breakouts. An understanding of the underlying cause of acne is the first step in revolutionary treatments.

Recent breakthroughs in the goal to clear acne have given millions of adolescents and adults hope to be free of the disfiguring and painful condition. Extensive research and clinical trials have helped health care workers to have a more complete understanding of the causes and progression of the condition. Although there is still work to be done in determining the various factors involved in causing the skin eruptions, along with pain and swelling, each finding helps to shed light on the condition. A combination of products are being used to reduce the incidence and severity of acne and provides hope for a complete elimination of the symptoms.

Research directions

When millions of people suffer from a disease or condition, even one as typical as acne, it is obvious that a great deal of effort will be spent studying and attempting to understand the factors that cause the condition. This is definitely true of acne. Because acne doesn't have just one causative factor, it is even more of a challenge to isolate the factors and to provide a regimen of treatment that will provide relief on all fronts. In order to clear acne, treatment must include an antibacterial agent, an agent to dry the eruptions and products to help heal the skin breaks.

Natural products

As with many other ailments in today’s world, many people prefer to use natural products rather than man made or harsh chemicals in the attempt to clear acne and prevent further breakouts. There is no doubt that there is improvement noted when a regimen of cleansing, good diet, and topical products which help to dry the lesions without destroying the skin is used in the natural treatment of the acne blemishes and the underlying causes. Vitamin A based products seems to fill the bill on all these areas. Also helpful is the benefits of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide lotion.

Oral medications

Oral medications such as tetracycline provide an effective and safe antibacterial remedy that can be taken over the long haul without losing its effectiveness. Some types of acne, particularly those that are adult based, rather than adolescent onset require an ongoing treatment with tetracycline in order to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of acne. In this type of acne the medication is taken orally to manage and control the outbreak. To clear acne that is the routine condition also makes use of oral antibiotics for improvement of the body's ability to fight the number and size of bacteria pockets associated with sebum.

Topical medications

It is to be expected that efforts to clear acne have previously been focused on the outer surface of the skin rather than on the underlying causes. Because acne is caused by a number of factors, choosing the best all around combination of oral and topical treatment modalities will help to assure that there is improvement both in the number and size of the acne lesions. Antibiotic creams help to perform just that benefit. Fighting the bacteria pockets can be done both from the inside and outside in order to be most effective.