Acne
Acne vulgaris is a common form of acne. It produces a mix of inflamed and non-inflamed lesions.
Medicines used to treat Acne
Retin-A Cream
0.025 · 0.05%
Retin-A Cream is tretinoin in a tube for acne vulgaris and photoageing. It comes in several strengths and pack sizes. Each option lists its price per tube.
Retin-A Gel
0.01 · 0.025%
Retin-A Gel puts tretinoin in a gel tube for acne vulgaris. You can choose from several strengths and pack sizes. Each option lists its price per tube.
Vibramycin
100mg
Vibramycin is doxycycline, a tablet used for acne vulgaris, chlamydia trachomatis, Lyme disease, respiratory tract infection and malaria prophylaxis. It comes in one strength. You see the price per tablet for each option.
Doxycycline
100mg
Doxycycline tablets contain doxycycline and are used for acne vulgaris, bacterial infection and malaria prophylaxis. One strength and several pack sizes comes. You see the price per tablet for each option.
Key points
- Acne lesions are centred on the pilosebaceous unit, which is the hair follicle together with its oil gland.
- Several types of acne spot often appear at the same time.
- Acne affects both sexes and all races, and it can occur across a wide age range.
What acne is and why it appears
Acne can start when a follicle becomes blocked by oil and dead skin cells. Surplus oil in a blocked pore allows Cutibacterium acnes to multiply, and hormones drive the process further. Neither oily food nor poor hygiene directly causes acne. Harsh scrubbing can injure the skin barrier and does not clear blocked pores. The face is the usual site, but lesions may also appear on the neck, chest and back.
Signs and when to get advice
Individual lesions usually clear within two weeks, but deeper papules and nodules can last for months. Acne that is not settling is worth discussing with a doctor.
Treatment options
Topical tretinoin is used for acne and helps speed cell turnover. Retin-A Cream contains tretinoin 0.025% and 0.05% strengths; Retin-A Gel contains tretinoin 0.01% and 0.025%.
Oral doxycycline is an antibiotic used for acne. Vibramycin and Doxycycline are doxycycline 100mg tablets.
For women with a hormonal pattern, Diane 35 tablets contain cyproterone and ethinylestradiol. It is used for acne vulgaris and hirsutism.
Orders are shipped to Malaysia from pharmacy partners in India in discreet packaging.
What the sources say
- Treatment is matched to severity, with topical preparations for mild acne and oral antibiotics or hormonal treatment for moderate disease. (DermNet)
- In darker skin, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation often persists after lesions have gone and is frequently the main reason people seek medical attention. (DermNet)
Further reading
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