What Are the Treatments for Comedonal Acne?
Acne can affect both teenagers and adults. It causes lesions on the skin that can range from mild to painful. If you have comedonal acne, you might also experience feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment because of it. Fortunately, there are effective treatments for comedonal acne available.
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The Facts
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Comedonal acne is a relatively mild form of acne that involves little or no inflammation. If you have it, you will develop acne lesions called comedones. Comedones are usually classified as either blackheads or whiteheads. In comedonal acne, lesions usually develop on your forehead or chin. Breakouts of this kind of acne can be exacerbated by hormones or humidity. Treatments for comedonal acne include different forms of topical medications and combinations of therapies.
Topical Retinoids
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Retinoids are medications derived from Vitamin A that contain an altered form of the vitamin. They can come in gels or creams that you apply to the skin affected by comedonal acne. Retinoids treat acne by unplugging the comedones and eliminating them. They also help prevent comedones from forming, stopping future breakouts. Highly effective, retinoids have been one of the main treatments of comedonal acne that dermatologists have relied on for decades.
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Benzoyl Peroxide
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Benzoyl peroxide has been a popular treatment for comedonal acne since the 1950s. You can obtain it either over the counter or your dermatologist can prescribe a more highly concentrated version of it for you. It comes as either an alcohol or a water-based gel that you smooth directly onto acne-affected skin. It works by destroying both the bacteria that can trigger acne and eliminates comedones.
Salicylic Acid
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Salicylic acid is found in many over-the-counter treatments for comedonal acne. These treatments come in a variety of forms, including creams and lotions that you apply to the skin experiencing a breakout. As effective as benzoyl peroxide, it works by breaking down both blackheads and whiteheads. It helps prevent the formation of future comedones by causing the cells that line hair follicles to shed less, preventing blocked pores that can contribute to acne breakouts.
Other Treatments
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Other treatments for comedonal acne include resorcinol and sulfur, which help breakdown blackheads and whiteheads when you apply them topically. Azelaic acid has antibacterial properties that work to eliminate comedonal acne. Topical antibiotics can also combat acne. A dermatologist may choose to combine treatments to maximize their effectiveness. For example, benzoyl peroxide can be combined with a topical antibiotic to form a treatment that is more powerful than either component alone.
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