Acne

What is Acne?

Acne is a common skin condition that can be found in all ages, male and female and different areas of the body.

It occurs when a hair follicle becomes full with oil or/and dead skin cells. This condition can lead to the formation of:

• Whiteheads – Fleshy coloured lumps under the skin
• Blackheads – Open pores filled with oil and dead skin cells
• Pimples (Papules/pustules) – red inflamed bumps that can contain pus
• Nodules/Cysts – Large and deeper lumps under the skin

Acne not only causes stress from the appearance but can also lead to

• Pain and discomfort
• Acne scarring

Cystic Acne. This is the most severe form of Acne and often shows as large, pus-filled lumps within the skin that often lead to scarring. Cystic acne also associates with redness and inflammation, tender to touch and painful.

What are the causes of Acne? Including cystic acne

Acne can be caused from a variety of factors and these include

• Excess oil production from an overactive oil gland that produces too much sebum
• A clogged hair follicle which can be clogged from dead skin cells and build up blocking the hair follicle.
• Bacteria which can trigger an inflammatory response and or infection
• Hormones which when fluctuate can cause acne especially during the teenage years and puberty.
• Genetic (cystic acne)

Hormones can influence and impact on the breakout of Acne in all age’s groups including teens, young adults and women. Hormones can increase

• Sebum production. Which stimulates oil glands to product oil that can clog pores.
• Cell turnover. That affects the rate at which skin cells shed again leading to potential of clogged pores.
• Inflammation. Leading to swollen pimples.

The Key hormones involved with Acne are:

Androgens. Male sex hormone present in both male and female stimulate sebum production

Oestrogen. Female sex hormone that counteracts androgens

Progesterone. Has varying effects on Acne dependent on the person.

There are also the most common hormone acne triggers such as

Puberty. where hormone fluctuations often cause acne in both men and women

Menstruation. where changes in hormone levels can cause acne outbreaks in women of all ages

Pregnancy. Hormone shifts can affect skin conditions such as Acne in younger women

Menopause. decreased levels of oestrogen can contribute to acne in some older women

Polycystic ovary syndrome. Hormonal unbalance can lead to acne

Clear up Acne breakouts

Acne can be treated in a variety of different ways dependent on its severity and the person suffering from it. Best Acne treatments are often a combination of treatments not just one. The secret to acne treatments is to treat it quickly and effectively

Best Fast Acne Treatment 1 – Over the counter medications that are likely to contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. These work by killing acne bacterial to reduce the number of bacterial on the skins surface. As well as this they reduce inflammation to calm down the redness and swelling often associated with acne. Lastly, they promote cell turnover to help unclog pores by shedding the dead skin cells. It is important to make sure you have a good skin care routing to deal with active acne and ongoing acne breakouts. To best prevent acne breakouts you could use a basic skincare routine could look like the following

Morning

Cleanser - formulated for acne-prone skin and may contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Moisturiser- Oil free, non-comedogenic (pore friendly) to hydrate skin without the clogging of pores.

Sunscreen – SPF 30 or higher to protect against UV rays

Evening

Cleanser - formulated for acne-prone skin and may contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide and to remove makeup and any daily grime.

Toner- to help balance PH (should be alcohol free) with hazel or hyaluronic acid.

Acne treatment- A targeted acne product containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or retinoids

Moisturiser- Oil free, non-comedogenic (pore friendly) to hydrate skin without the clogging of pores.

It is advised to:

1. Stick to the routine for best results
2. Avoid touching of the face
3. Exfoliate gently
4. Dietary considerations

There are also a range of Natural acne treatments and here are some of the most popular

Tea tree oil – Strong actinobacterial properties to help reduce acne causing bacteria

Aloe vera – To help soothe inflammation and heal potential acne scars

Honey – This possesses antibacterial an any inflammatory properties.

Apple cider vinegar – Help balance PH and reduce bacterial

Witch hazel – Helps tighten pores and reduce oiliness

Best Fast Acne Treatment 2 – Prescription medications which are stronger topical or oral medications used to treat moderate to severe acne.

Topical medications include:

• Retinoids – Vitamin A derivatives to help unclog pores and reduce inflammation
• Tropical Antibiotics – To help kill bacteria that contribute to acne
• Spironolactone – This helps the body remove excess fluid and has anti-androgenic properties and can be used in severe acne for women
• Corticosteroid injections - To reduce inflammation and swelling for cystic acne
• Combination therapies – Combine different ingredient to combat acne from different angles.

Oral Medications include@

• Antibiotics for severe acne to help reduce inflammation and bacterial
• Hormonal medications for women birth control pills can regulate hormone levels to improve acne

Best Fast Acne Treatment 3 – Professional treatments these can be in the form of

Chemical peels. Chemical peels are a type of facial that uses a chemical solution to remove the outer layer of skin. This can improve the appearance of wrinkles, sun damage, and acne scars.

Microdermabrasion. Is a non-invasive procedure that gently exfoliates the top layer of skin. It can be beneficial for acne in several ways:  

Exfoliation: Removes dead skin cells, unclogging pores and preventing future breakouts.

All these can help 

Reduction of oil: Helps control excess oil production, a common factor in acne.

Improvement of acne scars: Can help to reduce the appearance of shallow acne scars.

Laser therapy. 

Can be an effective option for managing Acne and is even better utilised when combined with other treatments. The process works by targeting the cause of the acne such as excess oil and inflammation. Laser works by:

1. Reducing oil production by targeting and shrinking oil glands
2. Kills the bacteria Acne
3. Improves skin texture by stimulation collagen production which also helps with acne scarring

Laser can be in for form of

Non-Ablative such as Nd:YAG laser which penetrates the skin without removing the outer layer. Used for milder acne to reduce inflammation

Ablative lasers such as erbium Yag which removes the outer skin layer. Used for severe acne and acne scarring.

IPL therapy. 

This is a non-invasive procedure that uses a broad-spectrum of light to target the root causes of acne. Such as:

Excess oil: IPL acts to regulate the production of sebum

Acne bacterial: The light can kill the bacteria

Inflammation: IPL reduced inflammation associated with Acne

IPL Works by delivering pulses of light that penetrate the skin to target

• Sebaceous glands (heats up to reduce oil production)
• Bacterial (Eliminates the bacterial that contributes to breakouts)
• Collagen (stimulates to improve skin texture and improve appearance of acne scars)

IPL is beneficial as it is effective for mild and moderate acne.

IPL treats multiple skin concerns in addition to acne like pigmentation and redness and has minimal downtime.

LED therapy. 

Light emitting diode is a gentle and non-invasive treatment for acne using a specific wavelength of light to target the underlying causes of acne.

Blue light - Effective at killing acne-causing bacteria

Red light - Effective at reducing inflammation and promoting healing

Combined - Effective at addressing both causes of acne inflammation.

Benefits of LED therapy for Acne include:

• Non-invasive
• Gentle
• Effective
• Generally, a cheaper treatment option

Best Fast Acne Treatment 4 – lifestyle changes like maintaining a healthy diet, managing stress and sleep can help with Acne.

Important Note: Avoid squeezing or picking at pimples, as this can lead to scarring.

Acne treatment can also vary depending on the type of skin to be treatment

Acne treatment for teens

Acne is very common and most renowned for being a teenage issue. This is down to the hormonal changes in the teenage years. This is generally simple to treat and be treated In the usual ways as discussed like

• Gentle cleansers
• Benzoyl peroxide (kills acne causing bacteria)
• Salicylic acid (helps unclog pores)
• Hydrocolloid bandages (helps pimples and prevents picking that can lead to scarring)
• Topical retinoids (unclog pores and reduce inflammation)
• Antibiotic creams
• Oral antibiotics
• Hormonal treatments

Acne treatment for sensitive skin

This can sometimes be a challenge but it is not impossible and generally can be treated with a combination of treatments such as a gentle skincare routing

• Cleanse – Mild and fragrance free
• Moisturise – lightweight and oil free
• Sunscreen

other treatments include

Azelaic acid – Gentle ingredient to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation

Niacinamide – Calming to reduce redness and improve skin texture

Salicylic acid – low concentration to help unclog pores

Exfoliation – with lactic or mandelic acid to remove dead skin

Acne Scars

What is an Acne scar? This is the scar that is left behind on the body or the face after the skin has healed. They are common after Acne and affect roughly 1 in 5 people. The severity of an acne scar is dependent on the individual and the severity of the original Acne condition.

Acne scars are formed as a result of the inflammation caused by Acne. When the Acne is moderate or severe it can not only look un appealing but can also cause damage to the underlying skin tissue. The body’s own healing process with help repair the damaged skin by producing new collagen but sometimes this is not enough and leads to an actual scar.

There are different types of Acne scars which include

• Ice pick scars – Small, deep holes in the skin
• Rolling scar -  Wavy and un even appearance of the skin 
• Boxcar scars – Broad, shallow depression within the skin
• Hypertrophic scars – raised, thick scars
• Keloid scars- these are raised, form scars that will extend from the original

How to get rid of Acne scarring

Treatments will vary for acne scars and often a combination of treatments will be needed to further help the appearance of the scar. Treatments options include:

• Over the counter – creams and gels can help with mild scarring
• Professional treatments which include things like
  • Dermabrasion
  • Chemical peels
  • Laser
  • IPL
  • Led
  • Fillers

The earlier acne is treated the less likely is the risk of scarring and indeed the less severe the scarring will be.

Laser treatment for Acne scars can be done using a variety of different modalities such as

Erbium yag laser which is very popular and is a type of laser resurfacing and can be used for a variety of scar types. It works by delivering short pulses of laser energy which create small channels within the skin. This is called fractional resurfacing and stimulates collagen production and skin renewal. As the skin heals the scars will become less and less apparent.

Best used for ice pick, boxcar and rolling scars erbium yag has minimal downtime and shorter recovery.  Erbium yag laser will also help improve overall skin tone and texture.

CO2 laser is also very popular for Acne scar treatment but is more aggressive in treatment and recovery length but can often offer better results.  It works by resurfacing the damaged skin layers and stimulating new collagen and skin renewal. It penetrates deeper into the skin making it better of more sever acne scarring.  Like erbium yag it also helps improve general skin texture, tone and fine lines and wrinkles.

Nd:YAG laser can also be used for Acne scarring. It is best at treating red and brown acne scars as well as improving skin texture. It works by delivering laser energy to skin which causes heat and in doing so stimulating collagen production. Nd:YAG laser can also target vascular structures such as the blood vessels associated with acne scars. Lastly Nd:YAG laser can help face brown spots and hyperpigmentation associated with acne scars.

Nd:YAG laser can be split into 2 modalities which are:

1. Long-pulsed Nd:YAG which is often used to treat red acne scars and stimulate collagen production
2. Q-Switched Nd:YAG effective for brown spots and pigmentation

Nd:YAG laser has minimal downtime compared to CO2 and Erbium lasers and can be used on most skin types and tones.