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How A Dermatologist Can Help Clear Up Your Acne
from: MultiSkinCare.comAcne is a very frustrating disorder. It can, more than just damae a person's skin, lower self-esteem and cause a person to lose confidence in him or her self. If you have been struggling with acne for a long time, and have not had any success clearing up your skin, you may want to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. A qualified, highly skilled dermatologist can help you to clear up your acne and allow you to have the clear, healthy, pimple-free skin you have always dreamed of. There is no reason to accept living with acne, it is a condition that can be overcome. This article is going to show you the different ways that a board certified dermatologist can help clear up your skin.
A dermatologist will be able to help you determine the cause of your acne. Before starting a treatment regimen, a dermatologist will examine you to ensure that you do not have any diseases or endocrine disorders that may be contributing to your acne. Once your doctor determines the root of your acne problems, he or she will be able to prescribe the appropriate acne fighting medications.
Oral or topical antibiotics are often the first treatments used to treat stubborn acne. Oral antibiotics, like tetracycline or doxycyline, are often times prescribed for moderate acne. These oral medications should be taken by mouth every day. Topical antibiotics, such as clindamycin and erythromycin, are available in gel, cream and lotion forms and are usually applied twice per day. Both oral and topical antibiotics help to clear up acne by inhibiting the growth of bacteria on the skin.
If you have severe treatment resistant acne, and antibiotics are not able to help you, your doctor may prescribe oral isotretinoin, sold as Accutane. Oral isotretinoin is the strongest, and most effective acne medication available. Because of the high number of side effects caused by the drug, and the fact that using the drug while pregnant will lead to birth defects, oral isotretinoin is used as a last resort to stop acne. Although oral isotretinoin does have some serious side effects, the results achieved by using the drug can be absolutely amazing. If you have severe acne that is scarring your skin and causing severe emotional distress, you may want to ask your dermatologist for an oral isotretinoin prescription.
Light therapy is a relatively recent treatment that doctors have been using to clear up acne. Light therapy is used to kill bacteria on the skin and is best suited for people with typical, moderate acne. It may be used in conjunction with other acne treatments.
A dermatologist can also perform a chemical peel on your skin. Chemical peels, which are available in a variety of strengths, peel off the top, outer-most layer of skin and, although they won't stop new pimples from forming, can be very effective in reducing the appearance of acne scars and hyperpigmentation.
As anyone who has acne knows, it is a very painful and frustrating disorder. If you have been struggling with acne yourself, and over-the-counter treatments have proven to be ineffective, schedule an appointment with a dermatologist and see if he or she can help you get the clear skin you've always wanted. Good luck!
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