what a dermatologist can do for you

If you are dealing with acne, you may feel insecure and self-conscious when you go out. Although blemishes often appear on both girls and boys during puberty, there are adults who continue to suffer from breakouts long after puberty. You may notice several different types of acne on your skin, including cysts, blackheads, and whiteheads. If you have already tried dozens of products and are still struggling, you may wonder if you will ever achieve clear skin. The good news is there are now more solutions to this skin condition than ever.

Wash Your Face Without Overdoing It

Since you have acne, it is important to wash your face and keep it clean. A facial cleanser will help to lift both dirt and oil that can gather on your skin throughout the day. You should wash your face once in the morning and once before going to bed. Instead of using rough exfoliating cleansers that are a bit too harsh on the skin, choose a facial cleanser designed to help treat acne on sensitive skin.

You may not necessarily have sensitive skin, but it is better to use a product with gentle ingredients than something that will cause more irritation to your skin or clog your pores and cause more blemishes to develop. Once you start using a specific cleanser, stick with it on a daily basis instead of switching back and forth to different products. If you are constantly switching facial cleansers, it will be hard for you to figure out what works and what does not work well on your skin.

Make sure you are not washing your face too much in one day. While it may seem like a good idea when you are going through a serious breakout, washing more than three times in one day could cause your face to become excessively dry. As a result, you may start to break out even worse.

Meet With a Dermatologist For More Options

If you are tired of spending a lot of your money on products that are not working and that may even be making your skin worse, meeting with a dermatologist is important. During the initial exam, the dermatologist will evaluate your skin to determine if you have a mild case of acne or a more severe case. There are treatment options available for both mild and severe acne.

The dermatologist can discuss treatment options with you. Some of the many options that may be offered to you include:

• Oral medications
• Prescription ointments
• Chemical peels

There may be several levels to the type of treatment you will receive. For example, the dermatologist may begin by prescribing a specific antibiotic for you to take regularly. While antibiotics are beneficial for some people, they may not work for everyone. If the antibiotics do not help you within a certain period, the dermatologist may recommend using a product designed to treat severe acne, such as Accutane.

Prescription ointments are often prescribed by dermatologists, as well. One of the prescription ointments you can talk to the dermatologist about using is Tretinoin. You would need to apply it directly on top of any blemishes you have right after washing your face. The topical ointment may help to reduce inflammation, allowing those blemishes to heal much faster.

Even chemical peels can come in handy in the fight against acne. The purpose of a chemical peel is to remove the dead skin that could keep pores clogged and result in lots of breakouts. If you are getting chemical peels on a regular basis, you may be able to get rid of acne for good.

If you are tired of having acne and have already tried many products, it may be best to start using a gentle facial cleanser and schedule an appointment to see a dermatologist. The dermatologist can create a custom treatment plan based on several factors, including your gender, stress levels and the severity of your acne.