Acne is not curable as such, but can be very much improved. There are a number of different acne treatments available, including:
Topical acne treatment: These include creams and gels that are put straight onto the skin, and are usually tried first as many can be bought in the shops or pharmacy. Other stronger acne creams and gels are usually prescribed by your doctor. The ingredients vary, and can be antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, nicotinamide, azelaic acid and retinoids (eg adapalene, tretinoin or isotretinoin). The instructions should be read very carefully, as if the acne treatment is used wrongly then it might not work or, worse still, cause more harm.
Antibiotic acne treatment: If gels and creams haven’t worked on your acne, then antibiotics might be given by your doctor to take orally (by mouth), usually as pills. This is usually erythromycin or tetracycline, and may be given for a few months or until the acne improves. Again, the instructions should be read very carefully. Antibiotics can cause side-effects including tummy upset, and so they might need to be stopped if the side effects get too bad
Isotretinoin: This is a very powerful and effective acne treatment, but can have serious side effects so can only usually be prescribed by a consultant Dermatologist. It can cause issues in pregnancy, and can cause depression. As acne itself can make you feel quite low in mood anyway, this further depression can lead to suicidal feelings. The skin and lips can become dry during treatment, and often the acne will worsen for the first few weeks before improving
Laser acne treatment: This is a relatively newer form of treatment, but does show real improvement in some people with acne. The laser treatment is usually pretty painless and only takes a few minutes to perform in an out-patient or clinic setting (you don’t need to stay in hospital). A number of treatments might be needed before you see an improvement
Foods that improve acne: There is no convincing evidence yet to show that any particular foods or diets have an effect on acne. Many people believe chocolate makes their acne worse though, and if you do find that any particular food makes your acne worse then these foods should of course be avoided if possible