A question from Nigeria about acne.

Dr. Irwin
January 20, 2013
Hi Doctor, This is the first time i will be visiting your website and i must confess you are doing a great job. I live in nigeria where we have like 7 months summer in a year, we have the raining season and also the dry harmartan weather. My face has been giving a lot of head ache, i break out so often, i have a lot of black scars from acne. I have tried all sorts of products ranging from Epicuren, to Stages of beauty, and regime A. I am so suprised you didnt mention any of these products in your list. I actually thought they were very good products. I need some advice on what i need to do, the products to use, the kind of routine to follow on a daily basis. I am 34 with 2 kids. Thanks

Thank you!   I have to confess I’m a bit confused because you say you are struggling with the acne but seem to like your products even though they aren’t working well.  A good start with any type of acne except the most severe type is in the link here and here for other reader’s acne questions.

You  bring up a good point in that many acne sufferers confuse the dark mark left for months when acne is healing with true scarring which is an indentation.   Look closely at your face and you can usually tell the difference.  If you have true scars with indentations, you may need a doctor to help you, often including oral antibiotics for awhile or even Accutane (can be expensive though).  If it’s mostly darker marks that are not indented then, in addition to the regimen linked above, you MUST use a sunscreen every morning and a hat whenever you are outside to help prevent them.

For more information on acne, check out the following guides:

Seeking out a good dermatologist is important. For tips and information about how to find a good dermatologist, check out our article Tips to Find A Good Dermatologist.

Hope this helps,  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!
Browse Shop