While you may have heard that acne is chronic and incurable, it's important to remember that treatment and maintenance are the keys to keeping your skin clear. At Trident Dermatology® in Charleston, SC, our dermatology professionals work with many acne-prone patients to achieve healthy and beautiful skin. Below, they discuss some of the treatments we employ to treat acne.
Topical treatments
Your dermatologist offers a wide array of topical solutions that are applied directly to the surface of the acne-affected skin. Topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide both kill the bacteria that causes acne, while retinoids provide the healing properties of vitamin A. Your specific type of acne, its severity, and your medical history will help your doctor at Trident Dermatology® decide which topical treatment will work best for you.
Oral medications
Severe acne often requires a more aggressive regimen of oral medications. Oral antibiotics offer the same anti-bacterial benefits of topical antibiotics but are stronger and work to heal the acne from the inside out. Oral retinoids, which cannot be taken by women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, attach themselves to the acne-causing cells and reduce their numbers. Your Charleston dermatologist pay prescribe oral retinoids and antibiotics together or separately, but these treatments will need to be closely monitored by your doctor to make sure they're working properly for you.
Consistency and patience are very important while working through acne treatments. If you have stubborn acne, our dermatologists at Trident Dermatology® in Charleston, SC, want to help you! Contact our office today to schedule an appointment with one of our skin specialists.