How to Treat Acne - How Long is Long Enough for an Acne Remedy to Work?

It may seem like there is nothing worse than having a teenager wake up to find a huge pimple on his or her nose. Even worse than a nightmare, perhaps. Or maybe, there is an even worse situation?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Some teens do not only have a big pimple on their nose, they suffer from even more severe form of acne. Sometimes, the acne is so severe that it is necessary to seek out medical advice. In fact, it is said that about 40 percent of the population get hit by this kind of severe acne condition.

Usually, more teenage boys are affected by severe acne than the teenage girls but the condition is still equally damaging to both.

As far as acne is concerned, it is not as simple as just a physical condition. True, acne is definitely far from life threatening but the psychological impact it deals can be rather devastating for any teenage boys or girls.

The problem is that when a teenage boy or girl has a severe acne break outs, he or she can suddenly become the center of attention, in the negative sense of course, being laughed at and ridiculed. Therefore, acne does not only leave scars on the face, it may also leave behind scars in the heart of the victim.

So, is there any effective way to avoid the devastating effects of acne? Well, it is not always easy but there are always solutions that may prove helpful, though the effects will vary from person to person.

For some people, an over the counter medication will usually be sufficient. But with so many to choose from, which one is the best?

Well, for those who are dealing with acne for the first time in their life, and that the break out is so serious to require medication, there are certain guidelines that may be helpful.

Here's what can be done:

1) First, decide which medicine to use. It can be a gel, a cream or a pad. What is important here is to choose the one with the least amount of medicine. For example, if you have decided on benzoyl peroxide, than choose the one with a concentration of 2.5 percent first. As long as there is no severe drying of the skin or irritation, it is generally safe to keep using it for around 2 months.

2) After 2 months, it is time to examine the situation. If the medication seems helpful, you can keep using it. If not, you may want to consider a higher dosage.

3) Repeat step 1 and 2.

4) If a higher concentration doesn't seem to help too, then it may be time to seek out medical advice.

Always exercise caution when using any medication and keep a close observation on any side effects. If your acne doesn't seem to go away, it is always a good idea to see a doctor and he/she may have a better solution for you.