What can you do about stubborn acne that won’t clear even with treatment? The over-the-counter creams, lotions, cleansers, and masks either help temporarily or leave you with added irritation. If your acne won’t go away or gets worse every day, take a look at the reasons behind this common issue and what you can do to get clear skin.
Why Do You Have Acne?
There isn’t one specific reason for a pimple problem. Excessive oil production, clogged hair follicles, bacteria, and inflammation processes can contribute to acne. Along with these culprits, hormonal changes can also cause breakouts.
The first step to solving your acne dilemma is to understand the cause. If you don’t know the cause, you may not find the right treatment. While some acne may seem mysterious or have no precise cause, it’s possible the dermatologist can determine a reason. A full history, physical exam, and lab or blood tests may reveal a potential cause. This means you should start your journey to clear skin with a professional.
Why Won’t Some Treatments Work?
You’ve watched the commercials and seen before/after photos of people with severe acne who use a specific product to completely eliminate the issue. With the proof in front of your eyes, you’re a believer-and waste no time investing in the acne-clearing option. But the product doesn’t clear your skin. Why wouldn’t an acne product work for you?
Again, you need to understand the cause of your acne. Even though one type of treatment may work well for some people, it may not have the same effect on your skin. If your skin doesn’t respond to a product, you will need a different option that treats another cause.
A mismatch between the cause and the product isn’t the only possible reason why your acne treatment failed. Some types of treatments take more than a few uses to work. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), you should use the product for four to six weeks before you give up on it. This doesn’t mean the treatment will stop every breakout by the four or six-week mark. A treatment that works for your skin should show some results in this time frame. But it may take longer (several months) for your acne to clear completely.
Why Do Some Treatments Make Acne Worse?
You tried a treatment, and it made your breakouts worse. Some products do nothing-and others irritate the skin or aggravate acne. A product that’s too harsh for your skin type or the wrong concentration can make pimples appear more pronounced. Irritating acne treatment can increase redness and inflammation. While this won’t actually add blemishes to your skin, it may make your complexion look worse or cause discomfort.
It’s also possible you may have overused the product. While it might seem like constant applications or slathering on more cream than directed will help the product work faster, this could increase irritation.
What Can You Do To Treat Acne?
Now that you know why your current or past acne regimen may not have worked, it’s time to learn more about what you can do. Even though you may have spent weeks, months, or years trying to tame your acne, you don’t have to stop the fight now. While past products didn’t do the trick, you should still hold out hope for the future.
A dermatologist can help you to choose the right product that matches your individual needs. This may take some experimentation at first. The doctor may suggest different types of ingredients or an oral medication (instead of a topical) control bacterial or hormonal causes.
Do you need help controlling your acne? Contact Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists for more information.
