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Skin Concerns and
Medication

By Lizzie De La Cruz
June 17, 2021

Let’s talk about your skin! It is the largest organ in your body, and it also faces the world — literally. It helps you feel, and it tells you how you are feeling as well. It holds the good things in, and it keeps the bad things out. Keeping your skin healthy is important, but how does it stay healthy? From acne to wrinkles, skin care problems always seem to be with us! What are some of the most common skin care concerns, and what medications help? Some advice just seems to make things worse—here’s advice that can help.

Don’t take acne lightly

Acne happens to anyone and at any age. Most commonly, it is associated with teenagers and is linked to hormonal changes. It’s annoying and a little bit embarrassing. Worst of all, though, it is persistent. Acne can be a problem that is much worse for some than for others. It can scar the skin and cause emotional distress, too. There are a lot of myths about how to treat it — it's not made worse through eating chocolate or greasy food. Talking to a doctor or dermatologist is the best way to pinpoint how to address your specific issues, but a good rule of thumb is to keep your skin clean and use gentle, minimal products. Overloading on skincare can lead to more problems than solutions!

These causes include excess oil production and clogged pores due to oil and dead skin cells. Bacteria and inflammation also can cause acne. Teenagers go through more hormonal changes, and during this time, the skin does produce more oil in the skin glands. Older women can get breakouts, too, due to midlife hormone changes.

Vitamin A Retinoids

Skin conditions, like acne, sun damage, or wrinkles can be treated with medication that is made from retinoids or vitamin A. Pills, topical ointments, and face creams that are suggested for skin conditions contain either a natural or synthetic vitamin A, such as tretinoin, also known as Retin-A.

What is Tretinoin?

This is medication for addressing acne and signs of aging. Tretinoin goes by many brand names, but at the heart of it is a synthetic vitamin A. Believe it or not, it works by irritating the skin and speeding up the life cycle of the skin cells so that the dead skin cells are more quickly replaced by healthier cells. Tretinoin is not the same as retinol, an over-the-counter form of vitamin A which is much milder. If you think you want a medication with tretinoin to help with acne, a doctor can provide a prescription and advice on which is best. Skin care concerns can be very upsetting, and it is even more upsetting to be unsure what to do about the issue, what the causes are, and how to improve the situation instead of making it worse. For some, acne is something that will likely clear up and go away easily, but for others, it is a bigger problem.

Check out Wisp to order prescription strength treatment for acne, fine lines and wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Message a doctor about your skin care concerns and put your best face forward.