Both formulas are compounded prescription topicals designed by DermClick's three founding dermatologists for acne treatment. The difference is strength, the type of case each one is built for, and what the adjustment period looks like.
The Acne Solution ($79/month, Core) is the balanced-strength option. It is designed for first-time prescription users with mild to moderate inflammatory or hormonal acne — patients whose skin is starting fresh on prescription treatment and who do not need maximum-strength intervention from day one. Most patients in this category respond well to a balanced prescription formula without escalating to higher strengths.
The Advanced Acne Solution ($79/month, Advanced) is the maximum-strength, multi-mechanism option. It is designed for patients whose acne has not responded to other treatments — over-the-counter retinols, benzoyl peroxide, prior prescription products, or a starter prescription-skincare service — and for higher-severity cases with stubborn, resistant, or persistent breakouts.
A quick side-by-side:
- Strength — The Acne Solution: balanced prescription. The Advanced Acne Solution: maximum-strength.
- Best for — The Acne Solution: mild to moderate acne. The Advanced Acne Solution: stubborn, persistent, resistant acne.
- Prior treatment — The Acne Solution: first-time prescription users. The Advanced Acne Solution: patients who have tried other prescriptions and plateaued.
- Adjustment period — The Acne Solution: mild dryness, light peeling. The Advanced Acne Solution: more pronounced dryness and peeling, longer ramp-up.
- Price — The Acne Solution: $79/month. The Advanced Acne Solution: $79/month.
- Timeline to results — Both: 6 to 12 weeks for meaningful clearing. For The Advanced Acne Solution, this is often the first visible shift after months of plateau.
Which one is right for you is decided by the dermatologist reviewing your case, based on your photos, your history, and what you have already tried. A few general guidelines:
- Choose The Acne Solution if you are new to prescription skincare and your acne is mild to moderate, or if you have tried over-the-counter products and want to step up to a balanced prescription formula.
- Choose The Advanced Acne Solution if you have already tried prescription acne treatment (including starter services like Curology) and your skin has plateaued, built tolerance, or kept breaking out despite consistent use.
In practice, the dermatologist on your case may also recommend starting with The Acne Solution and escalating to The Advanced Acne Solution at a later check-in if the response is not strong enough — rather than jumping to maximum strength on day one. This is a standard escalation pattern in dermatology and is part of the reason DermClick offers both formulas.
If your acne is hormonal or cystic with deep cysts and scarring risk, neither formula may be the right fit on its own — see the FAQ "Can DermClick help with hormonal or cystic acne?" for more on when oral medication is needed.