Acne

What is acne?

Acne is a highly common inflammatory skin issue that you can get at any age. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to acne, and you probably had it at one time while you were going through puberty. Still, a breakout can happen at any time and become inflammatory if bacteria accumulates in your pores. 

Most cases of acne cause one or more of these lesion types to appear on the affected skin, primarily on the face, back, and chest:

• Open comedones (blackheads)
• Closed comedones (whiteheads)
• Papules (red bumps)
• Pustules or pimples
• Cysts
• Nodules

While many people assume that greasy or fatty foods, oily cosmetics, and sweating are the main underlying causes, hormone fluctuations are a much higher risk. The other factors can make your acne worse, along with stress and smoking, but acne mostly comes from excess oil production and dead skin cell accumulation in the pores. 

How is acne treated?

Foothill Dermatology Medical Center treats your acne after a careful evaluation of your medical history and a skin evaluation. You need to let your dermatologist know if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding before taking part in combination therapy, or acne treatment with more than one simultaneous approach. 

Your dermatologist might recommend:

Topical treatment

Topical treatment involves medications that you spread on your skin to control acne, and it’s usually best for mild to moderate cases. Topical medications help stop new pimples from forming. 

Systemic treatment

Systemic treatment involves medication that works throughout your body. Antibiotics, for example, can kill the bacteria that makes your acne inflammatory, while hormonal contraceptives can balance your hormones to reduce oil production in the skin. Isotretinoin is a systemic treatment that targets deep and severe acne, but you should avoid it while pregnant. 

Procedures

Office procedures are usually not used alone in acne treatment. Instead, procedures that use light, lasers, or physical extractions work well to supplement other therapies.

Routine skin care

If you’re prone to acne, your dermatologist can recommend new or alternative steps for your skin care routine like washing twice daily without hard scrubbing, using gentle, non-abrasive products, and using non-comedogenic sunscreen. 

What is acne scarring?

Acne scars are lingering textural issues that you can get after a serious acne breakout. They appear because your skin produces too much or too little collagen to repair the tissue damage from an acne lesion. You’re especially likely to see acne scars if you pick or pop your pimples and comedones. 

How can I get rid of acne scars?

Foothill Dermatology Medical Center treats acne scars using primarily cosmetic dermatological procedures. Chemical peels, lasers, microdermabrasion, and fillers can all help your skin correct these defects for a smoother surface. 

If you have acne or acne scars that just won’t disappear, don’t wait to book an appointment over the phone or online for acne treatment at Foothill Dermatology Medical Center today.