Schweiger Dermatology Group

How to Treat Pimples That Hurt

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painful pimplesWaking up with deep pimples that hurt is a frustrating experience.  There is no ‘popping’ these big guys, and it can seem as though topical spot treatments don’t do a thing when it comes to pimples that hurt.  Thankfully, there is a fast option for treating pimples that hurt, no matter what day of the week they show up!

Clear Clinic is open seven days a week for walk-in cortisone shots.  A cortisone shot is a tiny injection, which released an anti-inflammatory medication directly into the painful acne bumps.  These pimples that hurt are caused by inflammation of the skin, as a result of congregating acne bacteria on the skin.  By decreasing the inflammation quickly, it can offer fast relief of pimples that hurt.

Cortisone shots are covered by most insurance companies and take only a couple of minutes to perform.  Most acne responds to a cortisone shot within 24 hours, though you will likely notice that painful pimples will begin to feel better just a few hours after the cortisone shot.

Pimples that hurt should be evaluated by a dermatologist or dermatology PA, as sometimes a bump may seem like a pimple, but it is actually an infection of the skin.

Click here to learn more about treating pimples that hurt.

Do I Need to See an Acne Specialist?

Posted in Acne Scars, Acne Tips, Clear Clinic by . | Leave a Comment

do-i-need-to-see-acne-expert-nycIts hard to enter a drugstore without being bombarded by all of the OTC acne-fighting treatments.  It can be the same with television: watch for more than a few minutes and you are bound to see an advertisement for the newest anti-acne system.  So, when is it time to see an acne specialist?  Can your regular doctor treat your acne?  Do these OTC anti-acne systems actually work?

NYC dermatologist and acne specialist, Dr. Eric Schweiger, founded the Clear Clinic as a resource for people with acne to receive the best care possible.  He explains that, “Over-the-counter acne treatments can sometimes be effective for mild acne, but it can be expensive to try a variety of over-the-counter treatments and not know whether they will even work.  Additionally, your regular doctor has the right to prescribe you medications for your acne, but a doctor who does not specialize in acne will not understand the best treatments for your specific skin type or know the most up-to-date technology and newest medications.  For this reason, I recommend visiting an acne specialist as soon as you notice new acne breakouts.  They will have the knowledge and tools to get rid of your acne quickly, rather than trying many treatments and developing permanent scars in the meantime.”

Click here to learn more about acne specialists and the treatment of acne.

Get Rid of Acne Scars By Next Week

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fillers-get-rid-acne-scars-fast-nyc-dermatologistEveryone has different needs and goals when treating acne scarring.  We strive to provide the best acne scar treatments, while offering treatments that fit into every patient’s schedule.  Sometimes, such as one week before a big event, it is not so important that an acne scar treatment is permanent as it is that the acne scar treatment will get rid of acne scars by next week.

NYC dermatologist and founder of the Clear Clinic, Dr. Schweiger, explains that, “While Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing and Fraxel laser resurfacing have proven themselves to be the most effective and most permanent options for treating acne scars, it is important to know that there are options available for immediately improvement of acne scars.  Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Restylane and Juvederm, can be injected directly into the acne scars.  While the result is not always as dramatic as laser resurfacing treatments, dermal fillers provide a nice improvement and the results are visible immediately.”

Dermal fillers for acne scars can be injected in the office, with little downtime, other than potential bruising.  Depending on the filler used to treat acne scars, the improvement usually lasts up to nine months after a single treatment.

Click here to learn more about dermal fillers for acne scars.

Tea Tree Oil for Acne Treatment?

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tea-tree-oil-for-acne-treatmentThere are many options available for over-the-counter acne treatments.  Patients commonly ask us about new products that they have seen lining the shelves of their local drugstore.  Tea tree oil is a popular treatment for people to ask about; there is a lot of ‘buzz’ about tea tree oil for the treatment of acne, but is tea tree oil for acne treatment a good idea?

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Tea tree oil has long been considered as an acne treatment, because it has both antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties.  Acne is caused by a combination of p. acnes bacteria and inflammation, so in theory an ingredient with these properties would be an effective treatment.  Studies have shown that tea tree oil does have an effect against acne, but it does not work as quickly or effectively as the more traditional over-the-counter ingredients, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.”

Tea tree oil is gentle and maybe effective against acne if used over a long period of time.  Unfortunately, tea tree oil has not been studied and proven to be noncomedogenic, meaning that the oil may actually clog your pores and promote the development of acne.    We recommend exploring the best options for your acne treatment and discussing with your dermatologist whether tea tree oil makes sense for you to try.  Years from now, there may be excellent research showing us the benefits of tea tree oil and recommending the best way to use it for acne.  However, for now there is still more research to be done before we regularly recommend its use for treating acne.

Secret Weapon for Treating Back Acne

Posted in Acne Tips, Laser Acne Treatments by . | Leave a Comment

secret-weapon-treating-back-acne-laserAlthough prescription medications have become the mainstay of many back acne treatment regimens, dermatologists are now finding that the secret weapon for treating back acne is actually a series of in-office laser and light-based treatments.  Back acne tends to respond more slowly to prescription medications, even stronger treatments such as isotretinoin.  In-office laser and light-based treatments for acne work more quickly than prescription medications and can help provide a dramatic improvement in your back acne before tank top season arrives.

Dr. Schweiger explains that, “In-office treatments for acne, such as the Isolaz acne laser and Photodynamic Therapy, work by killing acne causing bacteria, cleaning out excess oil and debris from the pores, and decreasing excess oil production on the skin.  These mechanisms help to clear acne, particularly on the back, more quickly than prescription medications alone and significantly more effectively than over-the-counter treatments for body acne.”

Your dermatologist or dermatologist PA will recommend the best course of treatment for your back acne.  It is a good idea to ask them about this secret weapon for treating back acne, as laser and light-based acne treatments work quickly and effectively.  These in-office treatments are commonly combined with prescription medications and at-home treatments, such as the Clarisonic brush.

Click here to learn more about the secret weapon for treating back acne.

Antibiotics for Acne

Posted in Acne Antibiotics, Adult Acne, Teenage Acne by Clear Clinic. | Leave a Comment

acne antiobioticsThere are a variety of prescription acne treatments available, including antibiotics (both antibiotic creams and pills), retinoids, hormonal treatments, and isotretinoin.  Your dermatologist will help you to determine the best prescription regimen for your acne.  It is possible that this prescription regimen for acne will include either a topical or oral antibiotic.  Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Antibiotics are commonly used to treat acne, because one of the most commons acne causes is p. acnes bacteria.  This bacteria lives on nearly everyone’s skin, but congregates in pores when they are clogged with excess oil or debris, which leads to the development of pimples on the skin.  By decreasing the concentration of acne-causing p. acnes bacteria on the skin, antibiotics can effectively treat and prevent acne.”

While antibiotics are most commonly used in combination with other acne treatments, here are a few of the most commonly used antibiotics for acne:

  • Clindamycin: Clindamycin has been used for years to treat acne in topical acne medications.  It is commonly combined with other acne-fighting ingredients, such as benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin.
  • Doryx: Doryx is a enteric coated version of doxycycline, which means that it is gentler on the stomach than generic doxycycline formulations.  It is a pill that is typically taken once daily.
  • Solodyn: Solodyn is a delayed release formulation of minocycline.  Unlike generic minocycline, Solodyn is only taken once daily to treat acne.
  • Azithromycin: Azithromycin is sometimes used for the treatment of acne, especially for patients who cannot tolerate minocycline or doxycycline due to allergy, or patients who have not responded well to other antibiotics in the past.

 

Do You Need Acne Surgery?

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acne-surgery-ny-chemical-peelsFirst of all, what is acne surgery?  It sounds like a scary thing that requires anesthesia and a hospital stay!  The truth is, acne surgery is a simple procedure, which can make a big improvement in the treatment of your acne.  Patients with comedonal acne, meaning blackheads and whiteheads, tend to see a vast improvement after acne surgery.

Acne surgery is the manual removal of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) from the skin.  A dermatologist, physician assistant, or certified esthetician will use sterile tools to unclog the pores and remove the excess sebum that has built up in the pore.  This does not hurt and takes anywhere from five to thirty minutes, depending on the extent of your acne.  Sometimes, we will recommend steaming your skin first, to open up the pores and facilitate the acne surgery.  Additionally, we will often perform a chemical peel immediately following acne surgery.  This allows the further clearing of clogged pores and delivering of anti-acne medication to the skin.

After acne surgery, your skin may temporarily be mildly red for a short period of time.  You may apply sunscreen or makeup following your visit; there is no need to avoid your regular activities following acne surgery.  For patients who have a chemical peel combined with acne surgery, your dermatologist will review the instructions on how to best care for your skin after the procedure.

Click here to read more about acne surgery in New York at the Clear Clinic.

Where Can I Have F.A.S.T. Acne Scar Treatment?

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fly-to-nyc-for-fast-acne-scar-treatmentThe F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment was developed by acne scar expert Dr. Schweiger at the Clear Clinic in New York City.  The F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment utilizes a unique approach to treating acne scars.  Rather than treat the entire face, which is the traditional method of laser resurfacing treatments for acne scars, the F.A.S.T. method treats only the acne scars themselves.  This allows us to perform the laser treatment at higher energy levels, but still have faster healing time and fewer side effects after the treatment.

Up to this point, one downside of the treatment was that it is currently performed at Clear Clinic in New York City.  Since we understand that not every patient with acne scarring lives in New York City, we have introduced a new program called “Fly In for Clear Skin.”  This program allows people with acne scarring from all over the country to fly to New York for the F.A.S.T. acne scar treatment.  The cost of the treatment is the same as the cost offered to our local patients, but includes roundtrip airfare to New York, a one-night stay in a hotel near our office in New York City, and all costs associated with the acne scar treatment itself.

Click here to learn more about the Fly In for Clear Skin program.

When Should I Have Fillers for Acne Scars?

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when-should-i-have-fillers-for-acne-scars-acne-scar-expertIf laser treatment for acne scars is the most effective method of permanently improving the skin’s texture, then why would anyone opt to have fillers for acne scars?  Acne scar expert Dr. Schweiger explains that, “Laser resurfacing works by stimulating the skin’s own collagen production to fill in areas of deep acne scars.  While this process is permanent, it takes a while to produce the full improvement in the skin’s texture.  Some improvement is seen quickly, within one to two weeks, while more dramatic improvement can take up to four months to appreciate.  Additionally, there are between two and seven days of downtime (depending on the laser treatment used) after a laser resurfacing treatment.  For patients who either cannot schedule any downtime or for patients who need to see instant improvement of acne scars, dermal fillers are the best option.”

Dermal fillers, such as Restylane or Juvederm, are injected directly into the pitted acne scars.  These fillers are composed of hyaluronic acid, an ingredient natural to the body, which fills in atrophic skin of the pitted acne scars.  The improvement in skin texture can be appreciated immediately, though sometimes there is very mild swelling after the injections.  Dermal fillers for acne scars last between six and twelve months.

Click here to read more about dermal fillers for acne scars.

Adult Acne Treatments That Help With Aging Skin, Too

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Woman looking at her face in mirrorYour high school years may be a distant memory, unfortunately those pimples that accompanied them are not. If you’re in your 30s or 40s and are still battling breakouts, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that nearly 30% of women from ages 20-60 suffer from at least the occasional zit. Showing up for a big meeting or a parent teacher conference with a huge zit on your chin is just about as embarrassing as it gets. While reports show that women suffer from more acne breakouts in their adult years than men, there is good acne treatment news for the female population of adult acne sufferers. There are a number of effective acne treatments around that also address aging skin and help with wrinkle removal. “Using too many skin care products can compromise the skin and cause inflammation, so being more targeted with our approach to acne skincare is very important,” says Dr. Schweiger.

If you’re in your adult years and your M.O. is for younger looking, acne-free skin and a clear, glowing complexion (because really, who’s isn’t?), here’s a look at the rejuvenating treatments and procedures you should be seeking out during your next office visit.

Topical Retinoids
Retinoids refers to the class of compounds, which includes retinol, retinoic acid and retinyl palmitate, all of which are derivatives of the powerhouse skin-saving vitamin A. Retinoids smooth out wrinkles and tighten pores and clear up acne breakouts. Quite an amazing ingredient if there ever was one. There are plenty of OTC retinols, some of the most effective topical retinoids are of the prescription variety, Renova, Tazorac and Differin. The biggest complaint about retinols are that they can be irritating to the skin. Thanks to new delivery systems and products containing smaller percentages of retinol, there are ways to reduce side effects. We suggest applying a moisturizing cream after your retinol treatment. It’s also important to use sunscreen while on a retinoid, as they make your skin more photosensitive.

Contact us to make an appointment and find out about a retinol treatment that is right for you.

Light Treatments for Acne
If you want to banish your breakouts and also clear your complexion of age spots and brown spots, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a great way to do so. Photdynamic therapy has been receiving some national attention lately (in the Wall Street Journal), as a fantastic alternative treatment for adult acne patients who do not want to subject themselves to antibiotics or stronger prescription topicals. During a PDT session, a medication called levulan gets applied to the skin, which is then activated by the light and kills the acne bacteria and reduces sebum production. Photodynamic therapy also improves skin’s texture and increases collagen production, which helps to diminish brown spots and age spots.

Find out more information on photodynamic therapy for acne

 

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