Ingredients --
Acne Medications
Acne is caused when skin cells shed too quickly in hair follicles.
This clogs the follicle, producing
comedones, more commonly
known as whiteheads and blackheads. These can then become inflamed,
producing pimples.
Acne medicines may contain ingredients that
remove the top layer of dead skin
(such as
salicylic acid,
benzoyl peroxide,
and
sulfur)
and ingredients that have antibacterial action. Some ingredients
reduce sebum production; others reduce inflammation.
Sulfur
Sulfur used to be quite common in acne medications, but
while it was effective at reducing inflammatory lesions, it caused
more whiteheads and blackheads, from which the inflammatory lesions
form. For this reason, it is usually combined with something like
salicylic acid, or resorcinol, to eliminate the comedones.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol unclogs pores by causing dead skin cells to slough off.
It also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide prevents the pores
from clogging up by removing dead skin cells. It also kills the
bacterium
Propionibacterium acnes that causes acne. It has
anti-inflammatory effects and reduces oxygen free radicals and
fatty acids on the skin.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid unclogs the pores, and
reduces inflammation. It is also somewhat effective at killing
bacteria.
Hydroxy Acids
Salicylic acid is a Beta Hydroxy Acid.
Glycolic acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid, as are lactic acid, citric acid,
among many others. Hydroxy acids are compounds that are both
alcohols and acids at the same time. Hydroxy acids are used
as chemical peeling agents. Alpha hydroxy acids can make the
skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light by removing the protective
outer layers of the skin.
Some Alpha hydroxy acids:
- Citric acid
- Lactic acid
- Ammonium glycolate
- Alpha-hydroxycaprylic acid
- Alpha-hydroxyethanoic acid
- Alpha-hydroxyoctanoic acid
- Glycolic acid (sometimes called fruit acid or sugar cane extract)
- Malic acid
By Simon Quellen Field