Acne Vulgaris or simply Acne, as it is popularly known, is an inflammatory disease of the skin. It is primarily caused due to changes in the skin texture, which consists of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The lesions are also commonly referred to as pimples or zits. The skin’s sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance called sebum which travels from the gland to the skin’s surface through the tiny hair follicles. If somehow, this sebum gets trapped, it causes clogged pores, which in turn, results in Acne. The sebum generally gets trapped due to it’s mixing with dead skin cells and bacteria. The main causes of Acne are changes in the levels of male hormones called androgens, increased sebum production, changes inside the hair follicle and bacteria.

Acne occurs mostly during adolescence. Almost 85% of the teenagers are affected by Acne which often continues into adulthood. In spite of the fact that Acne seems to reduce towards the early twenties, it is not sure how long the problem might persist and it often tends to turn up later in life as some people are seen to be suffering even in their thirties or more.

Acne occurs on the areas of skin that has greater concentration of sebaceous glands. The face and upper neck are mostly affected. In many cases, chest, back and shoulders are also affected. The problems caused by Acne other than scars are mostly psychological. It often causes reduced self-esteem, depression and in extreme cases, though rarely, even suicide. As Acne generally occurs at the time of adolescence when people tend to be socially insecure and confused, early and aggressive treatments are essential to reduce the overall psychological impacts.

There are several medications for Acne. The topical medications are directly applied to the skin, whereas oral medications are also available. Other medications are also available which need to be injected into the acne cysts or pustules. It might require a combination of all the treatments and sometimes surgical ones too. These treatments take several weeks to work and sometimes the skin looks worse before getting better.

Prescription Topical Medications include cleansers, creams, lotions and gels aimed at reducing the amount of oil and/or bacteria in the pores. These medications often include Benzoyl peroxide, Sulfur, Resorcinol, Salicylic acid, Antibiotics, Tretinoin, Adapalene, Azelaic acid, and Tazarotene. Prescription Oral Medications include antibiotics, medications for hormone-related acne and vitamin A derivatives called "retinoids" which are generally used for moderate to severe cases of Acne.

These medications can be quite expensive, especially as they often need to be continued over a prolonged time period. Online pharmacies have once again come to the rescue regarding this matter. Proper Acne medications are now made easily available by the online pharmacies. They can be ordered online with just a click of the mouse and the necessary medications can be supplied at your doorstep. Online pharmacies have really come a long way to help patients receive easy Acne treatments.