What is acne exactly?
Many of our skin’s functions, oil production being an example, are controlled by our hormones. An excess of oil production can lead to pores clogged with sebum and dead skin cells that usually leads to blackheads. If you add bacteria into the mix, you end up with inflammation that can result in papules (red bumps) and pustules (pimples with heads). This is considered moderate acne, but it can become worse if it starts forming cysts and, in very severe cases, painful nodules deep within your skin.
Acne doesn’t just affect your face. It can appear on your body too, usually your neck, chest, back and upper arms. Nobody should have to get to this stage, so it’s important to start treating it effectively the moment it starts.
Be proactive!
Early detection of any condition is always important, but this is especially the case when it comes to acne. With the right intervention right at the start, you can prevent it from developing into a severe problem that may eventually lead to scars.
Treatment recommendations always start with a professional assessment to discover the root cause of the issue. Various causes aside, every situation is different, so there’s no ‘one size fits all solution’. Still, acne often doesn’t just have a hormonal aspect to but a gut-related trigger too, or even a combination of both. Gastrointestinal issues that can affect your skin include dysbiosis (an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut), leaky gut syndrome and low stomach acid.
Thus, if you want to effectively treat acne, a threefold solution is best.
1. Pinpoint the trigger
Like we said, discovering and treating the root cause of the problem is vital. This is usually done with supplementation that could range from certain probiotics, vitamins and minerals to hormone-balancing treatments.
2. Treat and manage the symptoms
The ‘symptoms’ are the acne lesions itself. Depending on the severity of the acne, there are a host of in-clinic treatments that include acne-specific peels, carboxytherapy, Laser Genesis, Titan and photodynamic therapy (PDT) that can go a long way towards helping patients get their skin under control.
3. Maintain and prevent
Ensuring that you look after your skin with the correct topical products at home in between your in-office treatments, as well as after your skin has cleared is vital.
A reputable aesthetic doctor or qualified skincare professional will create a tailor-made treatment programme to ensure best results. This might include a home skincare routine using products for acne-prone skin; adjustments to your lifestyle and a series of in-clinic treatments.
A word about scarring
Acne scarring often results from severe acne that occurs deep within the skin, but can also arise from superficial inflamed acne, especially if you make matters worse by picking at the problem.
Besides scars, you can also be left with dark marks, also referred to as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, especially if you have a darker complexion.
When it comes to preventing or limiting the extent of acne scarring, is to treat acne as soon as it occurs and for as long as necessary. The more you’re able to prevent or moderate inflammation, the more likely that scarring and dark marks can be avoided.
Are you already dealing with scarring? It’s time to seek professional help. There are several fantastic treatments, such as Skin Needling, Dermapen Skin Needling, Carboxytherapy, Laser Genesis™ Rejuvenation, Microdermabrasion or Juvederm ® Dermal Filler, that can greatly reduce the depth and appearance of the scars, making them a lot less visible and sometimes even completely unnoticeable. Of course, each case will be different, but the bottom line remains - the sooner you start treatment, the better!