How it works

The dermatologist

Every TGIC case is reviewed by a U.S. board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state. You see their name, photo, and state license number before treatment starts. You can message them directly through your dashboard at any point — refill questions, side-effect reports, dosage concerns, photo updates. A real person reads every message.

TGIC does not use nurse practitioners or physician assistants to diagnose acne or write prescriptions. This matters because acne diagnosis is harder than it looks — distinguishing hormonal acne from rosacea from perioral dermatitis from folliculitis changes the treatment plan entirely. Board-certified dermatologists are specifically trained for this.

The quiz-to-prescription path

Six steps:

• 1. Take the quiz (~2 min). Tells us what you're dealing with, what you've tried, what your goals are, your state, and whether you're enrolling for yourself or a teen.
• 2. Upload two photos. One from the front, one from the side.
• 3. Check out. Pick your plan (Clear Course Basic or Accutane®), pick your term (Month to Month, The Full Course, or Year of Clear), and check out through secure billing.
• 4. Dermatologist review. Your dermatologist reads the intake, reviews photos, and either writes the prescription, asks follow-up questions in the dashboard, or routes you to in-person care if your case is out of scope.
• 5. Prescription ships. The partner pharmacy runs your insurance, ships the medication with free shipping, and posts tracking to your dashboard.
• 6. Ongoing care. Messaging, refills, lab orders, and (for Accutane® patients) iPledge check-ins all happen in the dashboard.

Starting isotretinoin? The Accutane® path, eligibility caveats, and iPledge steps are covered in getting Accutane® online.

How long until you see results

Most patients see noticeable change in 6 to 12 weeks. Acne treatment works gradually — topicals turn skin over, oral medications reduce oil production and inflammation, and visible change follows the underlying biology shift.

• Weeks 0–4: Initial adjustment. Some patients see a brief "purge" as deep clogged pores work to the surface. Skin may feel dry or sensitive.
• Weeks 4–12: Inflammation drops, new breakouts slow, existing lesions heal.
• Accutane® patients: Steady clearing across the course. The "almost done" phase, where most cysts and nodules resolve.
• Post-course: Long-term remission for many Accutane® patients. Topical maintenance plans run indefinitely.

Cancellation

Cancel directly from your dashboard. The “Manage billing or cancel” button opens your secure billing portal — same place you'd update your card or view invoices. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current term, so you keep every month you've already paid for and the auto-roll to monthly never fires.

Each Clear Course plan has a minimum commitment matching the term: 3 months (Month to Month), 4 months (The Full Course), or 12 months (Year of Clear). After the minimum, no lock-in. No phone calls, no retention scripts, no "are you sure?" friction.

Your case file and message history stay accessible in your dashboard after cancellation. If you come back later, the dermatologist has full context from your prior treatment.

HIPAA and privacy

TGIC operates under HIPAA. Protected health information — intake, photos, messaging, pharmacy handoff, billing — is shared only with the providers and business associates who need it to deliver your care.

• Photos, case notes, and prescription history stay between you and your dermatologist.
• TGIC does not sell, rent, or share your information with third parties for marketing or unrelated purposes.
• Marketing communications (like SMS) require separate opt-in beyond the treatment relationship — you can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message.

How TGIC is different

TGIC is built around iPledge and Accutane® as the operational core, not as an add-on. Most online acne services either don't prescribe isotretinoin at all, route Accutane® patients elsewhere, or limit iPledge support to "email us if you have questions."

TGIC's iPledge concierge tracks every window, pregnancy test, and refill timing for you. The dashboard is built for the program — not a generic patient portal with iPledge bolted on the side. Every case is reviewed by a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state, the partner pharmacy runs your insurance on every prescription, and free Rx shipping is included every month.

Common questions

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