Acne Treatments
We have a team of experienced Doctors, nurses and Acne practitioners who can provide a variety of treatment options and support for patients suffering form Acne. We can see patients who are 14 years and older.
At Grand Aura we are the Acne experts in Aberdeen.
Typical acne treatment plans are usually for 6 months and further maintenance treatments may be required.
An initial consultation is required for all new acne patients.
Consultant Dermatologist
If you would like to be under the care of a dermatologist for the duration of your treatment, then you can book directly with the dermatologist (no GP referral is required) Consultation fees are £200 with a dermatologist. or £250 with our Medical Director Dr Rajpara. The dermatologist will assess your skin and diagnose your skin condition and recommend a treatment plan that they can oversee.
Dermatology Nurse Prescriber
We run dedicated acne clinics every second Saturday with our Dermatology Nurse Jane, who is a qualified Adult and Pediatric dermatology nurse with an additional qualification in prescribing. She runs her clinic alongside our Acne Practitioner Megan, who has worked with Dermatologist treating acne for over 10 years and has undergone additional training in Acne by a consultant Dermatologist.
At the consultation the Nurse will assess your skin and determine the severity of your acne and whether medication is required to be prescribed. The acne practitioner will then assess your skin with our hand help skin scanner to have a deeper look at your skin and see what is going on underneath the surface. This will help determine the correct homecare products and in clinic treatments that you may require. Based on the nurses assessment and the practitioners skin analysis, a treatment plan will be recommend for you.
Typical Treatment Options
Mild Acne
If your acne is determined to be mild you may be typical treatment plans may include combination of in clinic facial treatments and home care products. Treatments may include, Ultrasonic Exfoliating Skin Scrub, Extraction Facials and Chemical Skin Peels. The skin peels that are recommended would depend on the outcome of your consultation.
Moderate Acne
For Moderate Acne you may be required to have a combination of topical prescribed creams, antibiotics and/or in clinic treatments and regular reviews with the Nurse.
Topical treatments - These are usually the first choice for those with mild to moderate acne. There are a variety of active anti-acne agents, such as benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics (e.g. erythromycin, tetracycline and clindamycin), retinoids (e.g. tretinoin, isotretinoin and adapalene), azelaic acid and nicotinamide (also known as niacinamide). They should be applied to the entire affected area of the skin (e.g. all of the face) and not just to individual spots, usually every night or twice daily depending on the treatment.
Oral antibiotic treatment Your doctor may recommend a course of antibiotic tablets, usually erythromycin or a type of tetracycline, which is often taken in combination with a suitable topical treatment. Antibiotics need to be taken for at least two months, and are usually continued until there is no further improvement. Typical courses last three to six months
Severe Acne
In the case of severe acne, or acne being on more than one area we would often suggest oral antibiotics and in some cases Isotretinoin. In this case you can be seen by our dermatology Nurse or if you prefer then you can be referred to our Medical Director. This is a highly effective treatment for severe or persistent acne and the improvements can be long-lasting in those who complete a course of treatment. It does, however, have the potential to cause a number of serious side effects and can be prescribed only under the supervision of a consultant dermatologist (our nurse can prescribe this our consultant dermatologist overseeing this). Most courses of isotretinoin last for four to six months. A monthly review is required with a dermatologist or Nurse whilst on this medication, blood tests are required before starting treatment and every 8 weeks and a monthly pregnancy test is required for female patients.
Products
We also stock a range of Acne Products from skin Ceuticals and AlumierMD which are dermatologist approved and help to treat acne and maintain acne prone skin. Products need to be recommended by our acne practitioner or dermatologist to ensure that they are suitable to use with your skin and with any other treatments/medications you may be using.
Acne Scars
Often after suffering with Acne patients can be left with scars. We do also offer treatment options for this too, but these are only recommend after the acne has cleared up for at least 6 months. For more information on Acne scars please click here
Treatment Costs
Dermatology Nurse Consultation: £100
Dermatology Nurse Review: £75
Consultant Dermatologist Consultation: £200 | £250 with Medica Director
Consultant Dermatologist Review £97 | £105 with Medical Director
Private Prescription fee: You will need to pay for medication at the pharmacy of your choice *Please note we cannot request your GP provide an NHS Prescription.
Blood Tests (if required for certain prescribed medications): £130
Pregnancy Test: £15