The reason why the treatment takes time to work is, that the treatment actually prevents new breakouts. It does not target the existing blemishes, which can heal unaided. As anyone with acne knows, new blemishes are constantly appearing. As a result, the treatment is ongoing. While waiting for the treatment to work, it can be tempting to squeeze acne lesions to get rid of them. However, dermatologists do not recommend this. Picking, scratching, popping, and squeezing tend to make it worse and may cause scars. The medication in the plan may be topical (applied to the skin) or systematic (works inside the body). Some patients receive a plan that combines both of treatments and another type of treatment uses laser and light-based technologies which continue to be researched for their effects on mild to moderate acne cases.

• Oral antibiotics are the standard of care in managing moderate to severe acne that resists topical treatment therapy, and that covers large body areas. Numerous oral antibiotics may be used as prescribed treatments.  
• Combination therapy that uses oral antibiotics and topical medication (often retinoids) may help in managing the acne problems.
• Estrogen-containing birth pills or medication that decreases the effects of male hormones (antiandrogens) may help certain women. Some birth control pills have been approved as a treatment of choice. Your dermatologist can help you determine if this is an effective treatment option for you.
• Corticosteroid injections may be used to treat large, painful acne lesions. These injections can ease the pain and help clear large lesions in a quickly manner.
• One systematic treatment that you may have heard about is the use of isotretinoin. This is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat severe resistance nodular cystic acne. A patient who is pregnant, or may become pregnant, must not take isotretinoin. The risk of a severe birth defect is extremely high and even taking this medication for a short time can cause severe birth defects. While a patient is taking isotretinoin, a dermatologist monitors the patient for physical and psychological effects and for this reason it is of utmost importance for the patient to keep all follow-up appointments with the dermatologist.

• This is the standard of care for mild acne.
• Some of the common topical medications that dermatologists usually prescribe include antibiotics, retinoids, and salicylic acid.
• Topical medications come in many forms, including gels, lotions, and creams.

 *Disclaimer: Individual results may vary from patient
to patient based upon the circumstances and the patient’s
specific situation, as well as the time taken to see final results.