Acne is the term used to descibe clogged pores or comedones (blackheads, whiteheads), pimples and deeper lumpes such as cysts or nodules that usually occur on the face, neck, back, shoulders and upper arms. 

  

Blu-U Acne Treatments

BLU-U® Blue Light Treatment by Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Photodynamic Therapy

Acne Treatment

There's no reason to suffer with acne! If you have acne, it can be embarrassing and lead to low self esteem. Without treatment severe cases of acne can be disfiguring, leaving permanent scars. New techniques are available to treat acne and minimize outbreaks. Call our office for an appointment and lets clear up this problem!

Acne is an equal opportunity condition, afflicting teenagers, young adults, and occasionally even more mature adults. BLU-U® Blue Light Acne Treatment uses light - without drugs or antibiotics - to treat hard to control acne, including acne vulgaris. The special blue light kills the p. acnes bacterium that grows inside clogged pores that swell up and form pimples on the skin.

BLU-U® light treatments involve sitting with your face close to the light for a short time (typically 8 to 16 mins 40 secs) about once or twice per week for a period of about five weeks or so. The procedure is safe, not painful, and not hot. Over the course of the treatments, most patient experience noticeable control or clearing up of their acne for a very long period.

 

Facial Steps

*Glycolic Gly/Sal Acne Wash

Our #1 selling acne product! Medicated cleanser with glycolic and salicylic acids to treat acne.  A gentle wash with immediate results. 

Benzoyl Peroxide Wash 5% or 10%

Therapeutic wash with benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne prone skin.  Excellent for thoes fighting acne on the face and body. 

Glycolic Acne Pads

Toning pads with 5% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acis for exceptional toning and exfoliation.  Great for teens in sports.

         

Personalize your Acne Treatment

We will base your personal acne program on your specific needs at your visit.  Call The Skin Center at (949) 582-SKIN to schedule an appointment.  

1. Wash AM and PM: Wash your face twice daily with:

5.   AM or PM: If your skin gets dry, you can use non-comedogenic moisturizers                                                                            

•   The Skin Center Oil free moisturizer sunscreen or glycolix elite facial moisturizer 
•    Cetaphil or Eucerin lotion for face with sunscreen 
•    Desowen lotion- once or twice a day ONLY for red itchy rash, dry areas- (don’t  use regularly)  

      

• Gel(non oil) suncreens- Ombrelle, Presun clear gel, solbar liquid, Ti-Screen
• Best coverage for greater than 15-30 minute sun exposure Obagi Zinc SPF 30,  TSC SPF 30 17% zinc

7.  If you wear cosmetics make sure they are oil-free and try to avoid powders.  

8. If you have any allergic reaction, stop the medication and call our office. STOP ALL MEDICATIONS IMMEDIATELY IF DECIDE TO BECOME PREGNANT OR THINK YOU MAY BE PREGNANT.   

9.   Return for a follow up appointment when suggested by your physician 

10.Recommend The Skin Center Skin Recovery System (SRS) acne program at follow up including steam, slush, extractions, microdermabrasion and mild glycolic peel, blue light, ALA/ blue light

  ACNE & Inflammatory Disorders

• Acne Vulgaris      

• Acne Rosacea

  • Perioral Dermatitis

    Hidradenitis Suppurativa

    Keratosis Pilaris

  • Folliculitis

    Acneiform Dermatitis

     

  Who is Affected?

  • Everyone at some time in their life

  • From babies to seniors

  • high prevalence

  • Often under treated or self treated

  • Atypical presentations of common disease

  • May lead to permanent scarring

  • Controllable

   

   Why Treat Acne? 

  • Psychosocial impact
  • self esteem, confidence, job, social status
  • Untreated may lead to permanent scarring
  • Emphasis in teenagers -classic occurrence

   

   

  Dispelling Acne Myths

  • Acne is not caused by poor hygiene or diet

  • Vigorous washing will not remove comedones and may worsen inflammation

  • Topical therapies should be applied to all potential acne areas, not just to lesions, because they work by preventing the formation of new lesions (they do little to shrink existing lesions)

   

  ACNE TRIAD: What makes acne?

  • Follicular plugging (pores closed)
  • Sebum production ( oil production)
  • Bacterial colonization

  •   Acne is disease caused by 4 interrelated processes affecting the pilosebaceous unit

  –  altered follicular hyperkeratinization

  –  sebaceous gland hyperactivity

  –  Propionibacterium acnes (P acnes) proliferation

  –  Inflammation/immune hypersensitivity to
  P acnes

  TRIPLE THERAPY IS KEY!

   1. Retinoid (unplugs) 

   2. Benzoyl peroxide (antibacterial, unplugs,etc)

   3. Antibiotics (decrease bacteria)- oral or topical

   Combine one product out of each category .

   

   Current Treatment Options

  Topical

  Retinoids

  Benzoyl Peroxide

  Antibiotics

  Azelaic Acid

  Salicylic Acid

   

  Comination treatments

  Benzoyl Peroxide + Antibiotics

   

  Oral

  Antibiotics

  Isotretinoin

  Corticosteroids

   RETINOIDS

  • Adapalene (Differin)
  • Tretinoin (Retin A, Renova, Avita)
  • Tazaratone (Tazorac, Avage)

  -Do not use in pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant.

  -May be irritating, use small amount, avoid around the eyes, apply every other night

                                                                                                                  

                                                             

                                                              Severe Acne

   

   •   Techniques to minimize irritation

  –  gradual introduction of medication; initiate use with low concentration formulations

  –  no scrubbing

  –  adequate moisturization

  –  brief application followed by gentle washing

  ANTIBIOTICS: topical

  • Clindamycin ( Clindets wipes, or clindagel)
  • Erythromycin
  • Metronidazole ( Metrogel)
  • Sulfa ( Klaron)

   

  ANTIBIOTICS: Oral

  • Amoxicillin

  • Tetracycline

  • Doxycycline
  • Minocycline
  • Azithromycin

   

  Antibiotic Resistance

  •   Clindamycin and erythromycin have become less effective topical acne therapies in the past 20 years

  •   Loss of efficacy is due to the acquisition of resistance by P acnes

   •   The addition of BPO dramatically reduces resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin

  Other Oral Prescriptions 

  • Oral Contraceptives
  • Spironolactone ( anti-androgen)
  • Accutane

    Practical ACNE Review: Top 10 List

  1. Benzoyl Peroxide

  2. Topical Retinoids

  3. Topical Antibiotics

  4. Salicyclic acid

  5. Glycolic acid

  6. Combination topical products (Antibiotics & BP)

  7.  Oral antibiotics

  8. Oral Retinoids

  9. Oral Contraceptives

  10. Oral Antiandrogens ( Spironolactone)

   

  Differential Diagnosis:

  • eczema
  • folliculitus
  • drug reaction
  • rosacea
  • delusions of parasitosis
  • neurotic excoriations
  • furuncluosis
  • hidradenitis suppurativa

   

  Acne if Pregnant or Breastfeeding 

  SAFE:

  • Erythromycin gel
  • oral amoxicillin/ampicillin

   

   

  NOT SAFE:

  • Retinoids (Retin-A, Differin, Tazorac)
  • Oral Tetracylines

   

   

   

  Lasers

  • Different targets based on laser source

  • Some target bacteria, some redness, others collagen 

  •  usually multiple treatments needed 

  • No guarantees 

  • Generally cosmetic/ non- insurance

   What is Rosacea?

  • Primarily Red
  • Located on Cheeks and Nose
  • more in Caucasians (Scottish, Irish)
  • Inflammatory

   How to Treat Rosacea

  • Sulfa Wash as directed
  • Metrogel
  • Oral Antibiotics
  • Lasers or Photofacial

   

  Postacne Scarring

  Treatment options

  ÚDermal fillers ( collagen)

  ÚLaser therapy

  ÚSurgery ( punch removals)

  ÚFacial peels

   

  Therapy for Postacne Scarring

  Postacne Scarring

  The “ACNE SAMPLER”
  
  

  In office adjunctive treatment :      

  Ú Glycolic  and or salicylic peels

  Ú extractions using 30g needle or lancet and comedome extractor

  Ú slush ( light cryotherpay on swab) 

   

  Summary

  • Acne affects many ages from infancy to geriatric

  • “Triple therapy” very effective:

            -topical retinoid

            -topical antibiotic &/or benzoyl peroxide

            -oral antibiotic

  • Accutane for severe, cystic, or refractory acne

  •  Acne is a common condition

  •    Acne may persist into adulthood in some patients (mostly women)

  • Patients with acne commonly experience both physical and psychologic impairment

   

  ---

Photodynamic Therapy

Ú Uses  a photosensitizer compound

Ú Apply to skin and leave on for a time

Ú Expose skin to controlled amount light

Ú Levulan ( part of porphyrin system)

Ú Has downtime 2-7 days- red/sunburn

Ú Works by oxygen free radical formation

  

The Skin Center

Information in this publication and site is not intended to serve as medical advice. Individuals may use the information as a guide to discuss their treatments with their own physicians. This site does not promote nor endorse the unauthorized practice of medicine by non-physicians or state licensed health care providers.
Medicine is a constantly changing science and not all therapies are clearly established. New research changes drug and treatment therapies daily. The authors, editors, and publisher of these artciles have used their best efforts to provide information that is up-to-date and accurate and is generally accepted within medical standards at the time of publication. However, as medical science is constantly changing and human error is always possible, the authors, editors, and publisher or any other party involved with the publication of this article do not warrant the information in this article is accurate or complete, nor are they responsible for omissions or errors in the article or for the results of using this information. The reader should confirm the information in this article from other sources prior to use. In particular, all drug doses, indications, and contraindications should be confirmed in the package insert.

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