Acne Reduction Creams - Do They Really Work?

There are myriad forms of acne treatment available from natural methods to laser therapy. One of the more popular therapies entails the usage of acne treatment skin creams, lotions and gels. If you have perused the shelves at your local pharmacy lately then you no doubt know that there are many different choices of acne treatment skin creams available. They all promise to get rid of your acne fast so it can be quite perplexing trying to sort out the various claims that the acne treatment skin creams make. You really need to learn a little about what acne skin infection actually is and learn what triggers these infections to happen and the way to control and eliminate it so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing a cream. Acne infections occur most often after your body experiences hormonal changes that tell the oil glands under your skin to produce more sebum oil than normal. In normal quantities this oil functions as a skin lubricant but when too much of it is secreted it could possibly mix with dead skin and debris and plug up your skin pores. Skin pores which are clogged can get infected with the bacteria which causes infections of acne. You need to find an acne treatment skin cream which can deal with these factors. Benzoyl peroxide is an ingredient that you will find listed on many of the popular over the counter anti-acne skin creams. It is effective as it helps control your acne in two ways. It works as an exfoliate to get rid of toxins and dead skin cells from the skin so that the skin pores don't get clogged up. Additionally it is a potent antibacterial that destroys the P. acnes bacteria which can get into clogged pores and infect them. You need to use anti-acne creams that contain Benzoyl peroxide with caution at first because it is powerful and can over dry your skin and also making it sensitive to ultra violet rays. Another substance that performs two functions to help control acne is azelaic acid. It destroys the bacteria which can cause acne and at the same time it furthermore removes the skin detritus and dead skin cells from the surface by exfoliating it. It is not as strong as Benzoyl peroxide so it usually takes more time for the skin to show results from the treatment. Because of its gentle properties and very few negative effects azelaic acid is usually recommended to people who have sensitive skins. Topical retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A that can help to control and remove acne in several ways. These substances lessen the secretion of sebum oil from your sebaceous glands. In addition they cleanse and exfoliate the skin to prevent skin pores from becoming blocked and infected. The two topical retinoids commonly used in acne treatment creams are adapalene and tretinoin. Creams including these ingredients needs to be used carefully. They can cause sensitivity to sunlight. Topical retinoids are not suitable for women who are expectant as they can cause damage to the fetus and birth defects.