Acne: How To Treat This Condition
If you get several pimples all at once in similar areas this is often know as acne. This skin condition affects many people and can cause scarring on your face and other parts of your body. Acne can contribute to emotional distress and can affect self-esteem, and may even contribute to feelings of anxiety or depression. While acne doesn’t pose a serious risk to your overall health, it can still be very painful, particularly if you have severe acne. You need not worry as acne is a very treatable skin condition. At World of Faces we offer numerous treatments to help manage this as well as reduce scarring.
What causes Acne
Acne is caused when pores get blocked by oil, bacteria, dead skin cells, and dirt. When this occurs, you may develop a pimple or blemish. Each pore opens up to a follicle and this follicle is made up of a hair and sebaceous oil gland and it is at this gland that infection or pimples may occur.
So to break this process down, acne may occur when:
Bacteria builds up in your pores
Your hair follicle produces too much oil
Dead skin cells accumulate in your pores
What are the risk factors for developing Acne?
It is not conclusive as to the reason why some people develop acne and others don’t however, a number of risk factors have been identified that can contribute or even worse the skin condition including;
Hormonal changes due to puberty or pregnancy
Poor sleep
Stress
Certain beauty products with a high oil content
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and other endocrine conditions
cigarette smoking
Certain medications, including lithium, some types of hormonal birth control, anticonvulsants, and steroids
You have the highest risk of developing acne during puberty. During this time, your body undergoes many hormonal changes. These changes can trigger oil production, leading to an increased risk of acne. Hormonal acne related to puberty usually improves when you reach adulthood, and your breakouts may even stop completely.
How to treat Acne?
Treatment for acne is dependent on the severity of the condition.
For mild Acne, over-the-counter (OTC) medicated creams, cleansers, and spot treatments are used to help the problem skin.
Common ingredients you’ll find in acne creams and gels include:
Benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient helps dry out existing pimples, prevents new ones from forming, and kills acne-causing bacteria.
Salicylic acid. This ingredient helps exfoliate your skin to prevent pores from getting clogged with acne-causing bacteria.
When the condition is moderate, symptoms will persist after using OTC acne treatments and it will be necessary to consult a health care professional.
If you have moderate acne, a health care professional may prescribe:
prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide
antibiotics, like erythromycin or clindamycin
retinoids, such as retinol
In some cases, they may suggest an oral antibiotic or hormonal birth control to help manage acne. Typically, you’ll only use antibiotics for a short time, so your body doesn’t build up a resistance and leave you prone to infections.
For severe acne, a dermatologist may recommend treatment that combines one or more of the following:
oral antibiotics
benzoyl peroxide
topical antibiotics
topical retinoids
They may also suggest hormonal birth control or oral isotretinoin, also known by the brand name Accutane. Accutane is a vitamin-A medication used to treat certain cases of severe nodular acne. It can cause serious side effects, and doctors usually only prescribe it when other treatments don’t work.
At World of Faces we offer and recommend medical procedures to treat severe forms of acne. These procedures work by removing damaged skin, reducing oil production and reduce scarring, these include:
Photo Light Therapy (LED). Research indicates that LED light therapy can be effective for wound healing and other types of skin damage. LED Light Therapy is a painless, relaxing treatment treats mild to moderate acne.
Mesopeel Modified Jessner: This peeling formula breaks the cohesion of the epidermis cells, lighten and reduce pigmentation, reduce superficial scars, cleans pores and reduces the likelihood of acne.
Mesopeel Azelan: This peel is specifically created for acneic skin with inflamed spots, blackheads, whiteheads, post-acne scarring, seborrhoea and rosacea.
Acnelan: This peel offers an intensive treatment designed to treat acne-prone and seborrheic skin by deep cleansing blocked pores, effectively removing impurities and improving the overall skin texture and tone.
15% Beta Peel: This is a superficial quick peel treatment that renews the skin by lifting dead cells off the surface of your skin and stimulating the metabolism of the cells underneath. It helps achieve substantial improvement in the appearance of uneven pigmentation and acne breakouts may be reduced.
TCA: This is a self-neutralizing, medium-deep combined peel designed to improve deep acne scars.
Acne & Oil Control Treatment: This is an invigorating acne treatment and prevention solution designed to be used with a complementary acne treatment program. This treatment helps remove oil, normalize pore size, help smooth skin's surface and reduce irritation.
Tips to prevent acne
It’s not always possible to completely prevent acne especially if its hormone related. There are however steps you can take to minimise your chances of getting an acne breakout.
Use an oil free cleanser when washing your face
Try an OTC acne cleanser to aid in removing excess oil
Remove makeup and cleanse before bed.
Wash your face after exercising.
Tie back long hair to keep it out of your face.
Eat a balanced diet, and stay hydrated.
Take steps to reduce stress.
There is no doubt that having to dealing with this skin condition is uncomfortable. Everyone one at some stage in their lives has to deal with the unsightly pimple but if it becomes a problem there are numerous treatment options available to you. Getting treatment for acne sooner rather than later can also help prevent scarring. If you’ve already noticed some acne scars do not fret. At World of `faces we offer a range of treatments to help you manage the acne as well as minimise the appearance of scarring.
