There are a few things we recommend having ready before your first visit with us.

Have a list of prescription medications you've previously tried. Please includes names and strengths, any issues with the medications (i.e. irritation), and be able to estimate approximately how long each treatment was used.

Be realistic about your goals. Acne control is a gradual process that takes consistency and patience. The most common treatments require daily adherence. Additionally, sensitive skin can be a challenge, often prolonging the time until acne is controlled.

Make sure your skincare routine is up to par. For acne, we recommend gentle facial cleansers such as Cerave or Cetaphil to prevent dryness and irritation, especially when using prescription topical treatments. Moisturizing is great as part of a skincare routine but the wrong moisturizer can sometimes contribute to acne. Ensure that your moisturizer says "non-comedogenic" on the box, which means the product will not block pores and contribute to acne. Makeup is another common pore blocker, so make sure your product is non-comedogenic, as well. Mineral makeup is a good option. Although sun exposure can sometimes help acne, it can also contribute heavily to aging skin. Additionally, many commonly prescribed acne products have an increased risk of sun sensitivity. Therefore, we recommend daily application of a 50 SPF non-comedogenic sunscreen; physically-blocking sunscreen is preferred.

Lastly, we recommend being knowledgable about your acne. We're going to be asking you a lot of questions and having the answers ahead of time will make your first visit go smoothly.

Common questions: 

• Where on your body do you break out?
• Are your outbreaks regular or intermittent? Common triggers (i.e. sports)?
• What type of face wash, moisturizer, and makeup do you use?
• (Female) Do your outbreaks correlate with your menstrual cycles?