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Acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S., affecting 17 million people. For most, the condition clears up by the age of thirty. Acne is caused by blockage of the pores leading from the sebaceous glands, which secret an oily substance called sebum. When these glands become blocked, they can become infected, leading to comedones and, in more extreme cases, nodules or cysts. When the acne heals it can often leave the skin scarred which can be a reason enough to pursue all sorts of remedies.

Antibiotics and topical creams are usually the first defense dermatologists recommend in fighting acne. They work by inhibiting protein synthesis in bacteria, thereby inhibiting growth of the bacteria in the sebaceous glands that lead to acne. However, they also reduce the normal bacterial flora in your intestines that you need for digestion. Common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Antibiotics in general are fairly safe for healthy people but they aren't as effective in the treatment of acne compared to medications like accutane, benzoyl peroxide cream, azelaic acid, salicylic acid, retinoids, sulfur, tazarotene, tretinoin, or adapalene gels.

However, if you look at the chart below, you might want to consider natural treatments than taking the risks of the side effects from the acne drugs.

Drug	Use	Common, Benign Side Effects	Serious Side Effects	Life- Threatening Side Effects	Reasons Not to Take
Tetracycline	Acne	Nausea, Vomiting	Diarrhea, tooth damage, skin sensitivity	Liver or Kidney toxicity (rare) Hypersensitivity, Sun sensitivity	Allergy, kidney or liver disease, pregnancy, lactation
Doxycycline	Acne	Nausea, Vomiting	Diarrhea, tooth damage, skin sensitivity	Liver or Kidney toxicity (rare) Hypersensitivity, Sun sensitivity	Allergy, kidney or liver disease, pregnancy, lactation
Demeclocycline	Acne	Nausea, Vomiting	Diarrhea, tooth damage, skin sensitivity, sunburn	Liver or Kidney toxicity (rare) Hypersensitivity, Sun sensitivity	Allergy, kidney or liver disease, pregnancy, lactation
Minocycline	Acne	Nausea, Vomiting	Diarrhea, tooth damage, skin sensitivity, dizziness, vertigo	Liver or Kidney toxicity (rare) Hypersensitivity, Sun sensitivity	Allergy, kidney or liver disease, pregnancy, lactation
Benzoyl peroxide	Acne	Dry skin, skin irritation	Sun sensitivity, rash, blistering	None	None
Azelaic acid	Acne	Itching, burning, stinging, tingling	Rash	None	None
Sulfur	Acne	Skin irritation, itching	Sun sensitivity, bruising	Allergic reaction, jaundice	Kidney disease, allergies to sulfa
Zinc oxide	Acne	Dry skin, skin irritation	Sun sensitivity	None	None
Salicylic acid	Acne	Skin irritation	Dizziness	Confusion, drowsiness, vomiting	None
Tretinoin (Retin-A)	Acne	Dry skin, skin irritation	Sun sensitivity	Allergic reaction	Allergy to medication
Adapalene	Acne	Dry skin, skin irritation	Sun sensitivity	Allergic reaction	Allergy to medication
Tazarotene	Acne	Dry skin, skin irritation	Sun sensitivity	Allergic reaction	Allergy to medication
Isotretinoin (Accutane)	Acne	Headache, dry skin, dry eyes, skin peeling	Elevated lipids, osteoporosis	Depression, psychosis, aggression, suicide, irritable bowel disease, birth defects, bone and joint pain, brain swelling, liver damage	Current depression, pregnancy
Dapsone (Avlosulfun)	Acne	Stomach upset, sore throat, fever	Sun sensitivity, rash, pale skin	Mental changes, bleeding, vomiting	Pregnancy, lactation, anemia, liver disease
Spironolactone (Aldactone)	Acne	Headache, diarrhea	Hair growth, deepening of the voice, breast enlargement, impotence	Confusion, blurred vision, dizziness, vomiting	Pregnancy, lactation, liver or kidney disease, taking anti-hypertensives

The Bottom Line

Prevention is the first-line treatment for acne.

Drink less milk and stay away from high-sugar and processed foods.

Exercise regularly and reduce stress.

And of course there are alternative treatments.

Get Acupuncture and drink herbal tea from an Acupuncturist who knows what he is doing.

At Raah Natural Care, along with Acupuncture and Herbal tea to restore your balance, we use 100% natural herb mask, formulated and blended just for your skin condition, followed by facial using USDA certified organic products to correct disfigurement and scarring caused by acne.

Give us a call @ 323-422-4964 to make an appointment for detailed consultation on how to successfully treat acne naturally!