Sufferers of Acne Have Options For Treatment - Westchester Center For Dermatology
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Sufferers of Acne Have Options For Treatment

Published on October 1, 2014

Acne can be one of the most challenging conditions to treat. When over-the-counter treatments fail, there’s still a number of procedures that a dermatologist can perform to treat acne in NYC.

Five categories of acne treatment offered in Manhattan

The types of treatments that a dermatologist may use can be divided into five categories:

  1. topical therapy
  2. oral medication
  3. acne-fighting cosmetics
  4. physical procedures
  5. proper skin-care practices.

Topical therapy to treat acne

Topical therapy utilizes acne-fighting treatments like benzoyl peroxide and topical antimicrobials to treat active episodes of acne. These treatments are more powerful than their over-the-counter counterparts, which means that they require a dermatologist’s supervision.

Other treatments, such as topical retinoids that treat bumps under the skin, are only available from a dermatologist.

Oral medication for acne treatment

Oral medication involves using oral antibiotics and medications designed to balance hormones to reduce the occurrence of acne in adults. In women, this can also mean using oral contraceptive pills, spirolactone, or hormone replacement therapy.

Dermatologist-recommended acne-fighting cosmetics

Acne-fighting cosmetics are special cosmetics that attempt to prevent pores in your face from getting clogged by using ingredients like salicyclic acid. This leads to less occurrences of bacteria residing within your pores, which further reduces the incidence of acne episodes.

Physical procedures to fight acne

Physical procedures involve treating particularly pesky acne lesions. Your dermatologist may apply chemical peels, UV lights or other treatments to treat them. If you have a persistent nodule, your dermatologist may use a corticosteroid injection to reduce it in size.

Proper skin care procedures

Proper skin care procedures are one of the most important things that your dermatologist will walk you through. Your dermatologist will work with you to determine what kinds of cosmetics you can apply to your face, what wash procedures you should practice, and how often you should clean your skin. This can allow you to have a personalized regimen that keeps your skin clear and youthful without risking the damage that too can happen to your skin if you clean it too much.

The bottom line is that you should seek the help of a professional dermatologist if you feel that your acne is impossible to treat with over-the-counter products. This will allow you to have a personalized treatment plan for your acne that works as effectively as possible.