How to Treat Severe Acne
We talked last week about how to determine if you have severe acne.
This week we’d like to share insights on how to treat severe acne with hopes to help you overcome the lasting effects of doing nothing.
Severe acne requires aggressive treatment. Acne treatment options include the following:
- Isotretinoin, such as Amnesteem™ and Sotret™. (Accutane™ is no longer commercially available)
- Oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline, minocycline (Solodyn).
- Intralesional corticosteroid injections may be used to treat acne cysts. The acne medication reduces the inflammation and “melts” away the cyst over a period of 3 to 5 days.
- Acne surgery (excision and drainage of the cyst).
Acne treatment will be recommended based on the type of severe acne, its location, and the degree of acne scarring that has occurred.
Severe acne may require months of treatment to see significant improvement. During this period, it is very important to take the acne medication every day as recommended. It takes time for the inflammation to subside and the skin to heal, but meanwhile the medication will be hard at work keeping preventing new acne lesions and acne scars.
Treatment for severe acne may need to be repeated multiple times over the years because of the high chance of the acne returning.
Regular skin checks should be performed to ensure that acne remains under control.
If you’d like more information about treating severe acne, please contact Aspen Dermatology today!
