Is there anything I can do before I go to the dermatologist that could help?
as i've said bruddah, drink lots of water! also, go to a beauty supply store, and get the following:
a gentle, oil free acne wash (neutrogena is pretty good
witch hazel astringent (specifically witch hazel brand)
those pad things that you can carry for wipe away oil
now, these two items are a
MUST GET:
queen helene's mint julep masque
queen helene's grape seed extract masque
nivea for men - facial lotion for sensitive skin
the mint mask is for exfoliation. do that one night, then the next night, use the grape seed one. what the grape seed one does is, it dries on your skin, yah? then you peel it off, and it pulls out all the dirt and other nasty things from your pores. it's amazing for see how much nasty junk you have in our pores.
you're gonna use this process brah:
rinse face with warm water
apply mask (switching off between mint and grape) [only at night!]
astringent
facial lotion
carry those oil absorbing sheets with you all day brah. wipe your face, paying close attention to your T-zone (forehead and nose) pariodically, especially when you feel oily or have been in the heat.
that's what my aunt tells me for do, and it works wonders. that's assuming that you have dirt, oil, and bacteria caused acne. like i said bruddah, my lack of a proper sleep schedule (and change in my sleep cycle in general) has caused mine. so, if you've recently changed your diet, sleep habits, whatever, try for get back to how you used to be. and drink a lot of water!