by Vladimire Herard
On an off-label use basis, hydrocortisone can be used to treat facial acne though it does not address its underlying causes.
Hydrocortisone is a steroid mimicking cortisol. Cortisol is a naturally occurring stress hormone that fights inflammation in the human body.
You can use hydrocortisone for any skin condition leading to redness and swelling such as acne, allergies, arthritis and various types of illness and injury.
Still, the topical solution does not officially treat acne because it does not eradicate the bacteria that causes it and it does not ward off breakouts. Hydrocortisone can only reduce inflammation and swelling caused by acne.
By contrast, other substances such as benzoyl peroxide are used to address acne. However, research has found that benzoyl peroxide is more effective against acne when paired with hydrocortisone.
The combination succeeds to fight acne because hydrocortisone works against the symptoms of redness and irritation brought on by benzoyl peroxide when it dries your skin in the process.
Hydrocortisone cream treats pimples after pores become clogged as blackheads, whiteheads or pimples by scaling back the resulting swelling and redness.
If the pimples are tiny, the cream won’t be as effective. Instead, another over-the-counter treatment can be found at a pharmacy precisely for this type of acne.
Hydrocortisone cream can also confront a more serious type of acne known as cystic acne. The resulting nodules are red, hard and raw.
Since irritation is a major effect, hydrocortisone succeeds in eliminating the nodules. Still, the cream only provides short-term relief rather than a permanent remedy.
For best use of hydrocortisone cream, you start by washing your face with a gentle cleanser. You apply a bit of the cream on your face and slowly rub it in. In the presence of inflammation, you can use it once to four times daily.
You could also use a slightly grainy, cleansing scrub to exfoliate your skin as much as three times weekly.
Still, a variety of skin types and sensitivities must be factored into use. Hydrocortisone can elicit a severe reaction in some consumers.
As a consequence, you must carefully try the cream and be mindful of particular side effects like bumps, burning, dryness, hair growth, irritation, itching, pain, redness, severe acne, skin color changes and swelling.
