Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States, affecting as many as 40 million to 50 million people. The condition typically develops during adolescence, when around 40% of teenagers in their mid-teens will begin to notice pimples or acne scarring. However, acne can strike at any time: some patients begin visiting a dermatologist clinic as late as their 40s or 50s. Fortunately, scientific research has lead to a number of new acne treatment products, therapies and changes to existing treatments. Among them is a strange, futuristic option: an app that can supposedly help patients quickly treat their acne.
The app, called Spruce, was recently released in four states, including New York and California. For a flat rate of $40, it allows you to create an account, take pictures of your skin, answer a few questions, and then submit them to the app. Within 24 hours, a board-certified dermatologist will reportedly send you a personalized treatment plans and even file prescriptions to a pharmacy of your choice. After the treatment plan has been issued, users will be able to send any questions about insurance, their treatment regimens and more to a care coordinator, as well as access a number of resources about approved products, diet and more.
Despite the ever-increasing popularity of apps in modern society, however, the best acne treatments are still likely to be found by visiting a skin specialist in person. While Spruce offers fairly fast service, at no point do patients actually communicate with a dermatologist in real time, which can reduce their ability to ask questions and learn about the products they are using. It may also be more difficult to impart information about medical history and other factors that could affect how the prescribed treatment works. Moreover, Spruce may be no help at all to patients who require more intensive and effective procedures, such as laser acne treatment, to reduce their unique case of the skin condition. As a result, for the moment, it is likely better to visit the best acne dermatologist in your area than rely on an app.
But while Spruce might not be the best method of deciding on an acne treatment method, this technology seems to foreshadow a number of exciting innovations to the dermatology industry. In the future, the best acne dermatologists might be able to use similar technology to communicate with patients about the effectiveness of a treatment, recovery progress, and even answer questions. This could reduce the number of in-person visits a patient needs to see results, and increase their ability to get help in the case of an allergic reaction or other problem. For now, however, if you want to treat your acne, visiting the best acne dermatologist near you in person is the best way to go. Learn more about this topic here.
