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Even if you don't know the diagnosis
start by looking through the questions
From distinguishing similar rashes when new acne suddenly increases, to the process of recurrence after treatment and preparing for a visit, we explain the questions in the order you need them now.
Total of 25 guides
When symptoms first begin
What should I check first?
First, examine current symptoms and changes that require prompt medical evaluation.What should I check first when acne suddenly increases?
Instead of viewing all suddenly increased acne as the same, categorize them into closed comedones, red papules, pustules, and deep, painful nodules. Also, note the date you started new medications or cosmetics, and changes in menstruation, sleep, or stress. If deep nodules increase rapidly or if your face swells and you have a fever, you must seek medical evaluation rather than just documenting and waiting.
View Guide →Chin acne only appears before my period.What should I record if chin acne recurs before menstruation?
If hard, painful acne appears in the same spot on the jawline before every menstruation, try recording the start date of your period and the date the acne appeared for two to three consecutive cycles. However, it is more helpful to record flares that occur a day or two after overtime work or late meals separately from monthly recurrence. If irregular menstruation, hirsutism, scalp hair loss, or sudden weight changes are present, check if a hormone-related evaluation is necessary. In Korean herbal medicine treatment, the prescription direction is determined by looking at the heat, sebum, and pain of the acne along with changes in menstruation, sleep, and digestion.
View Guide →When similar symptoms are confusing
What differences should I look for?
We explain the differences needed to distinguish between diseases that look similar on the surface.How do acne, folliculitis, rosacea, and perioral dermatitis differ?
If comedones, such as blackheads or whiteheads, are mixed with various types of inflammation, it is closer to acne. If similar-sized pimples appear in each hair follicle and itch, it is likely folliculitis; if persistent redness and burning in the center of the face are prominent, it is rosacea; and if small rashes gather while skipping the immediate border of the lips, perioral dermatitis is considered. Do not confirm based on photos alone; the area, itching, products used, and treatment response must be evaluated together.
View Guide →My skin is oily, but the inside feels too tight.If you have acne-prone skin that is oily but feels tight and stinging inside
Your face may look oily, but it can feel tight after cleansing or sting when applying medications or cosmetics. If you wash too aggressively or exfoliate further simply because you have a lot of sebum, the skin barrier may be compromised, making it difficult to continue treatment. Record sebum, new inflammation, dryness, and stinging separately; in Korean herbal medicine treatment, we also examine facial heat, recovery speed, sleep, and digestion.
View Guide →When discomfort persists after treatment
What has improved and what remains?
We organize the response to the treatment received and the process of becoming uncomfortable again.If acne returns after improving during treatment
If inflammation decreased during treatment but returned after discontinuation, it does not mean the previous treatment failed entirely. Write down what decreased and by how much, and which type of acne returned first and how many weeks after pausing the treatment. It is easier to set priorities for the next treatment if we examine whether maintenance therapy was needed, if it couldn't be used sufficiently due to irritation, or if the recurrence overlapped with changes in menstruation, sleep, or digestion.
View Guide →My face burns and peels when I apply the medication.When skin is dry and stinging after acne medication, should I endure it and keep using it?
Skin may become slightly dry after starting topical acne medication, but you do not need to unconditionally endure painful stinging, swelling, or oozing. Please inform your prescribing medical provider of the name and amount of medication used, the area applied, and whether you used other exfoliating ingredients. In particular, noting whether it burns immediately after applying sunscreen or if tightness and millet-like bumps increase only in the afternoon helps distinguish between irritation and clogging. If the skin barrier is compromised and it is difficult to continue treatment, a plan is needed that looks at the degree of skin recovery, not just sebum and inflammation.
View Guide →I get acne the next day if I can't sleep.If acne recurs when you stay up all night or feel digestive discomfort
If your face becomes oily and red acne increases the day after staying up all night, or if bloating and constipation repeatedly overlap with jawline acne, try recording the dates. It is difficult to identify a single cause, such as sleep or a specific food, based on a single occurrence. Checking body conditions that change before the acne over several weeks helps determine what to prioritize in Korean herbal medicine treatment.
View Guide →When preparing for your visit
What should I write down?
Prepare photos, test results, medications, and lifestyle changes so nothing is missed.How should I prepare photos and treatment records before an acne consultation?
Take photos of the front and both sides of your face, and if necessary, your chest and back, once a week under the same lighting and distance. Record the names and duration of medications taken or applied, improvements, discomforts, and the dates you changed cosmetics. If there are changes in your menstrual cycle, sleep, or digestion that occurred alongside the acne, bring the dates; however, there is no need to create a long list by assuming every lifestyle factor is a cause.
View Guide →I am preparing for pregnancy; can I continue applying Adapalene?If acne has worsened while preparing for pregnancy or during pregnancy
If you are preparing for pregnancy or there is a possibility of pregnancy, first inform your prescribing medical staff and prenatal care provider about any current acne medications (oral or topical), cosmetic ingredients, Korean herbal medicine, and supplements. In particular, do not continue or restart retinoids arbitrarily. After determining the range of usable treatments, if jawline inflammation recurs, record the onset and changes in sleep and digestion to verify the possibility of herbal medicine prescriptions and the treatment sequence during a Baekrokdam consultation.
View Guide →Do I have to stop acne medication if I take Korean herbal medicine?What should I disclose when receiving dermatology treatment and Korean herbal medicine treatment together?
There is no need to hide dermatology treatment from Korean herbal medicine treatment, or vice versa, nor is there a need to suddenly stop one. List separately what the extractions, topical medications, oral medications, and procedures have reduced, and what body conditions will be examined alongside new acne in the Korean herbal medicine treatment. After separating the areas that the dermatology clinic will continue to prioritize, such as deep inflammation, rapid scar risk, pregnancy possibility, and oral medication safety, if the recurrence interval, skin barrier, sleep, digestion, or menstruation remain unstable, the handoff is then managed during a Baekrokdam consultation.
View Guide →When observing changes during treatment
What changes should we monitor together?
We categorize the changes to track as you continue treatment and the symptoms you should report immediately.What changes should we monitor together during acne treatment?
Rather than being swayed by the redness in the mirror every day, observe the weekly number of new breakouts, changes in deep and painful acne, and the interval at which acne reappears in the same spot. Do not dismiss dryness or stinging as a stage you must endure; report them along with the medication used. During Korean herbal medicine treatment, we also monitor changes in sleep, digestion, bowel movements, and menstruation alongside skin changes to adjust the intensity and direction of the prescription.
View Guide →Can I take leftover antibiotics from before?What should I check if I am taking oral acne medication?
The details to check for oral acne medication vary by type. Please verify the exact name using the medication envelope or prescription, and inform us of the duration of use, improved acne, dryness, digestive discomfort, mood changes, possibility of pregnancy, and any other medications or supplements. Do not arbitrarily retake leftover antibiotics or change the dosage of isotretinoin on your own.
View Guide →Explore more by concern
Explanations divided by acne type, medication response, and remaining marks
Instead of putting all questions into one long text, we have divided them so you can quickly find the specific differences you are curious about now.When acne reappears after medication or extraction
Distinguish between areas that improved with treatment and acne that returned first, and verify whether maintenance treatment was necessary or if treatment was stopped due to irritation.
Why topical acne medication should be monitored for weeks, not days
If you constantly change medications based on a day or two of stinging or new breakouts, it is difficult to distinguish between irritation and changes in the original acne. Follow the recommended usage and record new breakouts and irritation separately in weekly intervals.
View Guide →Worsening after product useWhen small bumps and stinging increase after a new product, is it acne worsening or irritation?
Acne worsening, characterized by an increase in comedones, and irritant dermatitis, characterized by burning, dryness, and widespread redness, require different management approaches. Check the product start date and the area of application.
View Guide →Treatment orderNew acne, red marks, pigmentation, or pitted scars, which should be addressed first?
Attempting to treat active deep inflammation, flat marks, and structural scars all at once can lead to skin irritation and mismatched expectations.
View Guide →Small bumps, inflammation, and deep acne
This explains the treatment order, which varies depending on the appearance and depth of the acne.
Folliculitis, rosacea, and perioral dermatitis
Check the differences to distinguish these conditions before applying more acne medication.
Chest and back acne vs. folliculitis: distinguished by comedones and itching
Red bumps on the torso can resemble not only acne but also bacterial or malassezia folliculitis and friction rashes. Observe the presence of comedones, the size of the acne, itching, and distribution.
View Guide →Acne-like rashesAcne, folliculitis, rosacea, and perioral dermatitis: they may all look like breakouts, but they are different
The presence of comedones, uniformity of acne size, widespread flushing, the border around the lips, and stinging are the first things to check to distinguish these four conditions.
View Guide →Distinguishing facial rednessPost-acne red marks, rosacea, and facial flushing: the area and timing of redness differ
Flat redness remaining where acne was, persistent redness on the nose and cheeks, and temporary flushing after emotion or heat follow different timelines.
View Guide →Distinguishing papules around the mouthWe examine perioral dermatitis, chin acne, the lip boundary, and comedones
Uniform small papules that avoid the lip boundary, accompanied by stinging, dryness, and a history of facial ointment use, are characteristics closer to perioral dermatitis.
View Guide →Red, Brown, and Atrophic Scars
We determine the order of care by distinguishing between new inflammation and remaining marks.
Red marks, brown marks, and atrophic scars, which should be managed first?
Flat color changes remaining where acne has subsided are not the same as scars where the skin surface is pitted or raised. We separate the process of reducing new inflammation from the management of remaining marks.
View Guide →Distinguishing Mark ColorsRed acne marks versus brown hyperpigmentation, what is the difference?
Flat red marks may be vascular erythema, while brown or grayish-brown marks may be centered on increased melanin. Color and surface elevation are viewed separately.
View Guide →Distinguishing Marks from ScarsAcne marks and true scars are distinguished by elevation rather than color
Flat erythema or pigmentation and structural scars that are pitted or raised have different treatment goals. We distinguish them not only through frontal photos but also through oblique lighting and touch.
View Guide →Distinguishing Atrophic ScarsIcepick, boxcar, and rolling acne scars can be mixed in a single area
Narrow and deep ice-pick scars, angular-edged boxcar scars, and wide and shallow rolling scars differ in depth and surface shape.
View Guide →Sweat, Friction, Itching
Check for the possibility of folliculitis along with sportswear and sweat.