/ drdavinlim  
Much more skin care tips & hacks with daily updates.
Specific guide to acne treatments.
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Step one: Salicylic acid wash, many good & cheap brands to choose from. Use in the am only. If you do not have any skin irritation, you can use in the pm
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Step two: Find a retinoid, skip the #retinol step ff you are serious. For those residing in the United States, Differin is over the counter. For those residing elsewhere, be creative. Either order online or see your GP. You don’t need a dermatologist to prescribe topical retinoids. The finer points of retinoid application: use as tolerated, namely if you have redness, stinging, flaky skin, itchy skin, sore skin- BACK OFF, skip a night or two or even three. Apply to acne prone areas. #Retinoids are not spot treatments
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Step three: Get a good simple moisturizer. You are gonna need it if you are using salicylic acid & retinoids. A moisturizer also helps restore skin barrier function that has been compromised in acne prone skin. Apply 2 to 3 times a day. Space out application, reapply after your pm retinoid application
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Give it time: 6 weeks in fact. If you are really serious about gauging progress, take a few photos, re-assess in 6 weeks. Never use subjective measurements as a guide
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Adjunctive measures: The usual, eat healthy, drink water, don’t pick, take off your makeup before bed, use non-comedogenic products etc… all very important
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Other treatments: Up to you, you can ‘give it a go’ with the usual- tea tree oil, niacinamide, glycolic washes, witch hazel, toners, serums, masks, spot treatments, hydrocolloid dressings, benzoyl peroxide washes, green tea, zinc supplements, ascorbic acid, & the hundreds of retinol products out there. If you must, try these before seeing a dermatologist
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Skin’s irritant threshold: Varies between individuals, exceed that limit with lots of product use means going backwards. Acne can be classified as an inflammatory skin condition with barrier compromise, treat it accordingly
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Action: If you are still having a tough time with acne, my colleagues @cliniccutis can help
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Dr Davin Lim
#acne #acnetreatment #acneskincare
Brisbane, Australia
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Disclaimer: I am a procedural dermatologist, I do not manage acne. If you have acne & would like medical treatment, please see a medical dermatologist. Hint: if you are serious about treating acne, try this 3 step program in addition to diet, supplements etc.. If you do not improve, a dermatologist will PRESCRIBE you MEDICATIONS. The job of a dermatologist is to safely treat acne without any 'fluff', in some cases it may involve DRUGS like antibiotics, anti-inflammatory mediations, oral vitamin A & or hormonal control. Expire all remedies before seeing a dermatologist if you want to give 'natural treatments' a go. Alternative consult a dermatologist if you want your acne fixed- quickly. Remember the number one predictor of acne scarring is the time taken to EFFECTIVE control, and not the time taken to ' give it a go' or try things out. Scar mitigation is more important than scar treatments, the latter has set variables, the former depends on your perception.