What is acne?
Close to 85% of people will experience some form of acne in their lifetime. When people think of acne, they think of teenagers, but acne can affect many people through adulthood. As many as half of all adults experience some form of acne and acne breakouts.
Acne can have a devastating effect on the self- esteem and confidence. Many acne sufferers withdraw socially, and even experience depression.
The good news is that most acne can be treated with outstanding results.
What is acne?
Acne is an inflammatory lesion of the sebaceous (oil) glands. The first signs are usually during puberty, where there’s an increase in the hormone Androgen, which is especially active in stimulating the amount of oil (sebum) produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. This stimulates extra production of sebum, combined with dead skin cells and other debris, becoming trapped and creating a plug that blocks the hair follicle. As the ducts of these glands become plugged with the waxy oil, black heads and whiteheads form. They are frequently infected with bacteria, causing pimples.
This first stage-impacted follicle is often referred to as a micro comedone (blackhead & whitehead). As the bacteria digest sebum, they produce fatty acid waste products that irritate the lining of the follicle causing a proliferation of cells to accumulate in the impacted follicle. At this point, the disease may result in non-inflammatory lesions, and simply produce closed comedones. When they eventually turn into open comedones and expel their contents, inflamed lesions may also result, whereby the follicle wall ruptures forming a papule. White blood cells invade the area and inflammation follows. If the break is close to the surface of the skin, a pustule (pimple with pus) forms. If it is deeper, a nodule forms. In some cases, a membrane entraps the infection and a cyst forms.
What causes acne?
Clogged hair follicles or pores cause acne. There are several glands that empty into your hair follicles. When too much material is inside your hair follicle, a clog occurs. Your pores can clog with:
- Sebum: An oily substance that provides a protective barrier for your skin.
- Bacteria: Small amounts of bacteria naturally live on your skin. If you have too much bacteria, it can clog your pores.
- Dead skin cells: Your skin cells shed often to make room for more cells to grow. When your skin releases dead skin cells, they can get stuck in your hair follicles.
Acne is caused by a build-up of dead skin cells and oil. This then forms a pimple or nodule in the skin. Bacteria can then grow in blocked pores, causing inflammation and redness.
Androgen hormones may also make your skin produce excessive oil. But, hormones only cause acne in a very small minority of people, such as people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Hormone levels also increase during puberty in teenagers and young adults.
There are other things that can trigger acne, such as:
- Stress (excess cortisol)
- family history
- diet high in sugar
- some medications
- picking at your skin
- Using oily or greasy personal care products, working in an area where you routinely come in contact with grease, such as working at a restaurant with frying oil.
Types of acne
What are the symptoms of acne?
The symptoms of acne include:
- whiteheads— small white spots under the surface of the skin
- blackheads— small, blocked pores with a black ‘plug’
- pimples— inflamed red spots which can have yellow pus in the middle
- nodules— large red bumps under the skin which can be painful
These symptoms are most often seen on the face, but acne can also affect your:
- back
- chest
- shoulders
- neck
How can acne be treated?
Today, acne can be treated without the harshness and discomfort of traditional treatments that leave the skin red and irritated. First to treat any form of acne, you have to deal with the three factors (Sebum, Bacteria, and impactation). This is done with a three- tier approach of professional aesthetic treatments, home care program, and gut health support.
Regardless of which form of acne is prevalent on the client, it is known that sebum production or oil is the catalyst for the series of events that results in acne or skin blemishes. As skin care professionals, we know that excess sebum is often associated with enlarged pores, a tendency toward follicle congestion and an oily “T-zone”. We can treat acne prone skin by controlling the excess sebum production, and maintaining proper moisture level.
Acne medications
There are many types that can assist with can with the use of topical and/or oral medications. The following are some examples of common treatments:
Benzoyl peroxide: This is available as an over-the-counter product (such as Clearasil®, as a leave-on gel or wash. It targets surface bacteria, which often aggravates acne and leaves skin dry and irritated because it strips the barrier.
Salicylic acid: This is available in clinic (hydra medic acne range) for acne as a cleanser or lotion. It helps remove the top layer of damaged skin. Salicylic acid dissolves dead skin cells to prevent your hair follicles from clogging.
Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives): Also available in clinic. (retriderm) Retinol, breaks up blackheads and whiteheads and helps prevent clogged pores, the first signs of acne. You often need to use these for several months before noticing positive results, but there are side effects and contra indication to its use eg. pregnancy and sun exposure.
Common prescribed oral acne medications
- Types of oral acne medications could include:
- Antibiotics can treat acne because it targets the bacteria. Common antibiotics for acne include tetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline. These are best for moderate to severe acne but it can take several months for results and needs patient compliance. Not ideal for long term use.
- Isotretinoin is an oral retinoid (also known as Accutane). Isotretinoin shrinks the size of oil glands, which contributes to acne formation. Although very effective it has many side effects and causes sun sensitivity, extreme dryness of the skin, mucous membranes, glands. Needs patient compliance.
- Contraceptives: Hormone therapy uses specific contraceptives that can sometimes assist women who have acne by regulating their hormones and menstrual cycle. Especially if they experience acne flare-ups during menstruation or irregular periods caused by excess androgen (a hormone). Hormone therapy consists of low-dose estrogen and progesterone or a medication called spironolactone that blocks the effect of certain hormones at the level of your hair follicles and oil glands.
In clinic removal of acne lesions
Medical facials use a method called desincrustation, which is a process of softening the keratin plug (comedone) and allows extractions to proceed easily with minimal trauma to the surrounding tissue.
LED light therapy: Blue light is used to kill bacteria in the skin, bacteria causes acne, blemishes and inflammation. Blue light combats breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads. Blue light has powerful anti-bacterial properties, used as a decongestant to purify acne prone or problem skin, normalising oil production.
Laser acne treatment provides a truly comprehensive solution to acne and radio frequency provides a solution to scars. In the acne treatment Melbourne, a precisely controlled laser light is used to penetrate the skin to target overactive sebaceous glands and minimise acne inflammation.
Our specialist laser acne treatment reduces acne inflammation through a combination of controlled heating and photo selective absorption. Our skin specialist for acne uses heat to destroy overactive sebaceous glands that contribute to acne.
Our laser acne treatment in Melbourne also accelerates the skin’s natural healing process and stimulates collagen production, providing long-term benefits without any side effects.
As a leading skin specialist for acne, we can also provide radio frequency (RF) treatment to improve the appearance of acne scars