Virtually everyone finds themselves dealing with acne at some point in life, especially during adolescence. Many people continue to deal with ongoing breakouts well into adulthood. Luckily, mild acne typically clears up with over-the-counter medicated gels or lotions along with consistent, gentle skincare changes.
But what if your acne breakouts persist, despite your best efforts?
At Keehan Dermatology in Fort Worth, Texas, Dr. Patrick Keehan and our seasoned team can determine what type of stubborn acne you’re dealing with, then craft a multi-tiered treatment plan that addresses your unique needs to support optimal skin clearance.
Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that triggers the breakout of pus-filled lesions. These lesions may be mild (pimples, blackheads, whiteheads) or moderate and more inflamed (papules, nodules, cysts). All acne develops in four basic steps:
Mild acne responds well to gels and creams (topical treatments) with various active ingredients. These readily available products target acne in different ways:
To treat mild acne, it’s best to start with just one product, use it as directed, and give it at least four weeks to work. If a treatment is working, you should see noticeable improvement in four to six weeks. It can take two to three months — and sometimes longer — to see full clearing.
Clearance also requires extra skin care support from you in the form of twice-daily gentle cleansing; avoid over-washing or scrubbing acne-prone skin, which can make the problem worse. You’ll also want to use non-comedogenic moisturizers, sunscreen, and makeup that won’t clog your pores, and resist touching or popping your pimples.
Using too many products at once, or switching products too quickly, can worsen existing acne, irritate your skin, and lead to further breakouts. Likewise, not using a product as directed can leave you with lingering acne.
Many people don’t use their topical treatment consistently, or only apply the gel or lotion to pimples (i.e., spot treatment) rather than the full area of acne-prone skin to prevent new breakouts. Discontinuing treatment after skin clearing can also lead to new breakouts.
If your acne is improving — but not clearing completely — after enough time with one product, try adding a second product to your routine. Be sure to choose one that has a different active ingredient (i.e., if you’re already using salicylic acid, try adding benzoyl peroxide).
If your mild acne hasn’t responded to your two-tiered treatment after two to four months — either at all or to the degree you were hoping — come see our team at Keehan Dermatology.
A dermatologist has the expertise, full-strength prescription treatments, and clinical-grade therapies to prevent acne from worsening and clear your skin. You can benefit from seeing a dermatologist when acne:
Given that everyone’s skin is different, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all acne treatment plan. But virtually all acne — including persistent cases — can be cleared with the right approach.
When mild acne doesn’t resolve with basic proven therapies, chances are it actually falls into the moderate or severe category. This means other factors — such as inflammation, fluctuating hormones, or persistent bacteria — are at play, and must be addressed in order to achieve skin clearance.
After asking you detailed questions about your acne breakouts and conducting a thorough skin exam, we may recommend:
In most acne cases, a multi-tiered approach works best. For example, we may prescribe a four-month course of oral antibiotics (usually tetracyclines) to be taken in conjunction with a prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide cream and consistent gentle skincare.
Or, if you’re a woman whose breakouts occur around your period, a combined hormonal contraceptive like the pill can work with your topical treatment to help you attain more complete skin clearance.
Are you ready to resolve acne and get clearer skin? We can help. Schedule a visit at Keehan Dermatology in Fort Worth, Texas, today.
