Acne Treatments

Although, it can begin as early as age six, most commonly people do not develop acne until their body goes through the hormonal changes of early teenage years. Acne can last through the teen years into the 20’s with this happening in up to 40% of males and 50% females. Unfortunately for some people, acne can continue on or redevelop past the 20’s and all the way into the 40’s.

It is a common misconception that only those who had acne early in life will develop it later in life. Even if you did not have acne as a teenager, you could very well develop it at some other point in life. This reemergence of acne has a higher probability for females than for males.

There are several factors that work together to cause the common skin condition known as acne. The main contributing factor is an over production by the sebaceous gland, commonly referred to as the oil gland. This overproduction of oil combines with the presence of bacteria, especially Propionibacterium acnes, and clogs the pores, creating an infection. This is is worsened by the inflammation resulting in agitated pus cells.

There are several things that can lead to having or being more prone to acne. Those who have acne breakouts may have one or a combination of these traits.

Genetics can play a role, but factors such as stress, certain medications, various contacts with the skin, and a diet that is high in glycemics can also contribute to acne. Exercise or other activities that cause the skin to secrete sweat or to be more productive in creating oils are yet other factors that cause acne. There are other reasons you may correlate to your development of acne, and if you have recently had any changes in your habits or lifestyle or started using different products, you should make our staff aware of this at your appointment.

Today, there is a wide variety of treatment options available for acne sufferers. Our highly-experienced physicians and mid-level practitioners will decide which option may work best for you. Many patients may have to try different approaches or a combination of treatments to help reduce or alleviate their outbreaks. Some common treatments include:

Acne peels Topical solutions Oral medications Microdermabrasion Laser treatments Photo-dynamic Therapy Acne does generally become less noticeable or go away with time, but this time can take years. Leaving acne untreated may result in other problems that impact a person’s self-confidence such as visible scarring that can last a lifetime. To help prevent this from happening, seek professional treatment from one of our award winning dermatologists today.