How do medications treat acne?

Prescription topical treatments help by promoting cell turnover and also by killing bacteria on the skin. The combination is often very effective in treating acne.

Over-the-counter creams and gels usually have chemicals like salicylic acid that work by drying out the skin to unclog pores. Topical medicines prescribed by a doctor are applied to and absorbed by the skin. These medicines can either kill the bacteria trapped in pores, or they can unclog the pores themselves. Oral medications work from the inside out to kill the bacteria in the pores. Sometimes these use the same chemicals found in topical creams, but they're a lot stronger and more effective when taken by mouth.