Convenient acne treatment

Acne is a common condition affecting millions of people each year. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s any less annoying to deal with or that it doesn’t affect your confidence. That’s why we’re here to help.

We offer quick and convenient acne treatment that starts online, so you can get on the path to clear skin faster than ever.

There are several different types of acne, each with a different root cause. However, all acne involves pores or hair follicles that are clogged by excess oil, bacteria and dead skin cells, causing the surrounding skin to erupt into a blemish.

This form of acne occurs mostly in young people assigned male at birth and can continue into adulthood. Cystic acne involves deep pimples on the face, chest, back, upper arms and thighs. It can be caused by changes in hormones, family history and increased stress levels. Although cystic acne takes time to heal, most people benefit from prescription medications. Treatment for cystic acne can involve topical retinoids or antibiotics, oral antibiotics, isotretinoin, or other medications.

Hormonal acne is the most common form of acne, occurring in both men and women from teenage years through adulthood. It’s caused by hormonal factors due to adolescence, family history, medications and certain medical conditions. An additional cause is changing hormones during menstrual cycles and menopause, making it more common with people assigned female at birth.

Symptoms includeblackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts along the jawline, lower face and neck. Hormonal acne treatment options include topical gels and creams, oral contraceptives, spironolactone, and lifestyle changes like stress or diet management.

With nodular acne, painful lumps appear under the skin and may last for weeks or months. Nodular acne is often confused with cystic acne since they both involve painful bumps that don’t form white or blackheads, but nodules are much harder and can feel like knots under your skin.

Nodular acne is often caused by one or more of the following: sweating, family history, reaction to medications, changing hormones during menstrual cycles and menopause for people assigned female at birth, and increases in the hormone androgen during teenage years in people assigned male at birth. Treatment involves prescription topical gels and creams, and oral medications like isotretinoin.

Acne treatment can include prescription medications such as spironolactone and isotretinoin, topical gels or creams, birth control medications, over-the-counter products, and antibiotics. Our team of skin specialists is here to help determine which treatment is the best fit for you and your skin.

Oral medications can be effective for hormonal, cystic and nodular acne. Some medications may be a temporary addition to your routine, such as antibiotics, while others may be longer term, such as birth control or spironolactone. It’s important to talk with your care team about whether a prescription oral acne medication may be right for you, or if a topical or over-the-counter option may be a better fit.

Topical gels and creams often used for acne include retinoids and topical versions of oral medications. Like oral medications, gels and creams are effective at treating different types of acne. Topical treatment is sometimes preferable to oral medication due to possible interaction with oral medications.

There are many potential causes for your acne breakouts, and not all require prescription medication. If you’ve recently started a new skincare routine or are experiencing stress, incorporating over-the-counter products such as face washes or acne creams can make a big difference. Plus, these don’t require prescriptions, so they are often a good first step to resolving acne.

Using gentle facial cleansers once or twice a day and prioritizing skin products that say “noncomedogenic” on the label will help keep your skin clean and your pores unclogged. If an over-the-counter acne treatment is the best fit for you, ones that contain adapalene, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid work best when used as directed.

If you’re not seeing improvement after a couple of months, start a visit online with Virtuwell and receive acne treatment in about 24 hours.

At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, we offer a full spectrum of acne treatments, including prescription medications like spironolactone and birth control, topical gels and creams, and retinoids. We start treatment at Virtuwell, our online clinic. Start a visit anytime – no appointment or video needed – and one of our nurse practitioners will provide a personalized plan with prescription medications or other treatment options within 24 hours.