Acne

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In this segment, Dr. Manjula Jegosothy will discuss acne treatments with Drs. John, Kathryn, and Edward Martin.

Almost 90% of people will develop acne at some point in their life. Most acne is due to hormonal issues, and doesn’t have a direct association with either fatty foods or chocolate. However, if a person feels that certain foods cause them to break out, they should avoid that food.

For mild acne, a degreaser such as a salicylic wash will sometimes be sufficient to control the problem. For more severe acne, with red and inflamed pustules, a combination gel consisting of an antibiotic and a drying gel, such as clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide.

Another mainstay of acne treatment is to use the retinoids, such as Retin-A or Tazorac, which are Vitamin A derivatives. These will physically unclog the pore to help prevent future lesions.

About 70-80 % of teens do well with a topical regimen. If this is not sufficient, oral antiobiotics such as doxycylcine or minocycline are prescribed. These are thought to help mostly though an anti-inflammatory effect on the glands.

For severe cystic acne, Acutane can be prescribed. This is a very potent medication which will irreversibly damage the sebaceous gland, so that they will never produce as much oil as before. There are many possible side effects with Acutane, and the patient is closely monitored by their dermatologist with monthly lab work. Acutane should be started for any cystic acne to help prevent
scarring which is very difficult to treat.

There are some lasers which may help with acne flare-ups, such as the Smoothbeam, Blue Light, and Intense Pulsed Light.