The main goal of acne treatment is to prevent scarring. Additional goals are to reduce the number of painful lesions and to minimize the psychological stress and embarrassment caused by this disease.
Doctors often use drug therapy as the first choice for treating acne.
One should also give consideration to proper care of the skin and diet first. Patients with moderate to severe inflammatory acne generally treated with an OTC or prescription topical medication, a prescription oral medication, or a combination of these. People with severe nodular or cystic acne should be treated by a specialist. For patients with severe inflammatory acne that does not improve with other treatments, a retinoid, may be perscribed. Isotretinoin is an oral drug and is usually taken once or twice a day for 16 to 20 weeks.