My 14-year-old daughter has problem acne. She’s diligent about keeping her skin clean and uses a medication with benzoyl peroxide but these approaches have had only minimal results. Our doctor has mentioned that we might want to try oral medication but I would rather exhaust available non-pharmaceutical options first. I know microdermabrasion and chemical peels are sometimes used to treat acne. Is there a particular procedure and/or skin care regimen that you would recommend?
Answer:
Acne is a chronic condition that needs to be managed from several different respects. We always have acne patients see a good dermatologist as well to be able to tackle the acne issue from several angles. Retin-a and microdermabrasion and light peels can keep the pores clean and increase cell turnover to shed the keratin that can plug the pores and contribute to acne flare-ups. Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide are also used topically as antibacterials to help control the bacteria that contribute to acne flare-ups. These topical medications can over dry the skin and cause irritation. Using a complete acne system such as SkinMedica’s acne system is advisable in order to replenish the moisture that the topical acne medications deplete from the skin. I would advise you to work with your dermatologist and as well as an experienced Master Medical Aesthetician such as the ones that we employ rather than a typical spa esthetician who may not completely understand the medical side of skincare. IPL or photorejuvenation is also effective in portion of light skinned patients with acne. Oral medications may be necessary but those are usually managed by Dermatologists.
