Acne is a skin condition that demands action sooner rather than later. We have solutions to deal with active acne, and to help with the scars it leaves behind.
In an ideal world, we would all manage our acne-related skin issues when they start so we don’t experience long-term consequences. The good news is that we live in an era where we have solutions to treat acne, no matter how severe, and to deal with its scars.
Although teen acne and adult acne are very similar in how they manifest, their causes can be quite different, and how you treat your adult vs teen acne is also quite different.
The teen scenario
Teen acne, which affects about 90% of adolescents, is likely to be the result of androgen hormones (like testosterone), which both boys and girls have.
Your genes may also be responsible, so ask your parents if they or their siblings had acne.
And, of course, your diet and gut health is also responsible. So cut down on those high glycaemic load foods (quick-release carbs like junk food) and eat gut-friendly foods.
Adult acne unpacked
Dermatologists say that adult acne is on the rise. About a third of women and 20% of men experience acne right into their forties.
Your genes and diet also play a role here, but chronic stress and gut health are a key factor here (often very much related). Hormonal fluctuations with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), pregnancy, etc., can make the situation worse.
Some medications, such as steroids and lithium, for example, can also aggravate the condition.
The solution: Seek professional help
Whatever the cause of your acne, a consultation with a medical professional who can look at your medical and lifestyle history will establish what’s triggering it, as well as providing a course of treatment that will help to get your skin back to good health.
We stress again that early management of acne is important to prevent condition becoming severe, as well as limiting the possibility of scarring.
The goal is to prevent or lessen inflammation – to limit damage to the skin.
- The skin-care therapist will also recommend a home skin-care routine with and active, yet gentle on your skin medical skin care range, such as Lamelle Clarity to keep pores clear, balance oil production, as well as soothing skin irritation and redness. It also helps fade dark spots left by post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
- ALWAYS wear sunscreen every day. Choose one that’s oil-free and doesn’t block pores.
- Sun exposure can make acne worse, and it will cause dark marks where you have inflamed acne.
- Don’t forget to make lifestyle and dietary tweaks to give your skin its best chance at recovery.
Treating acne scars
If your skin is already damaged and scarred by acne, it’s not too late to take action. However, the sooner you have the treatment (while the scar is still fresh), the better the results will be.
In-clinic treatments can reduce the appearance of the scar, as well as strengthening the skin and replumping targeted areas.
The doctor will determine which treatment will suit you according to your needs and budget:
- Chemical peels will exfoliate the skin, and can vary from superficial, medium to deep exfoliation.
- Skin needling can penetrate into the deeper layers of the dermis and stimulate collagen production and skin conditioning.
- Laser Genesis treats active acne, inflammation and oil overproduction. It also improves acne scarring by stimulating collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin. The good news is that people of all skin tones are able to have this treatment.
- Improve very deep scars with scar subcision. The doctor inserts a special needle into the scar tissue to break the bond that is pulling the scarred skin down. Then you can have the other recommended treatments to plump up and smooth the skin.
- Lasers such as Fraxel Dual can improve the appearance of dark pigmentation spots, as well as improving skin texture and tone.
- The all-rounder that improves results: Carboxytherapy treatments (where tiny amounts of CO2 are injected under the skin) can be added to all these treatments to enhance their effects.
Should you wish to find out more about treatments to manage acne in a holistic manner, visit Skin Renewal on www.skinrenewal.co.za or contact 0861 SKIN SA (754 672).
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