Acne

Adolescent and Adult Acne Issues

Thought you have put your acne days behind you? Think again. Acne Vulgaris is a common skin disease and is increasingly seen in adult women. Traditionally, adult female acne is defined as acne in women over 25 years of age. This can be broadly divided into persistent acne, new-onset cases, or recurrent disease.

Persistent acne represents disease that first started in adolescence and continues into adulthood. New onset acne presents for the first time in adulthood, and recurrent disease refers to acne that is present in adolescence, clears for a variable amount of time, and returns unexpectedly in adulthood.

Acne is caused by hormonal imbalance and poor skin health. Due to an imbalance in the production of sebum in the skin, our glands can get clogged, leading to inflammation and infection that present as an acne breakout.

Acne progresses through various stages. It can start with open or closed comedones (blackheads or whiteheads), leading to pustules and in the worst case scenario, big boils that are medically classified as nodules or cysts.

If nothing is done to stop this cycle of infection and injury to the skin, permanent scarring will result. Acne is a frustrating condition for many, simply because it hinders skin from looking its best, is a social impediment and may leave permanent and disfiguring scars that are difficult to treat. We often see the best results from a combination of treatments and skincare products.

HYDRAFACIAL

A store brought scrub and clay mint mask might do the trick, but for deep pore cleansing to boost skin clarity of those plagued with stubborn zits, it’s best to leave things in the hands of qualified professionals. The Hydrafacial is a gentle yet efficacious treatment that offers thorough cleansing, purging skin pores clogged with dirt, excess oil and other surface debris. The gentle jet of accompany fluid contains a potent blend of AHA/BHAs, infusing treated skins with acne busting agents while providing continuous moisture application. By reducing friction and softening the skin and sebum, surface impurities are skillfully extracted and blasted away with ease. The Hydrafacial immediately leaves the skin clearer and brighter, with no complicated special post treatment care to take note of nor any significant downtime that will hinder your daily routine.

SCITON BBL

Besides topical and oral medication, BBL has now proven to be helpful in the treatment of acne. In many cases, this offers an alternative to oral medications such as Accutane or long-term antibiotics. While we might be all too familiar with the term IPL or Intense Pulsed Light, it’s the newer generation of BBL or BroadBand Light that you should familiarize yourself with. With the help of different filters, light of varying wavelengths are converted into heat energy when absorbed by chromophores in the skin. The Sciton BBL blue light treatment targets acne-causing bacteria Propionibacterium Acnes to effectively reduce infection on the skin. At the same time, the oil glands that produce sebum are also controlled, making the face less oily. Overall, the skin health is restored and optimized using protocols that we have refined over the years. It takes 15 minutes for each treatment and patients return weekly to twice-weekly for 6 to 8 sessions. This can speed up the resolution of acne by up to 3 times compared with conventional treatment regimens without pain nor downtime. Be assured that you will look and feel an improvement to your skin in no time at all.

CARBON LASER PEEL

If you skin is plagued by zits of varying age, with some new ones rearing their heads while old healing ones are leaving behind footprints of unsightly dark marks, ask your aesthetic physician for a Carbon Laser Peel. This revolutionary approach to skin rejuvenation pioneered by the Koreans resurfaces and replenishes the skin at the same time with the use of gentle yet deeply penetrating laser energies, exfoliating the rough and damaged outer layer of dead skin cells to reveal younger, softer, and fairer skin underneath. Without the use of harsh chemicals, it is able to control sebum production and thus reduce oiliness, shrink down pores and lighten dark acne pigmentation to even out skin tone. There is practically no downtime nor tell-tale signs with this awesome lunchtime treatment, making it tops on a ‘must-do’ list to tame blemish-prone skin pre-event, bestowing upon tired-looking visages a red-carpet-worthy glow.

NORSELD DUAL YELLOW LASER

To fast track yourself to a flawless complexion, medical lasers are the go to treatment with an ever enlarging fan base. Acne-causing bacteria Propionibacterium Acnes is found in abundance in the pores of acne prone skin, producing a chemical known as proto-porphyrin 9 (PPIX). The yellow light emitted by the Dual Yellow Laser is selectively absorbed by PPIX, which changes its chemical composition to a toxic form that kills off the P. Acnes bacteria. The yellow light also helps regulate overactive sebaceous glands, resulting in a reduction in sebum production to cut back on skin oiliness and mid-day shine. Unlike most other laser treatments where micro-wounds are created on the skin surface, the Dual Yellow Laser is an exceedingly gentle laser treatment that doesn’t need to break the skin surface to exert its healing prowess. This makes the treatment very comfortable even without any numbing cream, restoring and refining flushed, stubborn blemished complexions with dazzling satisfaction.

ACNE FAQs:

Does having acne mean I’m not cleaning my face enough?
Over-washing is one common skincare mistake made by women with acne prone skin. Washing your face once too often especially with cleansers containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide will strip away your natural moisture, which is already lacking in those with dry skin. Instead of the twice a day standard recommendation, you can cut your anti-acne facial wash back to once daily. Opt for a gentle cleanser with only pure, non-irritating ingredients in the morning, so that your skin is conditioned, balanced and calmed with continued use. Our trained therapists are at hand to guide you through.

Should I stop using a sunblock?
Acne or no acne, whatever the season and wherever you stay, protecting your skin against the harsh elements of the weather cannot be overlooked. Unprotected sun exposure can lead to sunburn, wrinkles, pigmentation and skin cancer over time. Even if they aren’t apparent immediately, the seeds of UV damage with long term dermatological repercussions are planted with every incident of unprotected exposure. Get round your fear of a sticky, non-breathable situation by choosing a non-comedogenic formula to prevent clogging your pores and causing acne. Check with our trained therapist for a suitable sunblock and skincare regime.

Will I ever outgrow acne?
Unfortunately for some, acne is a lifelong nemesis. While it seldom impacts greatly on the general health of affected individuals, acne can have tremendous untoward bearings on the social and psychological well-being of many. It is therefore important to treat them right early, which avoid or lower the chances of acne scarring too.

How severe does the acne need to be before seeing a doctor?
Every person is different and therefore a visit to the doctor should be organized if acne is causing a person distress and affecting their enjoyment of life. Apart from the physical discomfort and risk of disfigurement with scarring from severe acne, there is also an emotional price to pay for not intervening early. Acne can undermine confidence, batter self-esteem and cause anxiety and depression if left untreated. Our trained doctors will tailor an approach specific to your particular needs, which may or may not include pharmacotherapy with oral medication(s).

Is contraception that important when I’m on oral Accutane (Isotretinoin)?
Yes, absolutely. As a female patient, there is a very great danger of malformation in the child if she become pregnant while being treated with Accutane or any other brands of oral isotretinoin, during and up to 4 weeks after the end of treatment. Precautions against pregnancy with effective contraceptive methods are absolutely essential and strict adherence is necessary.

I've just discovered I'm six weeks pregnant. I've been taking Doxycycline and using Retin A cream at night. What should I do?
It’s unlikely you have done any harm but stop both these treatments and consult your doctor for further advice. The tetracycline antibiotics can affect growing teeth and bones if taken later on in pregnancy and should be stopped.  All retinoid or vitamin A creams should be stopped if pregnant or planning pregnancy. Erythromycin is an alternative antibiotic that targets acne and is safe for use during pregnancy.