Posts Tagged ‘gel treatment’

In the fight against the more mild, but very irritating form of acne, there are a lot of different types of acne treatment gel products on the market. An acne gel is a topical treatment that is applied directly to the acne blemish, usually once a day, that works to dry out and kill the bacteria causing the spots.

Acne gel treatments come in a huge range of different available products, but no matter which one you choose they are all FDA regulated and must contain at least one FDA-approved active ingredient. There are only four active ingredients that have been approved by the FDA and they have been tested to give you a recommended amount that is safe and effective.

The four FDA-approved active ingredients for acne are: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur and sulfur combined with resorcinol. These ingredients are the parts of these gels that do the work of drying the acne out. All of these chemicals by themselves can be quite harsh on the skin and should be used strictly as the directions that come with the package prescribe. If the product that you’re buying promises to treat “acne” then it must contain one of these four agents.

Acne gel treatments can be grouped into a collective description as over the counter (OTC) treatments. This is the kind of treatment that the majority of acne sufferers use. In fact, only around 25 per cent of people use prescription medication to control their acne. The rest, one would presume are either using these OTC treatments or a natural home made therapy.

As a brief example of what is available out there, here are three known acne treatment gels that are easy to find in stores today:

Natria Treatment Gel – this is a gel treatment that uses salicylic acid as the chief active ingredient. Along with the active ingredient is a whole list of skin care products to sooth the skin to balance the harsher effect of the salicylic acid. It’s a treatment that will slough off a layer of skin and unclog the blocked pores. The recommendation is that it is used morning and night and that a moisturizer be applied after the gel has been fully rubbed in and absorbed. You can buy a tube of Natria Treatment Gel for around $12.00 for a 1 fl. oz tube.

Glytone Acne Treatment Gel – this is another gel treatment that is effective for mild to moderate acne conditions. It contains a 10% level of benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredient. It’s a formulation that is made without oils and is lightweight, proclaiming that it is suitable for using on the most oily and acne-prone complexions. This is another treatment that will dry out the skin and the recommendation is that you start with only one application per day until the skin has become accustomed to its use before increasing gradually to two or three applications per day. This treatment costs around $18.00 for a 2 oz tube.

Murad Exfoliating Treatment Gel – as the name suggests this product will also remove a layer of dead skin. Some comments have been made that the gel will sting a little after it has been applied. This will be due to the fact that it contains hydrogen peroxide, retinol, glycolic and salicylic acid. SO, in other words this is a fairly aggressive type of acne treatment that will remove skin quickly, unclogging the pores and controlling future breakouts. You’ve got to be prepared that there will be some drying out of the skin with a product containing these ingredients. To buy Murad Exfoliating Treatment Gel it will cost you around $54.00 for a 3.4 fl. oz. bottle.

These three acne treatment gels are only a few of a wide range of OTC treatments that are available in stores and online. Remember, you’re looking for one of four FDA-approved active ingredients to be part of the list of the product’s ingredients. In general these treatments will feel a little harsh on your skin to begin with. This is due to the necessity to dry the acne out and clear out the clogged pores of your skin.