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How to get more acne treatment patients: a plan for practices

An empty, bright consultation room at a dermatology practice

Acne treatment is a service some patients pay for themselves and others ask their insurer about, and how it is described shapes who books and what they expect. Many callers mention pimples, blackheads, painful bumps or cysts, acne on the back or chest, marks or scars left by acne, or acne that store products have not helped, and many calls are from parents about a teenager. This guide is for owners, coordinators and front desk teams in dermatology practices: what MedlinePlus and NIAMS say about acne, its diagnosis and its treatment, which claims to avoid, and how to turn requests into well-informed evaluations. Here, the dermatologist evaluates the patient and decides on the treatment plan, and talks it through with the patient.

  1. SearchAn adult looks for care near them.
  2. Your pageWhat you treat, who sees them, one way to book.
  3. Call or formThey call or send a request.
  4. Front deskBooks the visit and never guesses a cause.
  5. Clinical teamThe clinician decides the plan.
How a new patient request reaches your practice.

1. Know what acne treatment is and is not

The MedlinePlus acne topic page says “Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples.” and “Treatments for acne include medicines and creams.” The NIAMS page on acne diagnosis and treatment says “The goals of treatment are to help heal existing lesions, stop new lesions from forming, and prevent scarring.” It lists “Dermatologists, who specialize in conditions of the skin, hair, and nails.” among the providers who may diagnose and treat acne.

Care starts with an evaluation, not a set package of visits. The MedlinePlus acne article says “Your health care provider can diagnose acne by looking at your skin.” The NIAMS page says health care providers may “Examine your skin to help determine the type of acne lesion.” and may “Order lab work to determine if another condition or medical disorder is causing the acne.”

Only a licensed clinician evaluates the skin, and the dermatologist decides whether lab work or other tests are needed. The front desk does not say whether a caller has acne, rosacea or another skin condition or which treatment they need.

Some callers ask for one specific treatment only, or bring a list of past prescriptions or a plan from another clinic. Book the evaluation the same way, give the price, do not promise which treatment the dermatologist will use or how the plan will look, and do not promise a plan based on an earlier prescription.

Do not present acne treatment or a named medicine or technique as the only answer or as a sure fix. The dermatologist explains the options and decides on the plan with the patient.

Many visits involve a referral, often from a family doctor, an internist or a pediatrician. The NIAMS page also lists “Primary health care providers, including family doctors, internists, or pediatricians.” among those who may diagnose and treat acne. Some patients come with a referral from their doctor and some without; staff check what the patient’s plan requires and do not promise anything either way. Make the hand off from referring clinicians easy, and never offer or accept payment for referrals. See also patient referrals for medical practices, how to get more scar revision patients and how to get more aesthetic patients.

2. Keep claims in line with the risk information

MedlinePlus gives a balanced picture of acne treatment. Its acne and acne self-care pages, and the NIAMS page, point out the limits.

  • the MedlinePlus page on acne self-care says “Acne medicines can cause skin drying or peeling.” and “Some acne medicines can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.”;
  • the NIAMS page says “In some people, topical medicines may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning, or redness.” and “Talk to your doctor about any side effects that you experience.”

On results, the MedlinePlus acne article says acne “may last into middle age” and that “acne may flare up from time to time”. The acne self-care page says “Remember that products that say they are noncomedogenic might still cause acne in you personally.” Do not promise smoother skin, an end to breakouts, no scars, a number of visits, a time frame or any other outcome in ads or on the phone.

Treatment choice belongs in the exam room. The NIAMS page says “Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications to take by mouth or apply to the skin.” Do not push a named medicine, technique or add-ons; the dermatologist explains the options after the evaluation and decides on the plan with the patient.

Write about patients with respect. Do not use fear copy about scarring, how acne looks or what other people think, do not blame or shame people about their skin, diet, hygiene, makeup, stress or age, and avoid shock images and deadline pressure. The MedlinePlus acne topic page says “blackheads and pimples are not caused by dirt.” Do not use a named medicine or technique as an ad hook. Keep ad copy aimed at adults, and never target minors in ads or social campaigns. Do not build ad audiences from acne or other skin conditions, past treatments, prescriptions, diagnoses, medicines or other health information.

Be careful with children and teenagers. Many acne patients are teenagers, so many calls will be from a parent about a teenager or a child with acne. The NIAMS acne overview says “People of all races and ages get acne, but it is most common in teens and young adults.” Do not tell parents that a child needs acne treatment or that any treatment will fix it. For a minor, a parent or guardian books and consents, and the dermatologist decides whether and when treatment makes sense. If you text or email about an appointment for a minor, use the parent’s or guardian’s contact details and consent; see texting patients and the TCPA.

Avoid “clear skin guaranteed”, “acne-free”, “flawless skin”, “no more scars”, “cure”, “permanent results”, “isotretinoin”, “retinoid”, “benzoyl peroxide”, “antibiotic”, “laser”, “chemical peel”, “extraction”, “risk-free”, “guaranteed results”, “insurance will cover it”, “no referral needed” and “FDA-approved”. Better: “the dermatologist will ask about your skin and what you have tried, examine your skin, explain the options and decide on a treatment plan with you”.

3. Answer first-call questions honestly

  • How much does it cost? Give a clear starting price, say what it includes (the evaluation, follow-up visits, any in-office treatment, whether medicines and products are extra) and that what the dermatologist finds, the treatment plan the dermatologist recommends and how many visits it includes affect the total. Say whether the evaluation, follow-up visits and any in-office treatment are priced separately.
  • Does insurance pay? Do not promise coverage. Coverage varies by plan, so the practice checks each patient’s plan.
  • Do I need acne treatment? “We cannot tell that on the phone. The dermatologist will ask about your skin, how long you have had acne, what you have already tried, your health and medicines, examine your skin and talk with you about the options and whether treatment makes sense.”
  • Can I be treated if I am pregnant or take other medicines? Do not answer either way. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, plans to become pregnant and current medicines are questions for the dermatologist; staff note them on the intake form and the dermatologist talks them through at the evaluation.
  • Who does the work? Give the dermatologist’s name and real credentials. Let callers check them with the state medical board.

When a caller asks about insurance, staff take the plan details and say the practice will check; they never say the treatment will be covered.

Leave screening to the dermatologist. Your intake form can ask the patient’s age, the reason for the visit, where the acne is, how long the patient has had it, what has been tried, past acne treatments and prescriptions, any referral from the patient’s doctor, the referring clinician, current medicines, allergies, health conditions and whether the patient is pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy; for a minor, the parent or guardian fills it in. NIAMS says health care providers may “Ask what medications you are currently taking or recently stopped.” A MedlinePlus drug information page for an acne product says “tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.” Never tell a caller to stop a medicine by a certain date, and never suggest a medicine, a skin product, a device or a home remedy. Skin care advice is for the dermatologist to give. The front desk does not judge how urgent a call is. Pass any report of burning, blistering, redness, swelling or a rash where an acne product was applied, changes in mood, sadness or anxiety while taking an acne medicine, any other new or unusual problem while taking an acne medicine, a possible pregnancy while taking an acne medicine, acne that is painful, with a lot of redness or cysts, acne that is getting worse or leaving scars, or acne that is causing emotional stress to the clinical team promptly. If a caller says they are thinking about killing or hurting themselves, stay with them and tell them to dial 911 if it is an emergency or to call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, as MedlinePlus advises, then tell the clinical team. The MedlinePlus acne article says “Contact your provider if:” and lists “Self-care steps and over-the-counter medicine do not help after several months.”, “Your acne is very bad (for example, you have a lot of redness around the pimples, or you have cysts).”, “Your acne is getting worse.”, “You develop scars as your acne clears up.”, “Acne is causing emotional stress.”. The MedlinePlus acne self-care page says “Contact your provider or your dermatologist if:” and lists “Self-care steps and over-the-counter medicine do not help after several months.”, “Your acne is painful (for example, you have a lot of redness around the pimples, or you have cysts).”, “Your acne is getting worse.”, “You develop scars as your acne clears up.”, “Acne is causing emotional stress.”. Relay these. The acne self-care page lists the last four under “Contact your provider or your dermatologist if”, and the MedlinePlus drug information page for an acne medicine says “You or your family should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms” before its list of changes in mood and thoughts. For an acne product applied to the skin, the MedlinePlus drug information page lists hives, itching, throat tightness, difficulty breathing, feeling faint, and swelling of the eyes, face, lips, or tongue, and says to “call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help”. If a caller reports any of these during the call, also tell the caller to seek emergency care. The dermatologist decides whether someone is a candidate and which treatment is suitable. Front desk staff only collect the answers. Use the new patient phone script for the rest of the call, and book the evaluation, not the treatment, while the caller is on the line.

4. Plan the evaluation, treatment visits and follow-up

The MedlinePlus acne article says “If pimples are still a problem, your provider can prescribe stronger medicines and discuss other options with you.” Tell callers that the choice of care comes after the exam.

Make second opinions easy, and give patients time to talk through the plan, skin care at home and any medicines with the dermatologist first.

For the evaluation and treatment visits, ask your dermatologists for written notes on preparing for the visit, what to bring, such as a list of the products and medicines already tried, any referral the patient’s plan asks for, skin care at home as the dermatologist sets it, warning signs and follow-up visits. MedlinePlus says “Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.” Share them with callers and parents early. Aftercare depends on the treatment; the dermatologist gives exact instructions and sets the follow-up schedule.

5. Price, finance and follow up

  • Self-pay patients may be entitled to a good faith estimate; see the good faith estimate guide.
  • If you advertise a discount, follow advertising prices and specials. Avoid deadline pressure on a treatment decision.
  • If you offer financing, follow the patient financing guide.
  • Before-and-after photos need written authorization and honest comparisons; see before-and-after photos. FTC guides treat a patient’s result as typical unless you disclose what patients can generally expect.
  • Follow up after the evaluation without pressure; see consultation to treatment. Track acne treatment requests and referrals separately, from request to evaluation to treatment, and keep the notes the dermatologist needs for follow-up visits.

Where MediLeadGen fits

MediLeadGen sends practices requests from people interested in cash-pay elective treatments. Each request goes to one practice only, with the person’s consent naming that practice, at a fixed price per delivered request.

See how it works for practices

Questions practices ask

How do we get more acne treatment patients?

Answer requests quickly, give clear prices and what they include, introduce the dermatologist by real credentials, keep claims in line with the risk information, make referrals and second opinions easy, and book an evaluation where the dermatologist can ask about the skin, how long the acne has been there and what has been tried, examine the skin and explain the options before deciding on a treatment plan.

Can we promise callers smoother skin, an end to breakouts or no scars?

No. MedlinePlus says acne may last into middle age and may flare up from time to time, and that products labeled noncomedogenic might still cause acne in some people. Staff collect intake answers only, and the dermatologist decides on the treatment plan with the patient after the evaluation.

What should the front desk do when a caller reports a reaction to an acne product or medicine?

Collect the intake answers and pass any report of burning, blistering, redness, swelling or a rash where an acne product was applied, changes in mood, sadness or anxiety while taking an acne medicine, any other new or unusual problem while taking an acne medicine, a possible pregnancy while taking an acne medicine, acne that is painful, with a lot of redness or cysts, acne that is getting worse or leaving scars, or acne that is causing emotional stress to the clinical team promptly, and tell a caller with hives, itching, throat tightness, difficulty breathing, feeling faint, or swelling of the eyes, face, lips or tongue after using an acne product to seek emergency care. If a caller says they are thinking about killing or hurting themselves, stay with them and tell them to dial 911 if it is an emergency or to call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, as MedlinePlus advises, then tell the clinical team. The front desk does not judge how urgent a call is or suggest a treatment, product or medicine; the clinician decides.

Does insurance cover acne treatment?

Coverage varies by plan. Check each patient’s plan, and do not promise coverage in ads or on the phone.

General information for practice teams, not legal or clinical advice. Check device labeling, FDA requirements, state rules and your advertising with counsel and your clinicians. Last reviewed October 2026.

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