Q:

I'm sick of having acne. I've had it for as long as I can remember, I'm talking before junior high. It's not incredibly horrible acne, but it is between moderate leaning towards severe a week or two before my period. I've been on birth control since 10th grade (about 5 years) and I've been switching the types to see if it helps my acne. All it ever does is move my acne and the kind of acne.  For the past couple months I've been on ortho-cyclen and that doesn't help either. I'm getting not your average pimples. These ones are bigger, last longer, and don't come to a head. I really want to be rid of acne. What do you suggest?

 

A:

Treatment of acne is a step-wise process of using different approaches and medications for best control.  You can certainly be seen in the Health Center to review what you have tried so far beside hormonal medication, including prescription topical drying agents, topical antibiotics, and oral antibiotics.

If nothing is helping despite that progressive approach, then a referral to a dermatologist may be warranted.

~The Doc