How does the severity of your acne determine what treatment is suitable?
Mild acne will often respond to prescription topical treatments (creams and ointments) including benzoyl peroxide, topical antibiotics and topical retinoids. Over the counter products containing retinol, retinoids, AHAs, azelaic acid and salicylic acid can also be of benefit. Where topical treatments are not effective the next step would be tablet treatments such as antibiotics or the oral contraceptive pill (for women).
Moderate acne will not generally respond to over the counter products and also may not respond to prescription topical treatments on their own. It will often require tablet treatments such as antibiotics, the oral contraceptive pill (females only) spironolactone (females only) or isotretinoin (roaccutane).
Inflammatory acne affecting the chin and jawline area in women can be driven by increased levels of the male sex hormone testosterone (which is naturally present at low levels in women as well). Topical treatments tend to be less effective, however tablets which block the male sex hormone such as spironolactone or the oral contraceptive pill can be effective. This is often referred to as hormonal acne.
With severe acne there are widespread lesions and it is important to treat promptly and effectively to minimize scarring. This will almost always require a systemic (tablet) treatment
How can I help
I see patients in person in central London. An in person consultation allows me to examine the skin directly including features that are difficult to capture in a photograph such as 3-dimensional changes and textural change. This is the better option where the diagnosis is uncertain, where previous treatment has not been effective, or where a procedure is being considered. For more straightforward conditions such as acne and rosacea a remote consultation with clear photographs can be a good option.
Related Articles
- How is acne classified?
- How do you know what the right treatment is for your acne?
- When should I consider isotretinoin (Roaccutane) for my acne?
- What treatments are effective for hormonal acne?
