Gently wash affected areas twice a day with mild soap and warm water. Shampoo your hair often, daily if it is oily. This pill is available in three strengths and is taken daily for up to six months. A derivative of vitamin A, it works by shrinking the oil- producing, or sebaceous, glands that are attached to every hair follicle and by limiting the amount of oil, or sebum, that the glands make. Accutane also has other effects on the skin that may help keep pores from getting clogged.
Dermatologists consider it the most effective treatment for severe acne.
They include tetracycline, minocycline and sulfa drugs, which may be used for months. They work by directly decreasing the amount of oil that comes out of the hair follicle. They also kill bacteria inside the hair follicle that may be part of pustular acne. A derivative in a topical gel, it is applied once a day to help the skin shed acne papules and cysts and help prevent new ones from forming. It is used extensively for the treatment of mild, blackhead acne.