Get a consultation for acne treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions online

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes, a licensed Canadian doctor on Maple would be glad to discuss your skin type, signs of acne and its symptoms with you.

In most cases, they will suggest you try over-the-counter acne treatment products for several weeks, before offering any kinds of prescription acne medications in Canada.

If you have acne prone skin or your acne symptoms are severe or widespread, you may consider seeing a dermatologist to provide you with a more indepth acne diagnosis. If you live in In Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador or Nunavut, you can see a dermatologist on Maple in 24 hours or less.

Yes, our physicians can prescribe acne medications online during your consultation. Once you accept an acne prescription, you’ll have the option to pick it up from any pharmacy or to have it delivered right to your door at no additional cost.

You can visit our How it works page to learn more.

Acne is a very common skin condition that will affect most people at some point throughout their lives. It can appear as whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, or nodules further beneath the skin.

While the symptoms and signs of acne can vary widely in severity depending on each person, the most common acne symptoms include:

• Blackheads (clogged pores that are open)
• Whiteheads (clogged pores that are closed)
• Nodules (solid, painful lumps beneath the skin)
• Papules (small, tender red bumps)
• Pustules or ‘pimples’ (papules with pus at their tip)
• Cystic lesions (painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the skin)

The severity of your acne can determine the type of treatment and whether it includes prescription acne medication.

Acne is often categorized as

• Mild – mostly whiteheads and blackheads, with a few papules and pustules
• Moderate – more widespread whiteheads and blackheads, with many papules and pustules
• Severe – lots of large, painful pustules, nodules or cysts, potentially accompanied by some scarring

Yes, unfortunately acne can cause scarring if a breakout deeply penetrates the skin and damages the tissue beneath it.

As the acne clears, the body tries to repair the damage. During the healing process the body produces collagen. If the body produces too much or too little collagen, visible scarring can form.

The good news is that treating acne scars is possible. A dermatologist can prescribe acne scar treatment options to significantly diminish their appearance.

Our skin’s sebaceous glands naturally produce greasy secretions called sebum. As old skin cells die and are replaced by new skin cells, they break off. When the skin cells combine with the sebum, together they create a plug in the follicle.

When either the sebum or dead skin cells plug the hair follicles in our skin, it causes acne.

This may cause acne directly, but there are no clear answers for why one person may be much more predisposed to experiencing acne than someone else.

If you’ve never had acne before, and you’re just beginning to show signs of acne, you may still need an acne diagnosis.

Most often, the doctor will suggest a physical exam, so that the severity of your condition can be evaluated.

A physical exam allows the doctor to assess the types of acne lesions, severity and distribution of the involved areas, presence of complications, and contributing factors like skin care products or medications that may be attributing, or screen for signs and symptoms of endocrine disorders that involve acne.

It’s important to note that acne is not the result of having a dirty face. In fact, exfoliating or scrubbing your face too often could actually make your acne worse.

The first thing the doctor will suggest if you’re showing signs of acne are home remedies and over-the-counter acne medications.

Some of these suggestions could include:

• Washing affected areas with gentle cleansers once or twice a day
• Avoiding possible irritants
• Avoiding pressure or friction on your skin
• Avoiding picking, squeezing, or rubbing affected areas
• Showering after physical activities
• Avoiding excessive exposure to the sun, or apply sunscreen if going outdoors. Acne treatments can often make the skin more sensitive to sun damage
• Trying over-the-counter medications that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or alpha hydroxy acids

From whiteheads and blackheads, to more severe cystic acne, there are several options and forms of prescriptions to treat acne with.

Topical creams that contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide help reduce oil production and inflammation. Common names include azelaic acid (Azelex) and erythromycin (Benzamycin).

If none of the home remedies we suggested are helping to clear up your acne symptoms within a month, it’s a good idea to see a healthcare professional.

You may require prescription acne medications in order to reduce the signs of your acne. Also, if your symptoms are severe, you may need to speak with a dermatologist in order to find acne treatments that will help you.

Many people, with all kinds of skin types have struggled with acne for decades, and need professional assistance to treat their condition. Adults who experience a sudden severe acne flare-up could have a more serious underlying condition that may require treatment.