Acne is a common skin condition that almost everyone  experiences at some point in their lives.

While it is most common in teens and young adults,  over 80% experience at least some mild form of acne. Most people outgrow their acne by their 20’s, however, some people, especially women can experience outbreaks in their 40’s.

Acne typically occurs on the face but is known to also occur on the neck,chest, shoulders or back. It shows up in the form of pimples, generally known as whiteheads or blackheads. Large, deep pimples are known ascystic lesions. These are painful lesions in the pores, which can lead to scarring.

Acne Treatments
While there is no cure for acne, there are a number of  treatments used to reduce or eliminate outbreaks and hopefully prevent scarring.

- Benzoyl peroxide lotions often control mild acne and help in preventing new outbreaks. If these treatments do not work, a doctor can prescribe topical antibiotics to help kill the bacteria.

- Moderate to severe acne can often be controlled by combining topical benzoyl peroxide along with oral antibiotics. The combination has an increased effectiveness while decreasing the risk of developing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

- Acne with large painful cystic lesions might require a prescription treatment of topical retinoid (vitamin A).

- Recently, light wave therapy which has been federally approved, uses a narrow-band, high intensity blue light to treat mild to moderate acne. It is primarily used for conditions that have not responded to other treatments.