There are a number of vitamins and minerals that can be used to improve the look and condition of your skin. The mineral zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E, and B-complex vitamins like vitamin B6 are often used to support acne treatment, as these vitamins are very important for the health of your skin. Eating foods that are rich in sulphur may also be helpful as sulphur helps to cure acne. Garlic and onions both contain a good supply of sulphur. Your health care provider may also recommend that you avoid eating sugar, fried foods, or foods that have a high fat content. Also eliminate any sugar based carbonated beverages.

Acne can also be caused by genetics. Studies have shown that a family history of acne can affect whether you have acne and the severity of it. So if your mother or father had acne as a teen, chances are that it will be a contributory factor to the cause of your acne.

The acne can also be treated externally by using erythromycin or benzoyl peroxide. While this reduces the bacteria causing the problem, it is really treating the symptoms rather than the cause. That is, the oil secretion and abnormal cell behaviour that blocks the follicle in the first place. So unfortunately, the acne will usually reappear within some weeks of the treatment being stopped.

There are a few choices available to treat moderate acne scarring. The most popular are dermabrasion and laser resurfacing. Dermabrasion is a scar treatment in which a diamond plated wheel is used to sand your face. This technique has been around for a long time and sandpaper was once used instead of the new machines that utilize the diamond plated tool. Generally, this procedure takes around an hour to perform. You should expect some scabbing and redness for a few weeks. This method is most effective for individual with very pale or very dark complexions.

Some prescription topical medicines are also effective acne treatments. They include antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, adapalene and tretinoin. These acne treatments help stunt the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Depending on the skin type of the person, a doctor will prescribe the appropriate effective acne treatment. For instance, if one is with an oily skin, creams and lotions will not be advised since they are oil-based medications. Gels and solutions will suit more the oily skin since they are usually alcohol-based and tend to dry the skin. These medications are often subject to testing first before one could really consider them as effective acne treatments for their skin problem. As a case-by-case basis, side effects from topical medicines may surface. These side effects may include rashes, stinging, redness, burning, scaling and discoloration.

One big problem is that some people do not understand the acne problem for the mere reason that they never suffered from it, obviously this creates a terrible situation where the teen is not only ridiculed for the acne he suffers from, he gets this from others that very clearly do not have the problem. In more recent years, however, the problems faced by those who suffer from acne are being more widely addressed, and the social and psychological effects being studied more closely.