Dermatologist Visit Results and New Skincare Routine

I was eagerly awaiting my dermatologist visit, I'd never been despite my history of acne for more than half my life.  Never bad enough in my mind to justify a doctor visit, but I've become increasingly impatient with it and I had some other questions.

I have a freckle on my lip (among several) that looked like it was getting darker, I have tiny red dots on my arms and legs and just wondered what they were, the chronic peeling around my nose, and of course that stubborn acne.  So, she said the freckle looked fine and I can use a lip balm with SPF (something I've been trying to be better about).  The red dots she said are small hereditary hemangiomas that are more common for fair skintones, nothing to worry about.  The nose is seborrhoeic dermatitis and the cortizone ointment I had been using was okay, but she could give me something that would work better (desonide).

For the acne!  I got all sorts of new stuff prescribed.  A face wash with sulfur/sulfacetamide, topical clindamycin and a sulfur/sulfacetamide lotion.  After doing some reading on the sulfur/sulfacetamide, it also treats rosacea and seborrhoeic dermatitis.  Since I have a good amount of redness and peeling in some areas, I am hopeful this will not only help the acne but those things as well.

It takes 8-12 weeks to get the full effect of the medication, the doctor said if this doesn't clear it up the next step would be an oral antibiotic; not something I am thrilled about unless it would be short term.  I am certainly excited about the prospect of having less acne, it gets fairly tiresome with constant breakouts on my chin.  And if I could decrease the redness too, that would be a great bonus. 

We'll see how it goes long term, but the first couple applications I'm finding none of the products are drying out my face (even Aveeno's Ultra Calming face wash makes my skin tight) and I've gone without a moisturizer. 

Comments