Dear Doctor
I have this really bad acne rash for a really long time on both sides of my face and it gets worse every day. I tried almost everything but it won’t work. Can you help me?
Dear Patient
By saying, “I tried almost everything but it won’t work” I presume you mean over the counter acne medications that you can buy without a prescription.
However, from what I can see, you need to consult your nearest doctor so that you can get stronger medications since you have moderately severe acne vulgaris.
The medications that I would suggest for acne of this severity include:
*Antibiotics taken by mouth like Doxycycline and Minocycline which should be combined with the following medications.
*Antibiotics which are applied on the skin like Clindamycin gel which you can apply in the morning after cleansing your face.
*Retinoids which are applied on the skin like tretinoin (Retin A) or adapalene which should be applied at night after cleansing your face.
In addition to using the prescription strength medications to treat your acne, you also have to ask yourself “What worsens acne?”
What worsens acne?
The following factors can worsen acne vulgaris:
1.Using oil-rich skincare products
If you have oily skin/acne you have to avoid using oily products on your face since they can clog the pores and contribute to breakouts. which contain ingredients like petrolatum or shea butter.
Therefore always buy products labeled “for oily skin” or “non-comedogenic” which means they do not clog skin pores.
2. Medications
Medications which can worsen acne include those used to treat TB (tuberculosis), seizures or convulsive disorders and other conditions.
Therefore if you are on long-term medications for any condition, talk to the doctor who prescribes them to find out if they may be contributing to the acne eruptions.
3. Over washing the face
If you wash your face more than 2 times a day, you can dry the skin and this will increase its oil production and increase your acne breakouts.
Therefore limit your face washing to twice a day – morning and evening.
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