We know no one likes acne. Using standard medical guidelines and the latest clinical evidence, combined with your answers to our questions and the photos you provide, we can determine whether your symptoms are due to uncomplicated acne and which prescription medicines are most likely to be effective. If you've already tried over-the-counter treatments and haven't found success, we can help!
Read each of the questions carefully and answer each one truthfully. The questions have been carefully designed by our doctors or nurse practitioners to ensure we get the most complete information in a thoughtful and simple way. To evaluate the extent of your acne, we will require photos of your face, chest, and back to evaluate your skin.
Based on your answers and photos, we can determine which prescription medicines for acne to prescribe or if perhaps you should seek a doctor or nurse practitioner in person.
If you're in any of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming you'll need to have a short video visit with a member of our medical team immediately after you complete our health questions and upload your photos.
Acne usually starts during puberty with the production of androgen hormone in both males and females which causes the following changes in the skin.
It's the combination of these factors that causes the zits, pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, and, in severe cases, cysts, that lead to the reddish painful bumps that we commonly refer to as acne.
Yes. Because a diagnosis of acne is based on a skin exam, we can make a diagnosis with your answers to our questions and the photos you submit.
We can prescribe medicines that effectively treat acne, minimize flare-ups and get long-term control. We have different treatments that focus on keeping the pores open, decreasing the amount of skin layer production or keratinization, and also decreasing the amount of bacteria of the skin. Your specific treatment plan may include any one or more of the following medicines: over-the-counter topical cream, gel, or ointment; prescription topical cream, gel, or ointment; prescription topical antibiotics; and prescription oral antibiotics. There are additional treatments for acne that we don't offer, including birth control and isotretinoin (Accutane).
The risks of taking any medicine include side effects or allergic reaction to the medicine. This is true with any prescription or over-the-counter medicine. In addition, the treatment we give you at first may not work as well as expected, which may mean you'll need to change your medicines, add medicines, or see a doctor or nurse practitioner in person.
It's possible that you may see no improvement because your symptoms are due to something else besides acne. In this case, you'll have used medicine(s) for acne unnecessarily and delayed your care.
If you're not seeing improvement in your acne after 1 to 2 months, send us a message for additional advice, return to the service for another visit, or see a doctor or nurse practitioner in person.
There are over-the-counter medicines and other non-prescription treatments available for acne. Left untreated, acne isn't life-threatening though it can result in scarring and ongoing flare-ups.
Although your acne should improve after a few weeks of treatment, it can get worse before it gets better. The flare-up may occur in the first 4 to 8 weeks of treatment. You should try to follow the treatment plan as prescribed for 3 months before deciding to continue or change medicines. The most successful way to treat acne is to be consistent with your treatment.
Although you may not be able to completely prevent acne, there are steps you can take to make your skin better.
Gently wash your face twice a day using a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser (Cetaphil or Dove bar) and warm water. Use your hands rather than a towel or other object that may damage the skin. By removing dirt and excess oil, you can decrease the chance of skin peeling, drying, and cracking. Scrubbing the skin harshly can damage the pores and make the acne worse. Avoid any oil-based skin products or makeup that can clog the pores. Always use hair products, lotions, or cosmetics that are "non-comedogenic," as they are designed to not clog your follicles and glands.
Moisturize your skin if you find the topical medicine(s) for acne dry your skin.
In some cases, your acne may be inflamed and extensive enough (such as when acne is located on the chest and/or back) that the benefits of taking an oral antibiotic outweighs the risks.
If oral antibiotics are part of your acne treatment, we recommend stopping after taking the antibiotic for 3 months.
Although birth control pills can be used to treat acne, at this time we do not offer this option via our acne service. We do offer birth control pills to prevent pregnancy through our birth control service.
No. Though isotretinoin (Accutane) is an effective oral acne medicine for individuals with severe nodular cystic acne, it has very significant risks and side effects including liver inflammation, high triglycerides, and severe abnormalities in a developing fetus. If you think you are a candidate for Accutane, we recommend you see a doctor or nurse practitioner in person who is authorized to prescribe it.
Yes. Acne typically goes away by age 25 to 30, but some some people may still experience flare-ups in their 30s and 40s. Among people 40 and older, about 1 in 10 men and 1 in 4 women report having acne. Overall, acne occurs more often in women than men, but it's typically more severe in men.
There's no medical evidence that acne is caused by what you eat or your personal hygiene, although stress can sometimes worsen acne.