Acne is a very common skin condition, which affects almost all of us especially in our teenage years. It usually starts in adolescence and young adulthood, however, it may continue into the adult years. In the United States, it affects between 40 and 50 million people a year. Acne is thought to be caused by overactive oil glands, which produce too much oil and combine with skin cells to plug pores. In the plugged pores a bacterium called p.acnes increases in number and leads to the skin lesions. Hormones, heredity and stress are factors that can also worsen acne. Approximately twenty percent of patients who have acne will have severe acne that results in scarring.
At Dermatology Services, we offer a variety of different acne therapies. Mild to moderate acne can be treated topically with prescription creams and gels. Oral therapy can also be used including antibiotics in men and women and hormonal treatments in women. For more severe cystic acne, isotretinion (Accutane) can be prescribed. For patients who would like to augment their prescription therapy, or for those patients who would prefer to try non-prescription therapies, we offer BLU-U Blue Light (photodynamic) therapy and Acleara (light and vacuum) along with aesthetic services such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and comedone extractions. If you have acne scarring, a few sessions of Fraxel laser therapy can help to improve your skin texture and decrease acne scarring.