Welcome to the Acne Institute of Omaha (at Advanced Dermatology of the Midlands), your partners in treating your acne. Acne Institute of Omaha is a clinic that is focused on delivering the best care to patients with acne through dermatology providers who have a special interest in the education of patients, optimal treatment strategies for various forms of acne, and involvement in ongoing dermatology research focusing on acne.

The Special Clinical Approach of Acne Institute of Omaha

At Acne Institute of Omaha, our board-certified dermatologists have developed our own unique and specialized clinical approach to provide the best care to acne patients. Some of the most important highlights of these features include

Photographic Monitoring

We obtain a standard set of baseline photographs of each acne patient, which are maintained in their chart, utilized to track progress, and updated as needed. Our dermatologists believe that this tracking mechanism is crucial for achieving the best outcomes. Surprisingly, many clinics do not use this approach for acne patients.

Personalized Schematic Worksheets

When developing treatment plans for each of our acne patients, we don’t take anything for granted. Most importantly, we want to make certain that the plan is thoroughly illustrated for everyone. At Acne Institute of Omaha, we have developed a unique diagrammatic action plan worksheet that we design for each patient at every office visit. We take pride in exceeding our patient’s expectations and understanding of their care plan and find that this tool is the absolute best way to do that.

Extended Hour Appointments

Our patients have busy lives, with school, work, or personal commitments. Taking this into consideration, we have special extended-hour appointments for acne patients.

Education and Acne Institute of Omaha

We not only strive to provide the best clinical care to acne patients, but we also want to educate the general public on acne. This is accomplished through our skin specialists Omaha web blasts, posts, and blogs.

Ongoing Research at Acne Institute of Omaha

Our pharmaceutical studies division is actively involved in ongoing clinical trials, and our dermatology specialists in Omaha meet monthly to review the latest acne research They discuss findings and apply them to clinical practice when relevant. This approach ensures that we provide up-to-date, evidence-based care for all skin conditions, including acne.

What is acne?

Acne is a common skin condition in which there is dysfunction in the pore resulting in the formation of abnormal skin spots, including:

blackheads
whiteheads
papules
pustules
nodules
cysts
and/or scars

Acne can take several forms, including inflammatory acne and cystic acne. The sebaceous glands can become overactive, producing excess oil that, combined with bacteria and dead skin cells, leads to clogged pores and the development of acne.

Acne Treatment Options & Management Basics

Lifestyle

Diet: The role of diet in acne remains poorly understated. Many patients find that a well-balanced diet that is low in greasy, fried foods may help their acne. Also, skim milk is thought by some to worsen acne at times.
Hygiene/routine: Natural oils on the skin may contribute to acne. For this reason, we recommend a good routine of washing the face twice daily and washing other areas affected by acne on a once-daily basis. Our preferred cleansers (non-medicated ones): Dove Bar Soap, Cetaphil Foaming Facial Cleanser, or CeraVe Foaming Cleanser.

OTC/non-prescription

There are some medicated products available over-the-counter to treat acne:

Benzoyl Peroxide – Available in medicated cleansers (eg. Panoxyl/Foaming Face Wash) and creams or gels. This active ingredient may help improve acne. It works best when used in conjunction with certain prescription acne treatments. Keep in mind, that benzoyl peroxide may bleach fabrics.
Differin – The only medicine available in the retinoid class over-the-counter, Differin may help some types of acne by reducing blackheads and whiteheads. It may cause skin irritation and sun sensitivity.
Salicylic Acid – This active ingredient is in many cleansers and skin peels. At the strengths available over-the-counter, we find most salicylic topical treatments may be minimally helpful for acne.

Medical/Clinical Acne Management Omaha

Acne Institute of Omaha uses a multi-pronged approach, taking into consideration each patient’s grade of acne, complications, scarring, and medical history when creating treatment plans. While there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution, standard acne treatments are divided into major categories to address different needs.

Keep in mind that the best treatment (or treatments) for each patient needs to be carefully selected and adjusted over time, based on the grade of acne and response to previous treatments. These general medication categories include the following: topical antibiotics, topical retinoids, topical creams, comedolytics, oral medications, and more, tailored to each patient’s unique needs.

How We Grade Acne

In practice, we use a five-point system, which runs numerically from 0 to 4. In grade 0 acne a person may have clear skin at times, with periodic, episodic outbreaks. In extreme contrast, grade 4 acne sufferers have larger, deeper, cystic acne sores that can cause scarring. In most cases, acne is milder, grading out at a level of 1 or 2.

Grade	What we see
0	Episodic outbreaks with clear periods
1	Blackheads and whiteheads
2	Grade 1 + pimples/pustules
3	Grade 2 + greater severity with larger or more extensive spots
4	Cysts, nodules, scars

While most individuals experience milder grades, understanding the severity is crucial for creating effective, personalized treatment plans.

At Acne Institute of Omaha, all of our dermatology providers are thoroughly experienced in diagnosing and grading acne vulgaris. This is critically important as it allows us to choose the best treatments for each of our patients and to track their progress.

Complications of Acne

Pigment alteration – In some patients, especially those with medium or darker skin types, acne spots may heal leaving areas of reduced or increased pigmentation.
Scarring – Acne sores may heal leaving permanent damage to the skin – acne scars. The skin may be sunken or puckered in, similar to the aftermath of chickenpox.
Pain – Acne sores can be painful at times. This is especially true for the deeper cysts and nodules.
Psychological – Acne affects more than just appearance; it can impact self-confidence and self-esteem. This is true in both children and adults. Unfortunately, the emotional toll of acne is often overlooked, leading some to underestimate the need for treatment. At Acne Institute of Omaha, addressing these issues is our top priority. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive acne care to improve our patients’ quality of life.

Special Types of Acne

Adult Female Acne – Acne in most adult women differs from acne in teens in some notable ways. These differences often mean treatments need to be different. More Information
Back Acne (“Backne”) – On the back, acne can be especially difficult to treat. This type of acne is difficult to treat due to both the difficulty of reaching to apply topical treatments here and other factors. Pressure from chairs or clothing (especially if damp or tight-fitting) can contribute as well. Many patients will use an applicator wand to reach the back. You may find these at your pharmacy or Amazon.
Acne Mechanica – As with back acne, pressure against the skin (or heat/friction) may plug pores, triggering acne. Examples include backpack straps, chinstraps, etc…
Acne Medicamentosa – Certain medications may cause or worsen acne. These include prednisone, testosterone, some types of contraceptive hormones, and others.
Pomade Acne – Greasy or oily substances on the skin can also clog pores, leading to acne. The classic example is hair pomade. Many gel-like haircare products may do this. Vaseline/petroleum jelly is another possible cause.

Conditions That Mimic Acne

Pityrosporum Folliculitis – This is an acne-like eruption on the torso. Women tend to be affected more often than men.
Rosacea – The papulopustular type of rosacea can look identical to acne. In fact, some patients may have it and acne simultaneously.
Perioral Dermatitis – This is a form of rosacea, where patients have acne-like bumps around the mouth, nose, or eyes.