Acne Treatment Utah County

Acne is a common disease of the oil glands that can seriously affect a person’s quality of life. Learn about its causes, and a variety of treatment options.

Acne Treatment

Acne is a common disease of the oil glands that can seriously affect a person’s quality of life. Learn about its causes, and a variety of treatment options.

What Causes Acne?

Acne is a disease of the oil glands and occurs where these glands are the largest and most active (face, back, shoulders, and chest.) It often begins at puberty, but it may begin after the teenage years. Most teenagers have some form of acne and 50% need acne treatment for it. For some individuals, acne can persist into adulthood.

There are many causes of acne, but simply stated, acne is caused by a plugging of the oil glands. This causes whiteheads and blackheads to appear, also known as closed and open comedones. After the oil gland is blocked, oil begins to build up and bacteria can begin to grow in the blocked glands. The bacteria causes the body to form red bumps and pus bumps, commonly referred to as pimples. In some cases, large cysts can begin to form that are filled with pus. The severity of acne differs from person to person and this can determine what acne treatment is appropriate.

Acne can greatly affect a person’s self-confidence and how they feel in their skin. For this reason, we take acne treatment very seriously. As mentioned above, there are many different causes of acne, and therefore there are many different treatments available. After we have determined the cause of your acne, we will use the appropriate treatment options available that will help clear your skin.

Some treatment options we utilize are:

Oral Medications

Spironolactone
Used to treat hormonal acne in women.
Oral Antibiotics
If appropriate, a short course of oral antibiotics can be used to reduce inflammation (minocycline, doxycycline, cephalexin)
Accutane
Used for individuals with severe acne or acne that continues to persist despite recurring treatments. It is a strong medicine that requires the patient to sign up for the iPLEDGE program before they can use it. Treatment usually takes 6-9 months. It is extremely effective in clearing severe acne and preventing breakouts after the medicine has been discontinued.

Topical Medications

Retinoids
These topical medicines are the base of most acne treatment regimens because they work to unclog pores and prevent other pores from getting clogged
Benzoyl Peroxide
Works to help kill the bacteria that causes the inflammatory lesions. It also works well in combination with other products to increase their efficacy
Azelaic Acid
Works by decreasing the amount of bacteria on the skin.
Topical Antibiotics (clindamyosin solution)
These topical medicines work by killing the bacteria that causes the inflammatory lesions

See Facial Cleansers

Other Treatments

Injections
A small amount of cortisone can be injected into larger nodules and cysts. This helps reduce the inflammation in the area and shrinks the lesions.
Acne Surgery
This method opens up the comedones and drains the pus out of larger cysts. This done in combination with other treatments can effectively reduce the number and severity of acne spots and help clear your skin quicker.
Clarisonic
A tool that can be used at home to wash your face. It uses ultrasonic technology to clean the skin and open up comedones. It has been shown to clean 6 x better than cleansing with your hands.
PDT
Effective for treating moderate-severe acne. A series of treatments can put acne into remission for months, as well as reverse some scarring without taking oral medications.
Chemical Peels
Have been used for decades to treat a variety of skin conditions including poor skin texture, acne, and acne scarring.

Acne can be difficult to treat, but there are a variety of treatments available. We will tailor a treatment specific for you. In addition to the treatment strategies listed above, recommendations will be given for over-the-counter washes and other products that can be helpful. We are aggressive in our treatment of acne in order to prevent acne scarring. Acne scarring can persist well after acne has cleared and can be a source of concern for most patients.

If you have questions concerning Acne, call our office and schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Myers. At your visit, Dr. Myers will work with you to develop an individualized treatment plan for your condition.

What About Acne Scarring?

Are there options to treat acne scarring from years past?

Learn More

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