Acne

Acne is usually caused by a combination of oily skin and bacterial overgrowth. Keeping the skin healthy is the foundation of any acne treatment strategy.  Good nutrition, keeping your face clean, and over the counter drying agents, or antibacterials are often the first step of an effective treatment strategy. Unfortunately over the counter medications are often not completely successful in the treatment of acne.

Prescription medications including topical or systemic antibiotics, prescription strength retenoid products, and even acutane may be required to gain effective control. Using some degree of exfoliation is sometimes a crucial part of the treatment. Excellent exfoliation can be achieved using a variety of chemical peels (Skin Medica - vitalize peels, Salicylic acid peels, Jessner Peels, or Neostrata peels). In between peels, good daily exfoliation can be achieved with selected Skin Medica, Obagi, or Neostrata products. 

Acutane is used to treat severe cystic acne (also known as nodular acne) that has not responded to other treatment (e.g., benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin applied to the skin or tetracycline or minocycline taken by mouth). It belongs to a class of drugs known as retinoids. It works by decreasing facial oil (sebum) production. High amounts of sebum can lead to severe acne. If left untreated, severe acne may cause permanent scarring.