In response to this question, I’d like to quote a few points from a review article on acne from UpToDate (which is reviewed and checked for conflicts of interest by over 7,000 doctors):
Improvement is often delayed
Acne treatment can take several months (!) before the skin condition improves. Many therapies require 2 to 3 months of regular use before you notice any positive changes. Initially, the result may simply be a slight reduction in breakouts (but they won’t disappear completely).
Adjustments to the regimen may be needed to identify the most effective regimen
During treatment, the doctor may adjust the therapy because the body’s response to a particular component/medication can vary (it can be unpredictable, and this doesn’t mean the doctor is incompetent if the initial treatment plan doesn’t work). Often, changes in the treatment regimen are necessary to optimize effectiveness and tolerability. It’s often necessary to combine several medications to achieve results. By the way, take a look at this table — the international medical guideline for acne therapy (you may notice that the more severe the condition, the more complex and combined the therapy becomes).
Long-term maintenance treatment is often necessary
Have you finished a three-month course, and the doctor is prescribing more medications, ointments, or gels? This can be justified. Long-term maintenance therapy is often needed even after the treatment course (for example, the topical application of retinoids). This is because most treatments suppress acne rather than completely cure it.
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