What is Acne?

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition caused when hair follicles become clogged or blocked with sebum/oil and dead skin cells, this can lead to spots, blackheads, pustules and cysts. The condition is most commonly associated with puberty but can occur at any stage post puberty.

Causes or Triggers of Acne

Genetics, Studies have shown that Acne can be hereditary.

Hormones,  Our hormones are prone to fluctuations, especially during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, changes in contraception, breastfeeding, or during periods of high or prolonged stress. Hormone imbalance can trigger the skin to produce more sebum which in turn can cause the breakouts to occur.

Product Irritation, Our skin can be irritated by harsh products, not just skincare products but also laundry detergents, makeup or hair care products.

Stress,  Prolonged or extreme stress can overstimulate our adrenal glands which can in turn trigger a hormonal imbalance. Stress is often the most common cause of adult acne.

Medication,  A small number of medications can trigger the onset of acne.

Food, This may not be the main cause of your acne, however, a diet high in processed sugars or diary is thought to aggravate any pre-existing conditions

Product misuse,   At times the misuse of products especially ones not suited to your skin can cause irritation which can lead to breakouts and acne, a classic example is over-exfoliating your skin and stripping it of all its natural oils. your skin will respond by producing more oil.

Types of Acne

Mild or cosmetic acne is most common and will rarely need any medication and can be cleared with the correct use of skincare products. I’d recommend a consultation with a professional skin therapist who can advise on products and lifestyle adjustments.

Moderate acne might need a combination of an effective home care routine and professional salon treatments. Again I’d encourage you to talk to a professional skin therapist and they will put together a plan of action for you.

Severe It’s time to seek your GP’S help if after 4-6 months of persistent homecare and salon treatments are not showing any results. Depending on various factors they may recommend either topical or oral treatment or a combination of both.

Adult Acne V’s Teenage Acne

There are a few differences between the two types and treatment can also vary.

Unfortunately, Acne tends to be more persistent and harder to treat, it is most common in adult women and generally only affects the lower part of the face, especially the chin and jawline.  Adult acne can be sensitive and inflamed with pustules and slow healing breakouts.

Teenage Acne is more common in males and can affect the full face,  chest and back ( but not always all three areas at once) Blackheads are more common along with bumpy uneven skin texture.

Treating Adult Acne

There is unfortunately no miracle cure for acne, generally, a combination of steps will help clear the problem. First of all, look at your diet, is there room for improvement? maybe cutting out dairy, reducing sugar, increasing water and fresh fruit and vegetable intake. How are your stress levels, can they be managed any better? Are you getting sufficient sleep? Secondly, let’s look at habits, are you constantly touching your skin or picking at it? How often do you change pillow covers or wash makeup brushes? Finally your home care routine, are you cleansing daily and keeping your skin well-hydrated? Booking a consultation with a professional skin therapist is highly recommended because no two skins are the same and you will benefit from a personalised product recommendation. I’ll list below some product recommendations but please chat with me or another therapist before trying anything new.

Cleansers; Pre Cleanse, Clearing Skin Wash, Active Clay Cleanser or Ultra Calming Cleanser

Moisturise;  Active Moist,  Calm Water Gel, Hydrating Lotion.

Treat;  Retinol Clearing oil, Age Bright Clearing Serum, Sebum Clearing Masque,  Deep Breakout Liquid Patch.

Professional Skin Treatments

To start with I would probably recommend either the  Pro Clear or the Pro Calm treatments progressing when the skin is ready to a course of Pro Power Peels.  I’d also highly recommend adding on a 14-minute LED session to all facials.

As always thanks for reading and if you have any questions please get in touch.

Margaret