Which Acne Creams Work Best?

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Thursday, December 4th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Several of todays poular acne cream treatments contain either retinoids or antimicrobials. Antimicrobials, as their name suggests, kill or inhibit the production of the bacteria that cause acne. Retinoids, which are made from vitamin A, stop the formation of blackheads, whiteheads, and unclog the pores. Below are some examples of these.

Topical Antimicrobials

· Clindamycin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic. It reduces acne and lessens inflammation. Clinical tests have proven Clindamycin to be well tolerated and safe. However, it may cause side effects such as skin dryness or irritation. It decreases bacterial resistance caused by antibiotic use.

· Erythromycin has both antimicrobials and anti-inflammatory properties. Acne cream preparations that combine erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide have been proven to be very effective. Possible side effects are irritation and dryness of the area treated. It can also decrease the bacterial resistance from antibiotic use.

Topical Retinoids

· Adapalene is a synthetic retinoid that unclogs pores and has moderate to potent anti-inflammatory properties. Dryness and minor skin irritation are possible occurences with use.

· The first retinoid produced for topical (applied to skin) use was Tretinoin. It is a natural retinoid that gradually unclogs pores and helps them stay unplugged. Burning, itching and redness are a few of the side effects that some users observe.

Topical Niacinamide (also called Nicotinamide)

After Vitamin-A derived retinoids, the most recent revolutionary treatment for acne comes from a substance called niacinamide. It is derived from niacin, a component of the Vitamin B complex.

Niacinamide and acne treatment were the subject of a New York State University study, where 76 patients were studied for the acne healing effects of 4% niacinamide gel versus 1% clindamycin gel. The gels were applied two times a day for 8 weeks, on moderate to inflammatory acne.

The result – 82% of niacinamide patients showed improvement as compared to only 68% of clindamycin patients. Moreover, since Clindamycin is widely known to diminish bacterial resistance, niacinamide is even more preferred.

Niacinamide (sometimes called Nicotinamide) in cream or gel form is one of the most effective acne treatments available. Some of the advantages are the following.

· It is safe and natural to keep using it for as long as necessary.
· It will not make your skin develop bacterial resistance unlike most antimicrobials.
· It is perfect for those who have sensitive and/or dry skin and can’t tolerate retinoids very well.

Furthermore, 4% Niacinamide cream (such as Acnessential) can be used alone or alongside antibiotics and even retinoids.

Go visit acne-free-info.com for more information about niacin topical.

Acne E-book for FREE

If you’d like further information on treating acne in general, visit http://acne-free-info.com for a download of a free acne ebook.

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