Given up on your acne? More like GIVE UP your acne! June may be national acne awareness month, but if you are one of the millions who struggle with acne you’re probably already aware of just how big of an impact acne can have on your life.
Find freedom from your pimples with treatments from Radiance Skincare & Laser Medspa, and don’t be defined by your acne regardless of your age.
Understanding Hormonal Acne
Your teenage years are often filled with acne because of the hormonal changes our bodies go through during this phase in life. But today’s dermatologists are seeing more and more women who are experiencing adult acne in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and even 50’s.
Determining the underlying cause of your adult acne will help us to recommend patient-specific treatment regimens to control your acne and minimize the chance of future breakouts.
The primary causes of hormonal acne are:
- Excess oil gland production directly influenced by hormone levels
- Overstimulated oil glands
- Skin cells that shed, and become abnormally sticky, causing your pores to clog up
- Increased number of the acne-causing bacterium, Propionibacterium
- Hormonal imbalances that cause excess facial or body hair
- Skin inflammation
Step One: Diagnosing Your Acne
To properly diagnose your acne and the cause behind why it’s there, a dermatologist will first examine your skin to make sure you have acne and not another skin condition that can look like acne. Your acne will be graded from a grade 1 to a grade 4, with grade 4 being severe acne.
Once your acne has been properly diagnosed, there are many effective treatment options that will be recommended. It’s important to remember that every acne treatment does not work for everyone who has acne, but virtually every case of acne can be controlled with proper diagnosis and a little patience to find the perfect treatment option for your specific skin type and acne.
Getting Past Your Acne Once and For All
There are many proven and effective acne treatments for all types of acne, and depending on the severity of your case. In most cases, acne treatment does not work overnight. At-home treatment requires 4-8 weeks to see significant improvement. Once your acne clears, you must continue to treat the skin to prevent future breakouts.
Mild Acne
Patients who experience mild acne are classified as those who have a few blemishes. They may have whiteheads, blackheads, papules, and/or pustules (aka pimples), and this type of acne can typically be treated with products that you can buy without a prescription. Products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid often clear mild acne cases.
Severe Acne
Large groupings of acne, cysts, or nodules on the skin all typically move acne cases into severe acne, especially if non-prescription acne treatments have not improved your acne in the past. If you experience severe acne that does not clear with the use of non-prescription acne products, it’s time to see a dermatologist.
How Dermatologists Help Treat Severe Acne
Dermatologists offer the following types of acne treatments:
Topical Treatments
There are many different types of topical treatments. While some help to kill the bacteria, others work on reducing the oils in your skin that are producing the acne. Topical medicine may contain a retinol, prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide, antibiotic, or even salicylic acid. Seeing a dermatologist will help you to determine the product that suits your specific acne.
Internal Treatments
Acne treatments that work through the body from the inside out may be necessary when you have red, swollen types of acne. This type of treatment is usually necessary to treat acne cysts and nodules.
Acne Procedures
Many of today’s acne sufferers are looking to a modern approach to treat their acne, with the use of procedures that are performed during an office visit. These treatments include:
- Laser Treatments – These devices reduce the p. Acnes bacteria that causes acne to form
- Chemical Peels – Used to treat blackheads and papules
- Drainage and Extraction – When cysts don’t respond to medicine, this procedure can help ease the pain and the chance that the cyst will leave a scar. Cysts can also be injected with medicine to eliminate it quickly.
Moving Past Acne & Acne Scars at Radiance Medspa
Before prescribing any acne treatment plan, we will examine your skin and determine the ideal options. You may benefit from a single treatment or a combination of the ones detailed above. These treatments help remove dead skin, unclog pores, extract blackheads and improve the appearance of acne scars.
Schedule a consultation with Radiance Skincare & Laser Medspa today and regain your confidence, by being acne free!