Acne

You take great care of your skin. You wash your face twice a day. You don’t eat chocolate or drink soda. So why do you still have acne? Although it can be super frustrating acne during the teen years is extremely common. So common that nearly every teenager gets it at some point.

What is acne?

Acne is not just pimples, and does not just show up on the face. It can be on the back, shoulders, neck and upper arms as well. Acne can also include:

• Blackheads (open comedones)
• Whiteheads (closed comedones)
• Papules (red bumps)
• Pustules (red bumps with white centers, what many people call pimples)
• Cysts
• Nodules

What causes acne?

Having acne doesn’t mean your skin is dirty, or that you aren’t doing a good job at cleansing your skin. In fact, overzealous cleansing and vigorous scrubbing can make breakouts worse, not better.

Typically, dead skin cells are shed daily. Normal skin also naturally creates sebum, which is a critical oil that helps our skin from drying out. When sebum production is increased during life phases, the extra oil can cause dead cells to stick together, trapping them in pores. Within pores, bacteria have the ultimate environment for multiplying quickly, especially if there is excessive oil. Bacteria and oil within the pore is irritating to surrounding skin and becomes inflamed. This causes inflammatory acne which presents with papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

How is acne treated?

Dermatologists tailor acne treatments specifically for each patient. To best treat your acne, you may need more than one treatment. This is called combination therapy and may yield the best results. Some of the most common treatments for acne include the use of:

• Topical retinoid and antibacterial creams or gels
• Oral Antibiotics
• Birth control pills and/or spironolactone for females
• Isotretinoin (previously known as Accutane)
• Microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or photodynamic therapy

How can acne scaring be treated?

Once your acne is being treated and is under control, we can begin treatment on any acne scars that you may have. Dermatologists use lasers, microdermabrasion and chemical peels along with other procedures like microneedling, fillers and subcision to lessen the appearance of acne scars.

Contact us for a consultation if you are struggling with Acne. We will discuss the correct treatment tailored to your individual needs.