Severe acne that lasts a long time can be painful, leave scars, and reduce your self-confidence. Fortunately, you can find a customized acne treatment that may improve your skin condition at a compounding pharmacy.

What Solutions Are Available for Hard-to-Treat Acne?

Treating severe acne may involve a combination of oral and topical treatments, depending on the type of acne you have. Hormonal acne, for example, may respond better to oral hormone treatments. Overall, topical treatments are typically the first line of defense for treating moderate to severe acne. 

Tretinoin 

For many people, tretinoin is an ideal acne-fighting medication. This concentrated derivative of vitamin A is often recommended to treat moderate to severe acne, hormonal acne, and acne scarring. This retinoid medication can reduce oily skin and turn over new skin cells, which can banish acne over time. Tretinoin has multiple strengths and may be compounded as a gel or cream based on your skin type.

Tretinoin can also be compounded with ascorbic acid to help reduce inflammation from acne and CoQ10 to encourage faster collagen formation. Your dermatologist can identify the proper strength, form, and blend of compounded tretinoin that is ideal for the severity of your acne and your skin type.

Hydroquinone and Vitamin D

A combination of hydroquinone and vitamin D may be recommended for people who want to treat topical acne scarring. Some forms of acne scars can cause hyperpigmentation or dark spots long after acne has healed. This combination of compounded medication may be added as part of a daily treatment regimen, particularly if you struggle with active acne and post-acne marks. 

Can Topical Antibiotics Help With Acne?

For people with severe acne that hasn’t responded to over-the-counter acne products or other prescriptions, a topical antibiotic might be a good option. Dermatologists sometimes prescribe a blend of clindamycin, a topical antibiotic, and tretinoin to address difficult acne. While tretinoin addresses oil productivity, clindamycin can significantly reduce the bacteria that cause acne to treat inflammatory acne breakouts. Erythromycin may also be recommended to treat acne. 

Why Are Acne Medications at a Compounding Pharmacy More Effective?

Compounded medications for acne might be more effective for your skin condition than over-the-counter products for a few reasons. For one thing, compounded medications can be much stronger than OTC products, which means these medications can address active acne and acne scarring much more quickly. Compounded medications may also be more effective because these topical treatments are tailored to the precise type of acne you have, which can reduce the trial-and-error results that come with OTC products. 

How Long Does Acne Treatment Take?

In general, treating acne is a long-term process. Even when you are using compounded acne medications, it can take several weeks or months to see the full results of your treatment. For a medication like tretinoin, it may take eight to 12 weeks to see a significant improvement in your acne breakouts. Some topical antibiotics for acne may improve the inflammation of your skin in a matter of weeks. 

If you are using a medication that lightens acne scarring, your treatment results may appear a few weeks after starting your compounded medication. This is because dark spots are lightened by exfoliating or gently bleaching the skin, rather than treating inflammation, an active bacterial issue, or other underlying causes of acne. 

Severe acne can have a lasting impact on your self-esteem and the health of your skin. The best way to address difficult acne concerns is to talk to your dermatologist about a tailor-made treatment with compounded medications that can address the cause of your acne and improve your skin appearance at the same time. Contact WP Pharma Labs to learn more.