How To Treat Adult Acne

Acne is a very common skin condition that impacts most people at some point in their life. We see so many patients struggling with an acne-prone skin and self-esteem. This blog post is dedicated to discussing a number of topical and internal ways to treat those unwanted acne symptoms.  

Understanding Your Acne

Acne is caused by inflammation in the pilosebaceous unit, the place that harbors the hair follicle and sebaceous gland. This may happen due to several factors such as:

  • lifestyle
  • harsh skincare
  • medication
  • hormone imbalances
  • stress

Common types of acne skin conditions

Regular Acne

This is the most common type of acne that happens when the opening of a hair follicle is blocked with a combination of sebum and dead skin cells. This then results in blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples.

If you have regular acne, you must follow a skincare routine that helps lower oil production, reduce existing inflammation in the skin, and removes dead skin cell build-up to prevent future breakouts.

Cystic Acne

This is an infection that goes deep into your skin. Cystic acne occurs when a pore gets blocked, either with dead skin cells or other trapped bacteria. The blockage results in inflammation and is often painful. If a cystic acne bursts, it can spread the infection and may lead to more breakouts. Therefore, treating cystic acne may include removing dead skin that keeps blocking your pores and causing pimples to occur. Exfoliators formulated with salicylic acid will help fight acne bacteria in the skin. Further, Cystic acne can also be linked to hormonal imbalances. 

Fungal Acne

Fungal acne is not very common. It is an infection that results from excess yeast that aggravates your hair follicles. Fungal acne may be caused by oil-based products consumption. Environmental factors such as humidity and heat can also be contributing factors. Treatments for fungal acne may require anti-fungal oral medication and special skincare routine. 

Hormonal Acne

Hormonal acne is caused by fluctuations in your hormones.  It may need to be treated with oral prescription medication such as doxycycline or spironolactone or birth control.

It is vital to think of acne skin as needing repair from all the inflammation. In the following section, I have discussed my top medical-grade ingredients and treatments that can help treat acne-prone skin. 

Preventing and Treating Acne

Acne is not something completely in one’s control, and the treatment depends on its type and severity. However, you can prevent breakouts by following these tips:

How to Treat Adult Acne
  • Always remove makeup before going to bed
  • Choose skincare products carefully. Always check labels. Look for terms: oil-free, won’t clog pores, non-comedogenic.
  • Avoid hair products that contain oil
  • Exfoliate your skin but don’t over do it as it may damage your skin & cause more inflammation
  • Keep your skin hydrated
  • Wear sunscreen daily to prevent darkening of spots & skin cancer

Best Ingredients for Acne Prone Skin

  • Salicylic Acid - Works by exfoliating the skin to breakup dead skin cells that can clog pores.
  • Glycolic Acid - Works by getting into the pore to loosen built-up sebum that cause break outs.
  • Retinol - Increases cell turn over leaving you with bright & glowy healthy skin and unclogged pores.
  • Benzoyl Peroxide (or BPO) - kills acne causing bacteria in your pores to unclog them.

Best Products for Acne Prone Skin

Best Services for Acne Prone Skin

 

We'll leave you with one final tip, and that is to not pick at your acne! Picking can cause inflammation, and result in scarring and hyperpigmentation. If you're interested in receiving more tailored guidance on your unique skincare needs, book a consultation with us. We'll get you glowing in no time!

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