Acne San Antonio
If you’re looking for the treatment of acne in San Antonio, give us a call. At the Dermatology & Laser Center of San Antonio, we know how common acne is…and it’s treatable!
Overview of Acne
Pimples, Blackheads, whiteheads, back Acne, or whatever you call it, we all know what it looks like. Compared with cancer or heart disease “pimples” don’t seem like a serious health hazard. If you’re reading this though you probably know what an impact pimples, cystic and scarring acne can have on children and adults alike. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, of which Dr. Davis is a fellow, acne is the most common skin condition in the United States. That is, it affects up to 50 million Americans annually.
Acne usually begins in puberty, and affects many adolescents and young adults. Approximately 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience at a least minor case. It can occur at any stage of life and may continue into one’s 30s and 40s. Furthermore, its occurrence in adults is increasing, and affects up to 15 percent of women.
Why See Us For Your Acne?
Board-certified dermatologists and certified dermatology Physician Assistants, like those we have in our clinic, have a huge array of approaches, drugs and treatments to treat acne in adolescents, teenagers, and adults.
Patients come to us because they want to “get rid of their acne”. We explain that it is a condition caused by many factors: age, hormone production, genetic disposition, mostly. Intense exercise can also influence acne, especially in women since it may increase androgen levels (present in both women and men) which drive production of sebum (oil) in the hair follicle.
The bottom line, then, is that it’s a condition that we can treat with expertise, thought, effort and a good working relationship between the patient and the dermatologist and certified dermatology physician assistants who see and treat our patients daily.
If you, your child, or friend has acne in San Antonio and South Texas we’re happy to see them in consultation and work with them to come up with a safe and effective program that works.
Types of Acne
Acne Vulgaris (Common Acne)
Comedones are plugged follicles. When the follicle is open and the plug is oxidized and turns black we call it a “blackhead.” When that plug is covered by a thin layer of skin it’s called a “whitehead.” Regardless of what you call them, these comedones represent small, early manifestations of inflammation. Some of them turn into papules, pustules and even large collections of red, puffy, or painful material and pus we call “cystic acne.”
Back Acne
Acne on the back is common and troublesome. If it’s moderate to severe, it will require oral treatment to be controlled, but it can be done. We work with patients suffering from this over time to keep it under control, as well as to reduce scarring from it.
Hormonal Acne
Some women, including teenage girls, see their acne wax and wane with their monthly hormone changes. For these women a medicine like spironolactone can help. And certain medicines, previously used for birth control, are now FDA-approved to treat acne as well.
Acne Treatments
Effective acne treatment is widely available. It can start at your drug store without a prescription. Products containing sulfur, salicylic acid and resorcinol have been around for decades to help children and adults. Meanwhile, Benzoyl peroxide creams and lotions are proven to reduce mild or even moderate cases. These are available both with and without prescriptions. And formerly prescription-only Adapalene is now available without a prescription.
Antibiotic Treatments
Antibiotic treatments have been used more than 70 years and have proven safe and effective. The more common oral antibiotics include doxycycline, minocycline, clindamycin, and trimethoprin-sulfasoxazole. All are prescription only products, as is Acutane, an effective oral medicine used to treat scarring acne that is unresponsive to other treatments. Prescription antibiotic creams and lotions are also first-line treatments.
Injections to Treat Cystic Acne
Cystic Acne’s painful and unsightly larger bumps on the skin surface can lead to scarring. These typically require oral antibiotic treatment. We can sometimes inject them with a small amount of a corticosteroid to help them dry up and diminish quickly. A comprehensive treatment program with scheduled follow-up visits can help keep cystic acne under control.
Acne Clinical Trials
In addition to standard treatments, we also often have ongoing clinical trials for the development of new treatments for acne. If you think you might be interested, then please visit our research website, dermresearchsa.com for more information
Does Insurance Cover Acne Treatment?
Yes, most insurance plans consider this a medical condition and cover treatment. As always, insurance is subject to deductibles and co-pays. When you call for an appointment we can tell you if we take your insurance. We do take most insurances, however.
Do You See Private-Pay Patients for Acne?
Yes, we are happy to see patients without insurance and we charge them what insurance companies normally “allow”. So, if you’re a cash patient, you are not penalized by paying a retail rate far above what we expect to receive from a health insurance plan.