The Best Acne Medication for Teenagers
Teenagers are far and wide the most common targets of acne. Acne is, after all, a natural process that comes with growing up... and as the teenage years are known as the maturity years, one can believe it'll be rife with inconveniences like pimples - or, as the times have dubbed them, zits. Around 80% of all teenagers experience acne outbreaks. So it should be no surprise that for looks-conscious teenagers, finding the best acne medication is a priority!
One may be under the impression that the best acne medication can be found over the counter. If one's definition of "best" is "most cost-efficient," then this is indeed the case. Over-the-counter or OTC acne medication is safe for general use by teens and adults, although some preparations may be stronger, depending on the severity of the acne condition and the general sensitivity of the user to their active chemicals. OTC acne medicines are also usually found in topical form - that is, solutions that may be applied directly onto the afflicted parts of the skin. These may take the form of creams, gels, lotions, patches or soaps.
Different OTC medicines work differently. Benzoyl peroxide, for example, reacts with the top layer of the skin so that it peels off painlessly. This prevents the buildup of sebum in the follicles, which is the process through which pimples are formed. Benzoyl peroxide, in very low and well-diluted doses, is considered one of the safest and most effective acne medications that are available for purchase without a prescription.
Another popular alternative is salicylic acid. It dries the skin less than benzoyl peroxide does, and for this reason, some people find that their skin reacts better to salicylic acid than to any other non-prescription topical chemicals.
Resorcinol and sulfur are other famous alternatives. They may be just as effective as salicylic acid and benzoyl, or even more effective depending on the user's skin type.
In finding the best acne medication, teenagers must be willing to experiment - and more important, to be patient! Acne medicines sometimes take 4-8 weeks before they yield clearly visible results.
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