Acne Treatment Online — Prescription Acne Cream & Medication for Adults
Adult acne is not a hygiene problem, and pharmacy washes are rarely the answer once it has settled in. Tell an EU-registered doctor what kind of spots you have and what you have tried; the doctor reviews the questionnaire, usually within 15 minutes, and prescribes the guideline treatment for your acne type — retinoid, combination cream, azelaic acid or a short antibiotic course. €34.
- €34, one fixed fee
- Doctor review usually within 15 minutes
- Daily 7am–11pm CET
- 14 EU countries, no appointment
Treatment matched to the type of spot
Blackheads and whiteheads need a topical retinoid; red bumps and pustules need a retinoid plus benzoyl peroxide; deep, painful nodules need a dermatologist. The questionnaire asks exactly which you have.
Creams first, tablets when needed
Most adult acne is controlled with a prescription cream; when that is not enough the doctor can add a short antibiotic course, about three months and always paired with a cream, as European guidance says.
What needs a specialist
Nodules, cysts, scarring, acne that has failed two treatments, or acne with irregular periods and excess hair — the doctor says so, points you to the right place, and the €34 is refunded in full.
Acne treatment online — key facts
| Who it is for | Adults 18 and over with mild to moderate acne — blackheads, whiteheads, red bumps and pus-filled spots — including acne that has come back after teenage years |
|---|---|
| Blackheads and whiteheads (comedonal acne) | A retinoid cream — adapalene or tretinoin — every evening on the whole affected area; azelaic acid as the alternative |
| Red bumps and pus-filled spots (papulopustular acne) | A combination cream — adapalene + benzoyl peroxide, or clindamycin + benzoyl peroxide; azelaic acid as an alternative |
| Moderate acne not controlled by creams | Oral doxycycline or lymecycline for up to three months, always with a topical retinoid or benzoyl peroxide; in women, a combined pill with anti-androgen effect is an option |
| Not treated online | Nodular, cystic or scarring acne (isotretinoin, specialist only), acne with signs of a hormone disorder, sudden severe acne with fever, acne in pregnancy needing more than benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid |
| How long it takes | Six to eight weeks for a visible change, twelve to judge; expect dryness and some irritation in the first two to four weeks, and use sunscreen with retinoids |
| Price and time | €34, one fee; an EU-registered doctor reviews the questionnaire usually within 15 minutes, daily 7am–11pm CET; repeat supplies for several months when the doctor agrees; full refund if it cannot be treated online |
What is the best acne treatment for adults?
Mild acne is treated with a topical retinoid, or a retinoid–benzoyl peroxide cream when spots are red and pustular; moderate acne adds an oral antibiotic for about three months, always with the cream; nodular or scarring acne needs isotretinoin from a dermatologist. Treatments take six to twelve weeks to judge, and a retinoid continued afterwards is what keeps acne away.
How to get acne treatment online — what happens after you press start
1. The questionnaire — about 3 minutes
It asks whether acne has been diagnosed, how long you have had it and where, which kinds of spots you have — blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules, nodules, cysts — and any scarring or redness. It then covers treatments you have used and what worked, your skin type and skincare routine, habits that make acne worse, other conditions, allergies, and whether you are pregnant, planning to be, or breastfeeding.
2. The doctor's review
The doctor reads it personally. From the spot types and what has already failed, the doctor chooses the guideline step for your acne — a retinoid, a fixed-combination cream, azelaic acid, or a three-month antibiotic course paired with a cream — and explains how to apply it, what irritation to expect and when to judge it. Nodules, cysts or scarring, or acne that has already failed two proper courses, mean isotretinoin should be discussed, which needs a dermatologist and blood tests; the doctor says so and moves you to a video consultation to arrange it.
3. The pharmacy
The prescription appears in your Mobi Doctor profile in English, naming the active ingredient, so a pharmacy you choose in any of the 14 EU countries can dispense it. You pay the pharmacy for the medicine; Mobi Doctor does not sell or dispense medicines.
Deep painful nodules or cysts, scarring, acne with irregular periods or excess facial hair, or sudden severe acne with fever and joint pain? Book a video consultation instead.
Right for the Express Assessment if
- You are 18 or over with mild to moderate acne — blackheads, whiteheads, red bumps or pustules
- You can say what you have already tried and for how long
- You are not pregnant or breastfeeding, or you only need a treatment that is safe in pregnancy
- You are in one of the 14 EU countries Mobi Doctor covers
Book a video consultation instead if
- Nodules or cysts — deep, painful lumps — or acne that is leaving scars
- Two proper courses of treatment have already failed
- Acne with irregular periods, excess facial or body hair, or hair thinning — a hormone check comes first
- Sudden severe acne with fever, joint pain or ulcerating spots
- Acne that began after starting a new medicine, such as steroids, lithium or some epilepsy drugs
- Redness and flushing across the cheeks and nose with few blackheads — that may be rosacea, which is treated differently
List every medicine you take and answer each question fully — the doctor's decision depends on it. Your answers are confidential.
Prefer to listen? The Mobi Doctor podcast episode on acne.
Acne cream prescription: retinoids, benzoyl peroxide and azelaic acid — what the doctor prescribes and why
Acne starts with blocked follicles, and the treatment that unblocks them is a topical retinoid — adapalene or tretinoin — applied thinly every evening to the whole affected area, not dabbed on individual spots. The European S3 guideline puts a retinoid first for comedonal acne and a fixed-combination cream first for the red, pustular kind: adapalene with benzoyl peroxide, or clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide. The peroxide kills the acne bacteria without breeding resistance, which is why the guideline never allows a topical antibiotic on its own. Azelaic acid 15–20% is the alternative for people who cannot tolerate retinoids, is generally considered acceptable in pregnancy, and fades the dark marks acne leaves behind.
Every one of these irritates at first — dryness, peeling, some redness for two to four weeks. Starting on alternate nights, using a bland moisturiser and a non-greasy sunscreen, and not adding scrubs or alcohol toners gets most people through it. Retinoids make skin burn more easily and are not used in pregnancy; benzoyl peroxide bleaches towels and pillowcases. The doctor explains this so the treatment is not abandoned in week two, which is when most acne treatments fail.
Prescription acne medication for adults: when tablets are added
When creams alone have not controlled moderate acne after twelve weeks, or acne covers the back and chest, the guideline adds an oral antibiotic — doxycycline or lymecycline — for a limited course of about three months, always together with a retinoid or benzoyl peroxide and never on its own. The tablets are not used in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and doxycycline needs sun protection because it increases sunburn. Longer courses breed resistant bacteria and rarely add benefit. For women, a combined contraceptive pill with an anti-androgen progestogen is an alternative that treats acne and provides contraception, when it is otherwise safe for them. Once the acne is controlled, the antibiotic stops and the retinoid continues as maintenance, which is what keeps it away.
Nodular, cystic or scarring acne, and moderate acne that has failed two courses, are treated with oral isotretinoin, the most effective acne treatment there is and also the most regulated. It causes serious birth defects, needs a pregnancy-prevention programme and blood tests, and across the EU is prescribed by or under a dermatologist. It is not something to prescribe from a questionnaire, and the doctor will tell you if you have reached that point rather than offer another cream.
Which acne treatments need a prescription in the EU?
Tretinoin and adapalene are prescription-only in most of the 14 countries, as are the clindamycin combinations, azelaic acid at treatment strength in many of them, and all oral acne antibiotics; benzoyl peroxide is sold without a prescription at pharmacies across most of the EU. The prescription exists because retinoids must not be used in pregnancy and because matching the treatment to the acne type is what makes it work. The Express Assessment is how an adult gets that prescription without an appointment — and how the doctor stops you buying a retinoid for acne that is actually rosacea.
What to expect, and when to change course
Weeks one to four: irritation, sometimes a flare — keep going. Weeks six to eight: fewer new spots. Week twelve: the point at which the doctor and you judge it. Improvement of about half is a realistic first target; clear skin takes longer and maintenance keeps it. If nothing has changed by twelve weeks with correct use, the doctor moves up a step rather than repeating the same cream. Scarring is the reason not to wait: active nodules scar, and treating them early is what protects the skin. Picking and squeezing does the same damage faster.
Using the prescription at a pharmacy anywhere in the EU
The prescription is issued in English by an EU-registered doctor, names the active ingredient rather than a brand, and carries a verification code the pharmacist can check at mobidoctor.eu/verify. A prescription issued in one EU country must be recognised in another (Directive 2011/24/EU); the active-ingredient name is what makes that work at the counter. Dispensing is the pharmacist's decision under the rules of the country you are in, and depends on the medicine being available there. If you need a supply covering several months, say so in the questionnaire — the doctor decides the quantity. Adapalene, benzoyl peroxide combinations, azelaic acid and the oral acne antibiotics are stocked by ordinary pharmacies across the EU under local brand names. The other conditions the Express Assessment covers — 13 in all, plus repeat prescriptions — are listed on the online doctor prescription page.
Read the full acne guide: symptoms, causes, tests and treatment
Sources: European Dermatology Forum — European evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of acne, update 2016, short version (Nast A. et al., JEADV 2016) · European Medicines Agency — retinoid-containing medicines: pregnancy prevention and safety review
Start Express Assessment — €34 About 3 minutes to complete.
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
Acne treatment online — your questions answered
Medical Build Order
About 3 minutes of questions — then the doctor takes over. No waiting room.