The following treatments get rid of the acne, but on their own, do not remove its underlying cause(s):
Benzoyl peroxide - antibacterial, peeling (keratolytic), and drying actions; sold OTC under many brand names, and is the active ingredient in such as Clearasil and ProActiv;
Prescription retinoid creams
• Tretinoinc/All trans retinoic acid (Renova®, Retin-A®,Aberela®, Airol®, Atralin®, Avita®, Retacnyl®, Refissa®,Stieva-A®)
• Adapalene (Differin®)
• Tazarotene (Tazorac®, Avage®, Zoracc®)
Antibiotics - typically tetracycline-type antibiotics are prescribed to kill acne infections, but no physician wants to keep their patient on long-term antibiotics, with good reason.
Oral retinoid
• Isotretinoin ( no longer available as Accutane®, but still available in generic form). Prescribed in extreme cases, isotretinoin significantly reduces the amount of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands. It is the only drug classified as category X, meaning it is 100% guaranteed to cause birth defects if used by a pregnant woman. As of 2002, if you are a woman of child bearing age, you have to get a pregnancy test before it can be prescribed; Also has other side effects, such as feelings of depression, aggression, and suicide.
