Question:
I’ve heard about combination
acne treatment. What does that mean? Why might it work for
my skin?
Answer:
The idea behind combination treatment for acne is similar to the
reason you use more than just a fork when you eat a meal. The
fork is great, but it really doesn’t do the job a knife
does at cutting your steak or buttering your slice of bread. And
when you try using the fork for your soup…well, you get
the idea.
There
are a number of factors involved in the development of acne. Generally,
acne boils down to four fundamental factors leading to its development.
And, while some agents used in treating acne address more than
one of these factors, few address them broadly.
As
a result, dermatologists have generally concluded that taking
a more comprehensive approach to treating acne is the most effective.
So, the recommendations given to patients frequently include more
than one agent.
On
the OTC (over-the-counter or non-prescription) front, the approved
medicines for the treatment of acne are benzoyl peroxide, salicylic
acid, sulfur and resorcinol. Other than sulfur + resorcinol, these
medicines cannot be mixed with each other in the same formula.
And,
it’s a good idea not to apply two different stay-on medications
with different ingredients at the same time. But, it has been
found that these OTC medications can often be more helpful if
they’re used in combination with each other – like
using both a knife and a fork to eat a meal.
I
agree with dermatologist Dr. Katie Rodan, who said in an interview
with the New Beauty magazine, (Spring-Summer 2007): “The
best scenario for treating acne is combination treatment with
both salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.”
By
using benzoyl
peroxide to treat acne you'll generally get deeper into the
pore than by using salicylic acid, down where many of the P acnes
bacteria hang out. And that’s great, since it’s also
a better antibacterial agent than salicylic acid.
On
the other hand, salicylic
acid is usually a gentler, less irritating medication that
works closer to the surface. That’s the area that has a
thickened lining and the plug blocking the pore – problems
that salicylic acid is good at treating.
So, if acne has you frustrated, it might be a good idea to try
using more than just one utensil.
If
you have a question that you haven't been able to find an answer
to on this site, please send your question about acne to Dr.
Wilkinson.
