A Younger Look for the New Year

What's New in Acne Treatments (And Which Treatments Are Actually Recommended By Doctors)?

There's a lot of home remedies out there for acne treatment, and some of them are making big news these days thanks to online bloggers who are touting their success. What do the experts say? What should you try instead? What if the home remedies don't work?

Skip the wasabi and try toothpaste or white vinegar instead.

One beauty blogger has started a trend that dermatologists say you could do without—applying wasabi paste with a q-tip to the epicenter of a whitehead. The blogger cautions against using the wasabi as a general facemask because the treatment is too harsh for your face as a whole. However, experts say that's probably a good sign right there that you shouldn't apply it to any part of your face, including acne spots.

Instead, they recommend using gentler treatments that work on the same principles. White toothpaste has antibacterial properties and baking soda, which helps balance out the skin's pH. White vinegar and apple-cider vinegar also have antibacterial properties and are able to naturally balance out your skins's pH factor without the burn risk of something as strong as wasabi. Witch hazel is another traditional home remedy, something that you may have heard your grandmother mention—but it's very effective at balancing out your skin's uneven tone, reducing inflammation and redness, and keeping your pores clear and unclogged. Finally, if you have some Milk of Magnesia sitting around, a few drops can be used as a toner. The natural zinc in the product helps reduce oil in your skin and reduce redness.

Light therapy is cheap and may be effective for some.

If common household items aren't working, it may be time to give drugstore remedies a chance. But how do you pick among the myriad of choices—many of which are expensive—without wasting your money? Reading the boxes on some of the commercial products available may scare you as well, because they warn you that even using the product can result in redness, flaky skin, dry patches, or sometimes scars.

Fortunately, there's another new thing on the market that's being touted by beauty experts—and this one has the approval of dermatologists: an LED light mask. It's relatively inexpensive (one brand sells for around $35 plus an additional $15 for the activator), and doesn't require any harsh treatments that can leave your skin overly dry or chemically burnt. A combo of blue and red lights actually kills off the bacteria, p. acnes, that commonly causes acne eruptions. It also has the benefit being an anti-inflammatory, and that helps reduce the redness that goes along with acne.

Dermatologists give this treatment their blessing, especially for patients with mild acne and sensitive skin. You also don't have to worry about the effects of the light on your skin as far as premature aging or skin cancer go. Unlike tanning-bed lights, these face masks don't give off harmful UV light.

Know when it's time to seek professional help.

If home remedies and the latest over-the-counter remedies aren't clearing up your stubborn acne, it may be time to reach out for a dermatologist's help. If you've been down that road before and weren't satisfied with the results, consider giving the dermatologist a try again—just like home remedies and over-the-counter remedies, there are new breakthroughs in professional care as well. 

Dermatologists are reassessing treatment models, and the latest guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology now recommend an approach that relies on more than just antibiotics—which has been a long-time staple for severe acne treatment. The AAD recommends combining topical therapy at a minimum. Four different oral contraceptives and oral isotretinoin, a drug developed primarily for the use of severe acne, are also considered appropriate for professional treatment.

For more information about what you can do to get your acne under control, consider making an appointment with a dermatologist such as Associated Skin Care Specialists in your area.


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