Manhattan Acne Surgery doctors

There are various topical medicines and pills that can be used to treat acne.  These include topical retinoids (eg. Retin-A or Differin) as well as benzoyl peroxide and antibiotic combinations (eg. Duac, Benzaclin, and Acanya gel).  However, some pimples need to be physically removed from the skin in a procedure known as "Acne Surgery." 

Gentle pressure is placed on the pimples with an instrument known as a comedone extractor, with or without a tiny poke in the skin to help the contents be removed.  Acne surgery is generally not covered by insurance, but is a great addition to acne regimens and can help in some situations when medicines alone cannot.

Acne surgery is not true surgery in the sense of scalpels, stitches and general anesthesia. Nor does it refer to light therapies or any of the minimally invasive methods for improving acne scars. Instead it is the treatment of an active acne flare up (breakout), and remains, in my opinion, one of the only ways currently available to significantly and quickly improve active acne within a few days and occasionally even overnight.

Unfortunately, we currently have no cure for acne vulgaris (so-called "teenage" acne), which is believed to be a condition with a significant inherited family component. While these days we have a variety of effective topical and oral medications to control acne, and to uppress or reduce future outbreaks, nearly all require several weeks to begin to work and often a number of weeks more to achieve their maximal results. This applies even to the powerhouse oral medication Accutane (RoAccutane in Europe and elsewhere). This can be particularly frustrating to the average acne sufferer looking a quick fix.

Here's where acne surgery can come to the rescue. Acne surgery refers to the use of comedone extractors and #11 scalpel blades to clean out blackheads and whiteheads (and hence prevent them from deteriorating to pimples, pustules, and potentially-scarring cysts) and the injection of intralesional antiinflammatory agents, usually triamcinolone acetonide suspension, to quickly bring down (usually in 24-72 hours) already formed papules, pustules and cystic lesions. Acne surgery may also include the additional application of glycolic acid or salicylic peels to further dry up an outbreak.

Acne surgery performed early on can not only make the skin clearer very quickly and enhance self-image rapidly, but can go a long way to reducing the frustration of most acne sufferers in having to wait weeks to see any results from their prescribed therapies. For this reason, acne surgery, particularly in the early stages of anti-acne therapy are a routine part of my treatment protocol.