How long does acne treatment take? Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands of the hair follicles. For acne patients with a large number of rashes or rashes such as nodules or cysts, the first thing to understand is: “This is a chronic disease and treatment should take a long time and be patient”. Secondly, treatment should last for at least 4-5 months or continue for 2 months after the rash has subsided. It is unrealistic to expect a cure within a few weeks, and in addition stopping the medication too early after the rash has subsided can easily cause acne to recur. Foreign studies have shown that when the cumulative oral dose of 13-cis-retinoic acid reaches 120 mg/kg (the amount needed to treat the national population for 1-2 years), acne is less likely to recur. Why do adults get acne even in the dermatology department of Guangdong Provincial Dermatology Hospital, Tieqiang Wu? Acne that occurs during the period from puberty to the age of 24 is medically called common acne, and acne that occurs after the age of 24 is medically called adult acne. Some patients have acne that is a continuation of acne vulgaris, and some patients do not develop significant acne until after the age of 24. It can occur in both men and women, and is more common in women clinically. The causes of adult acne are basically the same as those of acne vulgaris, except that the role of androgens is more important in the development of adult acne. Therefore, in the treatment of adult acne, more emphasis is placed on the application of androgen antagonists. How can I prevent acne scars? Once acne scars are formed, they are difficult to reverse. Treatment of acne scars with intense lasers is effective and expensive, but remember: it is difficult to restore the appearance of the skin to what it was before the acne scars. Therefore, prevention of acne scars is extremely important! A. Treat acne aggressively. Nodular cystic acne is more likely to form acne scars, as well as acne scars among blood relatives who have acne scars. It is important to actively treat acne when it occurs around the age of 10 and to be examined and advised by a medical professional regularly thereafter (to prevent the appearance of nodular cystic acne). This is an extremely important measure to prevent acne scars. B. After acne is cured, medication should not be stopped and should be applied topically 2-3 times a week. C. Do not squeeze, pinch or prick the acne rash. D. To care for the skin, apply skin care products that reduce acne and pimples, and never scrub or overclean the skin.