A number of our providers have completed training in basic dermatologic care, so several common skin concerns can be handled here rather than sending you elsewhere.
Not sure whether your child’s skin problem is something we treat? Call and ask. If it needs a specialist we will tell you, and help arrange the referral.
What we treat
- Acne — blackheads, whiteheads, inflammatory breakouts, and cystic acne
- Warts — including painful or persistent ones
- Molluscum contagiosum — small, contagious viral bumps
If something looks unusual, is not improving, or needs specialty-level treatment, we will help coordinate care with a dermatologist.
Acne
Acne is extremely common, particularly in the teenage years. Pores become blocked with oil and dead skin cells, and breakouts show up as blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, cysts, or nodules — most often on the face, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms.
Treatment options
What we suggest depends on your child’s age, the type of acne, and how severe it is.
- Topical treatments — benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, prescription retinoids, and other prescription topicals
- Prescription medication, topical or oral, where acne is more inflamed or has not responded to over-the-counter products
- Escalation to isotretinoin for severe or scarring acne
If acne is causing pain, scarring, or real self-consciousness, call us. Treating it earlier protects the skin, and often a good deal more than the skin.
Isotretinoin for severe acne
Isotretinoin, still widely known by the former brand name Accutane, works well for severe nodular or cystic acne and for acne that has not responded to standard treatment. A course usually runs around fifteen to twenty weeks. Acne often looks worse before it improves, which is expected rather than a sign it is failing.
Because it is closely regulated and can cause serious side effects, isotretinoin needs careful supervision and regular follow-up. Common effects include significant dryness of the skin, lips, eyes, and nose, alongside other symptoms we monitor throughout.
If isotretinoin might suit your teen, we will go through the current iPLEDGE steps and the monitoring plan with your family before anyone decides anything.
Booking
Call Woburn at (781) 933-6236 or North Andover at (978) 557-5712.