SKIN CARE        ACNE

Acne, pimples, zits, honkers, pizza face- no matter what you call it, acne is a physically, psychologically and emotionally distressing skin problem.

Acne not only affects how you look but also how you feel about yourself.

The good news is that acne can be treated successfully.

Let The Esthetic Clinic take you through this brief leaflet and clear up your complexion as well as any myths and confusions about acne.

Let your real self shine through.

You are not alone:

Acne is a skin problem faced by each one of us one time or the other, so you are not alone. While 85% of adolescents have acne, 50% of adult women, and 25% of adult women have acne too.

The Esthetic Clinic gives you an insight into all you ever wanted to know about acne:

What is acne?
Acne is a variety of skin eruptions ranging from whiteheads to blackheads, to solid red bumps, pus pimples and even large cysts. All acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit, which is made up of a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, and a hair.

Which are the commonly affected areas in acne?
Commonly the face, though the back, chest, shoulders and buttocks may also be affected.

What are the main causes of acne?

High hormone levels:
An increase in androgens (the male sex hormone that both males and females have) leads to an increase in the size of oil producing glands. This builds up and clogs the skin pores which in turn leads to whiteheads and blackheads. If the skin pores are clogged with oil as well as bacteria, they form inflamed red pimples which may also carry pus many a times.
Androgens also fluctuate during a women’s menstrual cycle, which can lead to breakouts.

Heredity:
There is evidence to suggest that acne can be inherited from one’s parents.

Stress:
Stress can cause production of hormones like cortisol which can aggravate acne.

What are the myths and facts about acne?
Myth    Using strong drying soaps help in clearing acne.
Fact      False, always use a mild face wash.

Myth    Only teenagers get acne.
Fact      Acne can be experienced during childhood as well as later in adult years.

Myth    Squeezing an acne blemish just once won’t cause scarring.
Fact     Anytime you pick at your acne, you risk scarring. This depends too on the severity              of your acne. Avoid touching you face and early treatment will definitely reduce the              risk.

Myth    Wearing lots of makeup won’t hurt.
Fact     Makeup can worsen an acne outbreak or irritate acne that is already there. This is              true if you happen to get acne very often.

Myth    All you need to treat acne is available at the chemist always.
Fact    Not always! Since there are lots of creams and lotions available that can help mild             cases of acne. Following proper cleansing routine can help too. Your doctor can help             much more!

Myth    Chocolate and fatty foods are bad for acne.
Fact     Not necessarily. These once forbidden foods seem to have little effect on acne in         most individuals. However, if certain foods such as chocolate, fries, samosas, lassi             etc. seem to aggravate your acne, it is best to avoid them. In general, the best diet             for those with acne is a well balanced diet.

Myth    Stress has nothing to do with acne.
Fact    False. Emotional stress does cause acne and can make it worse, especially during             exams and not getting enough sleep

Myth    Acne is contagious.
Fact      False. Acne is not contagious.

Myth    Do clothes cause acne?
Fact     Clothes that are restricting, or stay sweaty for a period of time can result in acne.             Headbands, tight jeans etc. are examples.

Myth    You have to grow out of acne.
Fact     This is not true a lot of the time. There are many products and methods for treating             acne. If nothing is working for you, always see a dermatologist.

Myth    Acne is just a cosmetic disease.
Fact     It is obvious that acne can worsen your looks and can result in permanent  physical             scars, however, it is usually never life-threatening.

Myth    Some people believe that the sun’s ultraviolet rays improve acne blemishes.      
Fact      There is no scientific evidence that the sun’s rays have any effect on acne.

Facts about acne:

Things that often make acne worse

Oil-based makeup, suntan oil, hair gels and sprays

Stress

In girls: menstruation

Squeezing or picking at blemishes

Hard scrubbing of the skin

Too much exposure to the sun

Things that don't cause acne

Dirt

Foods such as chocolate or french fries

Sexual activity

Masturbation

What are some of the tips which you can follow at home to prevent acne?

Wash your skin daily twice with a foaming face wash.

Change your pillow case every 3-4 days.

Wash you makeup brushes and sponges every week. These tools spread acne bacteria like    wild fire.

Have a reasonably well balanced diet.

Exercise regularly. Exercise is the most effective and natural way of rectifying a hormonal    imbalance to some extent.

Do not squeeze or touch acne. Touching or squeezing them not only leaves ugly    blemishes but also pushes the infection deeper inside leaving deeper scars.

Never go to bed with your make up on.

Do not use powder puff on acne skin and put it back in the compact, always wash the    puffs in hot soapy water and let dry. Have several spare puffs.

Avoid using skin clogging creams in cosmetics.

Get regular clean ups done for removing blackheads and whiteheads and use of anti acne    packs.

If all these do not help you in a couple of months do consult your expert dermatologist.

Treatment of acne is a continuing process.

While acne may not be completely curable, it is usually controllable.

Since acne has many forms, your dermatologist designs an individual approach to care for    successful control.

Thus, the course of therapy will vary according to such factors as type of acne, it's    severity and extent, and the patient's day-to-day activities.  Resolution takes time.

On average, 6 to 8 weeks are needed to see initial results. Once acne significantly     improves or clears, continued treatment is needed to keep acne from re-appearing.

What works for one person may not work for another. What is an appropriate treatment   for one person may not clear another’s acne because many factors affect resolution,   including the cause(s) of the acne, a person’s skin type and the kind of acne lesions     present.

Your doctor may recommend oral medications, creams, lotions suitable for your skin condition. Also, there are a range of effective treatments to target active acne, comedones, scars, post acne marks, acne scars,etc.

What are the treatments available at The Esthetic Clinic?

Expert medical advice and individualized medication and therapy.

Microdermabrasion -

   Commonly known as skin polishing. This is a technique to clear the upper dull, pigmented     skin, reduce blackheads, and replace the dull skin by underlying fresh, radiant skin.

Peels with boosters -

   A wide range of peels including glycolic, TCA, Jessner’s, kojic, salicylic, combination peels,    dermopeels, and many more. These help to reduce acne, post acne pigmentation and     scarring, and help to achieve a clearer, glowing skin.

Cryotherapy –

    Uses cold liquid nitrogen to reduce scars and blemishes.

Acne laser advanced fluorescent technology –

  Latest advanced technology using lights of different wavelengths to destroy acne     producing bacteria.

Subscision –

   To even out scars and smoothen the scarred skin.

Dermaroller –  For treatment of post acne scars.

Latest and most advanced fractional laser technology (Co2 Laser and Erbium Laser) and     pigment laser -

The current standard of care for reducing and treating acne scars and post acne pigmentation with spectacular results.

Acne scar revision surgery –

   General trend nowadays is shifting towards laser based therapies rather than surgical              modes of treatment.

	Pretreatment		Post treatment