June 20, 2019
Today I’m going to go over when you should consider prescription skincare medication to go along with your current acne treatment plan. I’ll go over some key signs and symptoms that you should look for, along with helpful tips to guide you on your skincare journey.
Let’s start with some of those signs that should signal a shift for you towards prescription skincare.
By: Alison, LE
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The first would be when your current treatment plan or products aren’t working. This would include treatments like the HydraFacial or ViPeel, along with any acne-specific products. It’s important you stick with an acne treatment plan for at least 3-6 months before deciding it’s not effective.
Your skin will also need time to adjust to any new products you may have added into your regimen. It may take as long as 2 weeks for your skin to reset and start to fully integrate with the new skincare. You may even experience some breakouts, or “purging” during this time, which is no cause for alarm and is completely normal.
Prescription skincare medication should also be considered when your acne begins to spread to other parts of the body. This is also when your acne is considered to be moderate to severe or inflammatory acne that’s really tough to get rid of. It may have gone from your face, to your chest or back, and even sometimes down to the lower buttocks.
Let’s talk about scarring. Acne breakouts are temporary, while acne scarring can be long-term. If you currently have scarring on your face, consider treatments such as microneedling, BBL, Halo, or a VI Peel. If the scarring is getting worse due to consistent acne breakouts, then you definitely need to think about prescription skincare medication.
It’s very important to remember that even if you start prescription skincare medication, you should still be continuing with your regular skincare routine or treatment plan. You’ll only benefit from doing both together. Your current treatments will work in tandem with your new prescription skincare, increasing the effectiveness of each.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about your current acne situation, this is a great time to contact a dermatologist. They are going to be the ones to guide you towards the best prescription skincare medication.
In addition, your dermatologist may have you consider Accutane (aka isotretinoin). A lot of common side effects include dry, cracked, or irritated skin. Compliance with your moisturizing skincare products and treatments such as the HydraFacial will help decrease or eliminate the discomfort associated with the side effects.
Kaitlyn and I did an entire video on “Natural vs. Medical Grade Skincare Products” that you can check out right here.
If you are frustrated, confused, or just don’t know where to start- schedule a free skincare consultation with us; give us a call at (513)-791-9474, option 2. We’ll help to create a unique plan that works best for you.
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Check out some of our other blogs below for how best to treat acne: