Which Acne Treatment Is Best for You?

Which Acne Treatment Is Best for You?

While occasional acne may be inevitable, you don't have to live with it constantly. A dermatologist can help you treat and manage acne. Visiting our dermatologists Dr. Kevin Dawson, Dr. Douglas Chun, Dr. Sarah Grekin, and Dr. Erin Fuller at Dawson Dermatology in Honolulu, HI can help give you the clear and healthy skin you crave.

What is Acne?

Acne is an inflammatory disorder of the skin that is caused when the mixture of oil and dead skin cells gets clogged in hair follicles. This allows bacteria that normally live on the skin to grow in the plugged follicles and cause inflammation, swelling, redness, and pain, creating lesions or pimples.

Not all acne is the same. The various types of acne include

  • Whiteheads: Plugged hair follicles that stay beneath the skin and produce a white bump.
  • Blackheads: Plugged follicles that reach the surface of the skin and open up. They look black on the skin surface because the air discolors the sebum, not because they are dirty.
  • Papules: Inflamed lesions that usually appear as small, pink bumps on the skin and can be tender to the touch.
  • Pustules or pimples: Papules topped by white or yellow pus-filled lesions that may be red at the base.
  • Nodules: Large, painful, solid lesions that are lodged deep within the skin.
  • Severe nodular acne (sometimes called cystic acne): Deep, painful, pus-filled lesions.

Acne Treatment Options In Honolulu, HI

The acne treatment you need will depend on the type of acne you are suffering from. Oral or topical antibiotics can be prescribed as a treatment option. Chemical peels using glycolic or salicylic acid may be used for active acne and mild acne scarring. This helps repair pockmarks over time once new skin cells are generated. Benzoyl peroxide medication targets acne-causing bacteria and works best on red, inflamed acne and whiteheads. Laser and light therapy can be used to kill bacteria causing your acne. Extraction is an option to remove blemishes. Laser resurfacing penetrates into the deeper layers of skin, showing off smoother, clearer skin underneath.

To manage your acne, visit our dermatologists Dr. Kevin Dawson, Dr. Douglas Chun, Dr. Sarah Grekin, and Dr. Erin Fuller at Dawson Dermatology in Honolulu, HI. You can reach them by calling (808) 599-3780 to schedule an appointment.

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