What is Acne Treatment?
Acne is a skin condition that originates in the sebaceous glands, primarily affecting the face, neck, and trunk. Treatment options for acne include topical therapies, chemical peels, antibiotics, hormonal therapies, and in severe cases, isotretinoin.
Am I a Good Candidate?
You are a good candidate for acne treatment if:
- You have mild to severe acne on your face, neck, or trunk.
- You have tried over-the-counter treatments without satisfactory results.
- Your acne includes both inflammatory (red, swollen pimples) and non-inflammatory (blackheads, whiteheads) types.
- You have realistic expectations about treatment outcomes and are committed to following a prescribed regimen.
- Your skin type and sensitivity allow for the recommended treatments, which may include topical therapies, chemical peels, or laser treatments.
- You are willing to undergo multiple treatment sessions as recommended by a dermatologist.
- You are in good overall health and have no contraindications for the prescribed treatments.
Benefits:
- Treatment can significantly reduce acne lesions, including inflammatory and non-inflammatory types, leading to clearer skin.
- Many treatments can help smooth skin texture and reduce the appearance of scars or post-acne marks.
- Effective treatment can prevent or minimize the formation of acne scars, promoting smoother and healthier-looking skin.
- Certain treatments, such as laser therapies or systemic medications, can offer long-lasting results with reduced chances of acne recurrence.
- Dermatologists can tailor treatments to your specific skin type and acne severity, optimizing effectiveness and minimizing side effects.
- Treatments often reduce inflammation associated with acne, leading to less redness and discomfort.
- Following treatment, maintaining clear skin may involve simpler routines and maintenance therapies, enhancing overall skin health.
More Details:
Acne is a multifactorial problem, based in the sebaceous glands of the face, neck and trunk. These glands secrete the oil which protects our skin. Factors like hormonal fluctuations typical of polycystic ovaries disease, stress, oily cosmetics, hyperglycemic diets and dairy products are known to make acne worse. Traditional treatments include topical therapy, peels, antibiotics, hormonal therapy and isotretinoin in severe cases, and remain the mainstay of therapy in most general dermatology clinics.
At Skin Experts Polyclinic, we prefer to perform light chemical peelings and medical cleanings of blackheads for rapid results, and favor lasers and other light sources for inflammatory acne. These devices are the latest advent in the treatment of resistant and difficult to treat acne. They are believed to have a strong antibacterial effect, and in our experience lead to a significant positive effect on the sebaceous glands, improving acne after one to three treatment sessions. In fact, we see sustained clearance in acne lesions, as well as rapid clearing of the red spots that are left long after acne lesions have resolved. Another benefit of this treatment is its rapid results, and the lack of the significant side effects seen with many topical and oral treatments.
Maintenance treatment of clear skin is usually continued, often with dietary restriction for some time until acne completely abates. In females with hormonal problems, we favor the use of spironolactone (Aldactone), rather than Iso-tretinoin, to clear the skin. Our group believes that acne treatments should move from chemical to physical modalities, improving both results and tolerance, and is on the leading edge of this new trend.
Skin experts also employ the advanced Accure Laser Technology, the first FDA-approved acne monotherapy with automatic endpoint detection for treating mild to severe acne. Utilizing a 1726 nm wavelength, Accure specifically targets and heats sebum, causing the enlarged sebum glands to denature and shrink without causing burns. This treatment achieves a clearance rate of 75-90% in just 3-4 sessions, with long-lasting results and a low relapse rate, ensuring high patient satisfaction.
Acne Treatment at Skin Experts
Here are a few important points for anyone with acne to read:
Dr. Touma, an American Board-certified dermatologist since 1997, along with his colleagues at Skin Experts Polyclinic, brings over 70 years of combined experience in treating acne. Dr. Touma, a respected reference in dermatology and former president of the Lebanese Dermatologic Society, has developed a TARGETED SIMPLE approach to acne treatment focused on its root causes, which typically include excessive hydration from skincare, hormonal issues such as PCOD, nutritional factors like whey in supplements, cow milk, sugar, and stress. Our method aims to identify and address these causes directly.
For years, there’s been a widespread tendency, even among dermatologists, to overuse topical skincare and to hastily recommend long-term antibiotics and RoAccutane, often without addressing the underlying causes. When these root causes are ignored, treatment failures, recurrences, and repeated courses of these oral treatments can occur.
For comedonal acne, we recommend cleaning and extraction sessions, light chemical peels to exfoliate and unclog pores, minimal hydration, and the use of basic milky cleansers that respect the skin’s biome, paired with a simple regimen of topical retinoids.
For inflammatory acne, we avoid long-term antibiotics to prevent resistance and maintain the health of the skin and intestinal biome. We prefer a targeted approach for hormonal acne, using spironolactone while avoiding birth control pills. We generally AVOID RO-ACCUTANE due to its non-specific effect and potential side effects, such as teratogenicity and need to avoid pregnancy, hair loss, elevated lipids, and liver damage, imposing frequent blood tests and lifestyle restrictions. Additionally, hormonal acne often recurs after RoAccutane treatment.
Advances in science and technology have greatly enhanced acne treatment. Dr. Touma has been at the forefront of using laser therapy to reduce acne’s red marks, inflammation, and bacterial load with excellent results. Starting in June 2024, we are introducing the ACCURE laser in Dubai, a first in the Middle East. This laser, the fruit of years of research at Harvard Medical School, specifically targets sebaceous glands, significantly reducing acne in 2 to 4 sessions, with results lasting over three years in published studies. It causes no side effects, allowing for normal activities, including sun exposure. Alas, the ACCURE laser is expensive due to its advanced technology and costly consumables, but we strive to keep our fees reasonable, justified by the outstanding results we are seeing in our clinic.
Finally, we understand the burden of skin disorders on people’s lives, from skin cancer to birthmarks to acne. Yet medicine is not an exact science. It involves applying learned science molded by experience, while considering each patient’s individuality, ethically and honestly, every day.
