Many people come in to ask for a dermatology referral for treatment of acne.  Now you can certainly go to a skin specialist for acne but your primary care doctor should be able to treat your acne too.  In fact, I would argue that you will get more time and attention to your acne with the primary doctor than the specialist.  The treatment options are the same whether prescribed by the dermatologist or your primary doctor.  Obviously, your doctor might still recommend that you see the specialist in certain situations.  Until then, save your money and start with the primary doctor first.

  1. There are different types of acne.  Your doctor will evaluate and then make some recommendations.
  2. Usually, you can start off with just a topical treatment.  This can come in the form of facial washes, creams, gels, or lotions.
  3. Sometimes, the doctor may recommend a daily antibiotic for your acne.  This is usually given to help prevent the severe outbreaks of acne.
  4. For many women, the acne outbreak is usually hormonal and being on an oral contraceptive pill (i.e. birth control pill) may help your acne.  Ask your doctor if this is appropriate for you.
  5. Now there are people who think that acne is aggravated by certain types of foods.  Although I don’t have hard evidence to back this up, I do have people who swear that avoiding certain foods (too spicy or too oily) has helped their skin.  In general, I think drinking plenty of water is key to healthy skin.
  6. Keep the skin clean and the pores unplugged.  Wash regularly with a mild soap or acne wash if prescribed.  Wear sunscreen or stay out of the sun, especially if you are on certain medications since it may cause darkening of the skin.  Ask the doctor about this.
  7. General tip on keeping your skin healthy and young looking: don’t smoke, drink plenty of water, and protect your skin from sun damage.
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