It is estimated by the American Academy of Dermatology that 40-50 million people in the US will suffer from acne at some point in their lifetime. Yet many people fail to seek treatment from a dermatology provider, instead, they often look to Google, Pinterest and “at home skincare parties” for quick fixes. Spending hundreds of hours and dollars before seeking advice from a Dermatologist. Rather than spending your time searching the internet and staring at labels in the supermarket skin care aisle, I urge you to look to the experts for guidance.
No matter what stage of acne you have if it bothers you enough to google the words “how to fix my acne” then you would benefit from a consult with a dermatology provider. Seeking the advice of highly specialized dermatology providers will save you time, money and stress. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests seeking the care of a dermatologist if you have a lot of acne, cysts, or nodules, if drug store topicals are not working or if you simply want clearer skin.
During your appointment, one of our providers will meet with you to obtain a detailed history of your skin. We will ask you what your current routine is as well as what types of products, and/or prescriptions you have used in the past. We will want to know how you tolerated each of those treatments as well. Then, we will assess your skin type and condition to determine the severity of your acne to help us document your progress. Next, we will work with you to develop a cost-effective skin care routine that is tailored to you. This routine may include the following:
We will also educate you on how to care for your skin, side effects of medications and how to properly use them.
Acne treatment does take time and compliance, at our office we will follow-up closely with you during your treatment to assess for side effects and response. We consider ourselves not only your health care providers but also your skin care coaches. Working together to help you love the skin you’re in. I typically like to see my patients back at 6-8 weeks to check on progress.
Although you can start to see progress after just two weeks, it can take 3-6 months to see the full benefit from many of the therapies. Therefore, I see my patients back at this time as well. Once we feel we have reached your skin care goals I like to check in every 6-12 months to refill prescriptions and see if we need to make any adjustments. If a patient is a candidate for Isotretinoin then they will come in monthly while on therapy. This typically lasts 4-6 months.
For more information and skin care advice, be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. We regularly share tips for those struggling with acne prone skin.
In honor of Acne Awareness Month, all SkinMedica Products are 15% off as well as our SkinMedica Vitalize Peel.
If you have questions about your skin or suffer from acne make an appointment for a consultation with one of our dermatology providers at 618-244-0031.
Natalie Amason has been a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner since 2014 and has extensive knowledge of medical and cosmetic dermatology. She is accepting new adult and pediatric patients.
Reference:
American Academy of Dermatology (2019) Acne, Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/acne
