HSE recommends speaking to a GP where acne is significant, pharmacy treatments have failed, or the condition is affecting mental wellbeing.
When is pharmacy treatment enough?
If you have a relatively small number of blackheads, whiteheads and spots, a pharmacist may recommend a product containing benzoyl peroxide. It can take time to work, and changing products every few days can make treatment harder to judge.
What can a GP prescribe?
Depending on your acne type and severity, prescription options can include topical retinoids, azelaic acid, antibiotic treatments, oral antibiotics for more significant inflammatory acne and hormonal approaches in appropriate women.
What are topical retinoids?
Topical retinoids such as tretinoin and adapalene help prevent pores becoming blocked and can be particularly useful for comedonal acne. They can initially cause dryness, irritation, redness and peeling, and results take time.
Topical retinoids should not be used during pregnancy.
Do antibiotics treat acne?
Sometimes. Oral antibiotics can be useful for moderate or more severe inflammatory acne. Because antimicrobial resistance matters, they should be used appropriately and generally alongside a suitable non-antibiotic topical treatment rather than continued indefinitely.
What about the contraceptive pill?
Hormonal treatment can help some women with acne. Suitability depends on contraception needs, medical history, migraine history, blood pressure, clot risk, smoking and other factors, so it remains a medical prescribing decision.
When do I need a dermatologist?
Specialist referral may be appropriate for painful nodular acne, extensive disease, significant scarring, high risk of scarring or acne not responding adequately to standard treatment. Isotretinoin is an important treatment for severe acne but requires specialist prescribing and monitoring.
Should I squeeze spots?
Try not to. Picking and squeezing inflamed lesions increases the risk of skin trauma, pigmentation changes and scarring.
| PrivateGP.ieAcne is often well suited to online review because clear photographs can add useful clinical information. If pharmacy treatment is not working, you can speak privately with a GP through PrivateGP.ie; more severe, unusual or scarring acne may still need dermatology referral or in-person review. |
What should I prepare for an online acne assessment?
- Clear photographs in good natural light
- A list of treatments already tried
- How long you have used each treatment
- Any pregnancy possibility or plans
- Your current medicines and allergies
- Whether you are developing scars
References and further information