Acne is many things, and subtle isn’t usually one of them. First, the skin condition tends to favor the one area that’s most exposed — your face — so it’s hard to hide. Second, although acne tends to favor teens, the skin condition can, and does, crop up in adults, too. In fact, acne develops in about half of women in their 20s and about a third in their 30s, thanks to hormones.
If, like millions of others — acne affects up to 50 million Americans in any given year — you’re looking to clear your skin of this stubborn and frustrating problem, the world of acne treatments can be confusing.
To help you narrow your options, it’s best to turn to those who specialize in the science of skin, which certainly describes the team at Orange Coast Dermatology. As part of our wide range of skincare services, we offer comprehensive acne care for people of all ages, and here’s what we found truly works to clear your skin.
Even though there are different forms of acne, most of the overall problem stems from hair follicles (pores) in your skin that become clogged by excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. So, your first line of defense against acne is a daily cleansing routine that clears out the build-up of debris in your follicles so acne doesn’t form in the first place.
Although there are numerous over-the-counter options, cleansers aren’t really one-size-fits-all, and you have to do some digging and have an understanding of your acne and your skin type to make sure you choose the right cleanser.
Under our guidance, we not only point you in the right direction, but we also give you key search parameters to make finding the right product for your skin far easier.
Though a daily routine makes a great foundation for fighting acne, for moderate-to-severe cases, you’ll need stronger treatments. At our practice, we offer a number of different prescription medications that help to clear acne, including:
Often, we use these prescription medications in combination to really tackle tough acne.
Acne is often tied to hormonal shifts in your body that increase oil production — in both men and women. Given the connection, using hormone therapies to address acne can be effective.
For example, women can go on birth control medications, which can reduce acne breakouts. As well, there are hormone therapies for men and women — topical ointments called spironolactone — that block the effects of androgen hormones.
For an active breakout, we’ve had excellent success with light and medium chemical peels that clear away surface concerns like acne and deep clean pores.
We’ve also found that light therapy is a great approach for people with moderate-to-severe acne. We use different wavelengths of light energy to kill off harmful, acne-causing bacteria, reduce inflammation, and encourage cellular turnover.
Our acne arsenal runs deep, and we’re sure to have a treatment option that will clear your skin of pesky acne.
To figure out which treatments will work best for your acne and your skin, we encourage you to contact one of our offices in Rancho Santa Margarita, Orange, or Mission Viejo, California, today to schedule a consultation.
