0 How many courses of oral isotretinoin can I take?

To minimize the risk of adverse long-term reactions that oral isotretinoin can have on our bones and other organ systems, we should follow t...

0 Can I have laser or cosmetic treatments, waxing, or other treatments done while I am on oral isotretinoin?

It is learnt that oral isotretinoin (sold under the trade name of Accutane, and its generics is known as Sotret or Amnesty) affects our skin...

0 Acne Scars - Can They Be Cleared Painlessly With Microdermabrasion

Acne scars are for life. As most of them form on the face, it becomes a major cosmetic problem. Those who have acne scars want to get rid of...

0 What should I avoid while taking oral isotretinoin to treat my acne?

The following may come in handy: Women should not get pregnant while taking oral isotretinoin or for at least one month after stopping oral ...

0 When I start oral isotretinoin, will my acne get worse before it gets better?

In some cases, there can be a flare of the acne in the first month after starting oral isotretinoin (sold under the trade name of Accutane, ...

0 Is oral isotretinoin suitable for my acne condition?

It is acknowledged that oral isotretinoin is the first-line treatment for severe acne and may also be used in people who have failed convent...

0 How long is the usual course of oral isotretinoin before I see results?

Studies have shown that most cases of severe acne respond to a single 4 to 6 month treatment course and that the effect of oral isotretinoin...

0 Can I continue topical or oral acne treatments while I am pregnant? How long should I wait before I get pregnant?

It is learnt that acne is at its worst when women are at the height of their child-bearing potential, hence it is very important to let our ...

0 Which topical acne treatment formulations should I choose? Are creams better than gels, ointments, lotions or foam formulations?

It is learnt that when our skin is very oily, gels are much better tolerated but when our skin is very dry, those that come in creams or oin...

0 Should I use moisturizer while I am on topical acne treatment?

In general, if our skin is very oily, moisturizers are not required and need not be used. Nevertheless, the best time to use a moisturizer i...

0 Acne Treatment: How To Fight Bacteria

Acne is an inflamed disease of the skin, and it has many causes. One such cause is bacteria that is breeding in the pores of the skin. When ...

0 Are topical or oral steroids good for severe inflammatory acne?

It is leant that oral steroids are a preferred choice in very severe inflammatory acne because a short course will immediately reduce the nu...

0 Is benzoyl peroxide safe for treating acne vulgaris?

Studies have shown that BP (short for benzoyl peroxide) is considered to be safe and effective against superficial inflammatory lesions as i...

0 Why do movies and rock stars or famous people never seem to have acne? What are their acne free secrets?

If we ever think they will never have acne, we are absolutely wrong. They are just like you and I, may get affected by acne as acne is a dis...

0 Why does my acne get better or worse when I go in the sun or tanning salon?

Basically, sun exposure has a drying effect on our skin and cause damages to the sebaceous gland (i.e. oil-producing glands located in the ...

0 Does stress cause and affect acne?

Research has shown that stress does not directly cause acne but it does affect acne and is one of the factors that make acne worse. To have ...

0 Can I have my lip and face waxed while I am using topical acne treatment such as Retin-A?

It is advisable to stop the Retin-A (i.e. medication commonly used to treat acne vulgaris and the compound is in the vitamin A family) topic...

0 Acne Removal Tips for Men To Tone Up Complexion

Acne affects people irrespective of their sex. Men lack the knowledge to deal with acne than women, as skincare, beauty regimen and acne re...

0 What role do hormones play on acne?

It is good to know that hormones (i.e. a chemical substance formed in one organ of our body that can be carried to another organ or tissue w...

0 When should I visit a skin specialist?

From the acne clear and acne care perspective, if we feel that our acne is persistent or potentially lead to serious acne scars and we have ...

0 How can I prevent acne scarring or help my acne scars heal faster?

We may be surprised to know that the best way to prevent acne scars is not to pick at or squeeze our pimples. In short, the trauma to the sk...

0 Will oral acne antibiotics affect my teeth?

The answer is depending on which oral acne antibiotics we are taking. For example, erythromycin is considered safe for the treatment of acne...

0 Can my sunscreen make me break out?

This is another myth that most people think sunscreens can cause acne. Studies showed that those who have break out after using sunscreens a...

0 Can I take antibiotics or use other topical acne medications while I am on oral isotretinoin?

The answer is No. This is because oral isotretinoin is recommended to be used only as a monotherapy, meaning that once we start oral isotret...

0 What hormonal acne therapy is right for me?

It is learnt that estrogens (i.e. female sex hormone) are particularly helpful in women who have oily skin and clear signs of increased sebu...

0 Does makeup cause acne?

If the makeup is kind of greasy and thick cosmetics that alter the cells of the follicles and make them stick together more easily, this wil...

0 Should I eat right before or after taking my oral acne antibiotic?

This depends on what oral acne antibiotics we are taking. For example, the original formulation of tetracycline which is very inexpensive co...

0 Will I be more sensitive to the sun while I am on oral acne antibiotics?

It is good to know that most oral antibiotics increase sun sensitivity though some are more than others. Doxycycline is one of them and is k...

0 Can I go in the sun/tanning booth while I am taking oral antibiotics, isotretinoin or Retin-A?

The answer is we should never use a tanning booth, should avoid tanning salons and avoid excessive sun exposure while we are taking oral ant...

0 Does exercise affect acne?

It is unclear the exact effect exercise has on bringing out acne, however, it was reported that some people notice their acne got worse afte...

0 Does every oral contraceptive help acne?

The answer is “No.” Oral contraceptives that will help acne should contain both the progestin and estrogen. If your oral contraceptives cont...

0 Does oral isotretinoin cure acne?

We need to know that acne is considered as a chronic condition of the skin and is influenced by both genetic and external factors; hence nei...

0 How does isotretinoin work?

Oral isotretinoin is a retinoid preparation that will decrease the size and secretion of the sebaceous glands (i.e. oil-producing glands tha...

0 What can retinoids do for my skin?

Despite irritation arising from retinoids (i.e. include both naturally occurring and synthetic products, generally in the vitamin A family, ...

0 What other oral acne therapies are available?

Low-dose doxycycline This form of acne treatment has gained its momentum due to it does not seem to have the same adverse side effects (i.e....

0 What role does heredity play?

We need to know that heredity does play an important role in both the age of onset of our acne. In fact, it is also possible that severity a...

0 Is acne contagious?

It is learnt that acne is not known to spread from person to person and is not considered contagious. The bacterium P. acnes which plays an ...

0 What if I get only a few pimples each month, do I need to treat them?

I would say that it is more a personal decision as some of us are more bothered by our acne than others. If we are devastated by one lesion ...

0 What topical acne antibiotics are available?

Topical antibiotics are a mainstay of doctor-prescribed acne therapy. As such, no over-the-counter products may contain erythromycin or clin...

0 Why does my topical acne treatment stop working after a while?

The reason why it happens is because acne is a chronic condition of the skin that can wax and wane over a period of many years, our acne tre...

0 What is neonatal acne and infantile acne?

Neonatal acne Occurring in approximately 20% of newborns and appears at approximately 2 to 3 weeks of life. Looks like small, red bumps and ...

0 Bacteria - How Acne Develops

Many people think they know what causes acne, the inflammation of skin pores that results in problems such as blackheads, whiteheads or pimp...

0 Is picking at my pimples really bad for my skin?

Do you think once we get the contents of the pimple out, the pimple will go away and our skin will heal? The reality is that picking does no...

0 Do I need a blood test to evaluate my acne?

In general, blood tests are not required as acne is a condition of the skin. However, if the acne is due to hormonal imbalance, i.e. excessi...

0 How long would it take to see results from topical acne treatment?

To achieve maximum results from topical acne treatment, compliance is always the key. In short, if we don't use the medication as direct...

0 Can I take oral medication while I am using topical treatments?

It is learnt that the effectiveness of topical acne treatment (i.e. acne product that is used on the skin, such as a cream, lotion or gel) ...

0 Can I use topical antibiotics or BP while I am pregnant?

It is noted that some of these agents are acceptable for use in preg­nancy. Nevertheless, we should not take or use any medications during p...

0 When I start my topical treatment, will my acne get worse before it gets better?

The answer to this question is depending on what was used on our skin. There can be an adjustment period where our skin adapts to the new to...

0 Can greasy food or any food cause or make acne worse?

As with chocolate, studies have not been able to show any association between acne flares and greasy foods. However, it does seem that all o...