Acne
Patient Education

Doctors Who Treat Acne

As your acne or pimples are diagnosed, treated and managed, you may encounter the following team of doctors and specialists listed below in this acne patient education guide.

• Dermatologist — A doctor who specializes in skin conditions and diseases. A dermatologist diagnoses, treats, and monitors patients with acne.
• Internist or family physician — A doctor who provides general medical care for adults. Adults with acne or pimples may be diagnosed and treated by an internist or family physician or they may be referred to a dermatologist.
• Pediatrician — A doctor who specializes in the medical care of children. Children and teens with acne or pimples may be diagnosed and treated by a pediatrician or be referred to a dermatologist.

How to Prepare for Your Acne Doctor Visit

Having made your appointment with a healthcare provider, there are certain actions you can take to maximize the benefit of your doctor visit listed in this acne patient education guide.

• Make a list of all the skin care and hair care products you use.
• Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements you are taking. Include the dosage you are taking of each.
• Think about any things that seem to trigger your acne or pimples to flare up and write them down.
• Write down key personal information, including prior illnesses, diet and exercise habits, washing habits, and any major stresses or recent life changes.
• Make a list of questions you have for the doctor so that you don’t forget to ask any of them.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Acne

From your initial diagnosis throughout your treatment and care, you will have questions about your acne. Listed in this acne patient education guide below are questions to discuss with your doctor so you can make informed decisions about your condition and your care.

Question About My Diagnosis

• How do you know what is causing my acne?
• Does something I eat cause my acne?
• Did my make-up or skin care products cause my acne?
• Do pimples ever clear up without medication?
• How long will it take for acne medicine to clear up my skin?

Questions About My Treatment

• What types of medications are used to treat acne? Are there side effects?
• Will I have to take medication for the rest of my life?
• Do over-the-counter acne medications work?
• Will other medications I take interact with my acne medications?
• Can acne cysts be removed surgically?
• Do laser treatments for acne work?

Questions About My Lifestyle & Family

• Do the types of make-up or skin care products I use affect my acne or pimples?
• Are there changes to my diet that would help clear up my acne?
• Would washing my skin more help clear up my acne?
• Do I need to avoid being out in the sun?
• Is there a special type of sunscreen I should use?

Common Tests or Labs to Diagnose Acne

There are no tests to diagnose acne. Doctors diagnose acne by examining the affected skin.

Common Medications and Treatments for Acne

Acne treatment varies depending on whether the acne is mild, moderate, or severe. Some treatments are used only for certain types of acne and others are used for more than one type. In many cases, a combination of treatments is needed to clear up acne or pimples.

Listed below in this acne patient education guide are general self-care rules to help treat acne. These apply to acne of any severity. Medications and minor surgical procedures used to treat acne are described in the tables farther down.

General Rules for Acne Treatment

• Never pop, squeeze, or pick acne.
• Don't use harsh soaps, scrubs, toner, astringent, or masks. These irritate the skin and make breakouts more likely.
• Gently wash the affected skin with warm water and a mild soap twice a day to remove dead skin cells and excess oil. Washing more than twice a day can cause irritation and dryness.
• Don't wash with washcloths or puffs because they can be too abrasive.
• Gently wash skin after sweating.
• Apply acne medication 5-15 minutes after washing.
• Use oil-free skin care and hair care products that won't block pores.
• Apply acne medication before make-up so that the make-up doesn't block absorption of the medication.
• Limit sun exposure by covering skin when possible and generously applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF of 30 or more to exposed skin. Many acne medications make skin more prone to sunburn.
• Use your acne medication exactly as prescribed by the doctor and stop using acne medications not prescribed by the doctor.
• Keep taking the medication as directed even when skin clears.
• Give acne medication 6-8 weeks to clear your skin.
• Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions about treatment and speak up if something doesn't seem to be working.

Drug Category	How it works
Non-Prescription Medications
Benzoyl peroxide	A topical, over-the-counter medication often used for mild acne or pimples May also be included in treatment regimens for moderate or moderately severe acne Works by reducing the bacteria that contributes to acne and removing dead cells from the skin
Salicylic acid	Topical, over-the-counter medication often used for mild acne May also be included in treatment regimens for moderate or moderately severe acne Works by helping correct the abnormal shedding of skin cells and unclogging pores to clear and prevent lesions
Resorcinol	An ingredient in some topical acne medications Works by controlling small acne lesions and is frequently combined with sulfur in over-the-counter medications
Sulfur	An ingredient in many topical acne medications Used in acne treatment for many years but the way that it works is not known
Prescription Medications
Topical antimicrobials	Prescription medications applied to the skin Used for mild, moderate, or moderately severe acne Work by reducing the bacteria that contribute to acne, which, in turn, decreases inflammation
Topical retinoids	Prescription medications applied to the skin Used for mild, moderate, or moderately severe acne Work by unclogging pores and preventing whiteheads and blackheads from forming
Oral antibiotics	Antibiotic medications taken in pill form to treat moderate or moderately severe acne Work by reducing the bacteria that contribute to acne, which, in turn, decreases inflammation
Oral contraceptives	Birth control pills often used to treat women with moderate, moderately severe, or severe acne By reducing the hormone levels that contribute to acne, which, in turn, reduces the amount of oil produced by the skin glands
Isotretinoin	A synthetic form of vitamin A taken in pill form Used to treat severe cystic acne and acne that has not cleared up with other medications A very effective acne medication but cannot be taken by pregnant women or women intending to become pregnant because it can cause severe birth defects in a developing fetus
Spironolactone	A synthetic steroid sometimes used in combination with oral contraceptives to treat acne in adult women Works by reducing production of the hormone androgen
Procedure	How it works
Comedo extraction	A dermatologist or other medical professional removes whiteheads and blackheads using a sterile pen-sized device
Drainage and extraction	Sometimes performed on large cysts that have not responded to medication Involves draining and/or removing cysts Reduces pain associated with large cysts and decreases the likelihood of scarring
Interlesional corticosteroid injection	Used for severe acne with severely inflamed cysts Injection of a diluted corticosteroid solution into severely inflamed cysts Used to reduce the inflammation, promote healing, and prevent scarring
Phototherapy (laser and light therapy)	Less commonly used to treat acne Most work by killing the bacteria that contribute to acne Also used for treatment of acne scars

Written by Laurie B. LaRusso, MS, ELS