Hello doctor,I am an 18 year old boy with severe acne, nodular cystic acne, acne vulgaris. I tried everything but nothing really worked. So, two months back, I finally decided to visit a dermatologist. The dermatologist prescribed me Isotretinoin capsules or Sotret of 20 mg. So, it was working quite well but I was having some breakouts. So, on my next follow up, she added 10 mg more. And today, after six weeks, I had another follow up. My previous doctor is on maternity leave. So, I had to meet another doctor. The new doctor decreased my dosage by 10 mg and now I am supposed to be taking 20 mg per day. The doctor I visited today suggested me to go through some acidic treatments like Salicylic acids. She said taking medicines will not get me the desired skin and I should be doing these acid treatments. So, what I want to know is: Is the acid treatment necessary? My acne is fading away but there are some new breakouts which I think is due to my own carelessness. I eat oily food, sleep very less and do not drink enough water.
Hi. Isotretinoin is a wonderful medicine for acne. The typical course of Isotretinoin ranges from three to four months, depending on the acne response to the medicine. The dose of Isotretinoin depends on your weight. Isotretinoin shrinks the oil-producing glands, and normalizes the lining of ducts. This is the best medicine for nodulocystic acne. Salicylic acid peel is helpful for comedonal (black and whiteheads) acne. It helps to exfoliate the skin. It removes the topmost dead layer of skin and helps to reduce comedones. The treatment regimen for acne depends on a lot of factors, each dermatologist will have their best protocol. I cannot really comment on this because I have not seen your acne pictures. Hence, I am providing you the information about Salicylic acid peel. Talk with your dermatologist and express your concerns. For more information consult a dermatologist online -->