Resorcinol acne treatments may sound like just another chemical found in the products used on a daily basis to prevent the many minor ailments that plaque us. It might help make the chemical less intimidating to know that it can be made by distilling brazilwood. Resorcinol is used in the finish acne lotions that are left on rather than being rinsed as are the ingredients like salicylic acid frequently found in cleansers. Often it is used with sulfur; another FDA approved over-the-counter treatment serving a similar purpose. Found in about a 2% solution, resorcinol acne treatment is meant to serve as a way of unclogging pores. It is also a mild antiseptic used as a topical disinfectant. Resorcinol also has uses in dandruff, hay fever and whooping cough treatments. Resorcinol is used because it has better chemical properties than other similar ingredients. It can be blended into a better product which probably accounts for its popularity among chemists. This is one of the substances that shows up over and over in the ingredient lists of many non-prescription treatments. Typically a complete acne treatment regime would include several steps before the use of a product containing resorcinol. Usually a cleanser containing a peeling ingredient like salicylic acid or oil blotting benzoyl peroxide would be the first step. Then a second step to remove bacteria would include using benzoyl peroxide lotion. A third or last step would use sulfur, resorcinol or both. Most good acne treatment regimes would also include a deep pore treatment of some kind about once a week. This could be a clay mask intended to absorb oxidized sebum in order to unclog pores. Another possibility would be the use of salicylic acid in higher percentages for a deep peeling treatment. Resorcinol acne treatment is among the most frequently used. |
