I’M SUFFERING FROM SEVERE ACNE
QI am suffering from acne, acne scars and large pores. I’ve tried various therapies but none have helped. One doctor prescribed medication for acne, and suggested I go for laser treatment. I have a clean diet and all my test reports are normal.
AI assume you are in your late teens or early 20s. Your issues – acne, acne scars and large pores – will need to be addressed individually through different treatment/ management strategies, depending on the severity of the issues.
For instance, acne can be treated using topical creams, gels, lotions, solutions and cleansing masks as a first-line treatment; with oral antibiotics as a second line of treatment; and with oral Isotretinoin as a third line of treatment. Please remember that any last treatment must be done and monitored only by an experienced dermatologist.
Acne in general is diagnosed only on clinical examination. However, in severe, resistant and longstanding cases, particularly in female patients, certain investigations could be worth performing.
Serum hormonal profiles and pelvic ultrasound are among the necessary tests to be done to rule out an underlying, associated Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). In these cases an endocrinological consultation is highly recommended.
Common treatments for acne scars include acid peels and use of lasers.
The problem of large pores is a sister issue related to acne, and indicates the presence of hyperactive oil (sebaceous) glands. With the improvement of the acne, particularly through the oil-controlling treatments, these large pores also get simultaneously improved to a great extent. In a few cases of incomplete success, topical gentle facial peels or few microdermabrasion treatment sessions can do the job.