Acne: Overview, symptoms and treatment
What Is Acne?
Acne is a skin disorder that mostly affects younger people between the ages of 11-18 years old, but can continue into adulthood. About 20% of acne cases occur in adults.
Depending on the severity of the inflammation, acne can cause discomfort and itchiness, and have a negative impact on a person’s self-esteem and confidence. Unfortunately, acne can also leave permanent scarring.
Seeking ways to prevent or reduce the inflammation will help to minimise the long term effects of acne and at Skintech Medical, we offer a range of skin treatments. Our skin specialists offer gentle and helpful guidance and will recommend a treatment or range of treatments to treat your skin type for the best long term results.
But first, here’s some background about acne.
What Causes Acne?
Acne occurs when the skin produces an excess of sebum. Sebum is a complex oil produced by the sebaceous glands which sit in the hair follicles. The role of sebum is to lubricate your skin and protect it from friction and also to provide a barrier to moisture.
Sometimes changes in hormonal levels cause the overstimulation of sebaceous glands causing the excess production of sebum. Normally sebum travels up the hair follicle and onto the surface of the skin, but with too much sebum, it becomes trapped in the hair follicle and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria is called Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes) that grows deep within the pores and feeds on the sebum. If there is an overgrowth of P. Acnes bacteria, it triggers an immune response causing red swollen bumps on the surface of the skin – acne.
Types Of Acne
Depending on the severity, acne can be classified into the following different forms. Acne can develop on the face, neck, back, chest and shoulders.
The common types of acne include:
Mild Acne
Whiteheads: Appear as a small white lump under the surface of the skin.
Blackheads: Black in colour and form on the surface of the skin.
Moderate Acne
Papules: Small pink lumps that can be painful when you touch them.
Pustules: Appear red at the base and are filled with pus.
Severe Acne
Nodules: large, painful, solid pimples.
Cysts: Deep, painful, pus filled pimples that may cause scarring.
How Do We Help People Experiencing Acne?
Whether you currently have an active acne condition, or scarring from previous acne, we offer a range of treatments that will help manage acne and improve the condition, depending upon the severity and complexity.
At Skintech Medical, we use technologies such as Microdermabrasion, Micro-needling, Clinical Peels, LED Low Level Light Therapy (Blue) and ALA Photodynamic therapy. These technologies will treat current acne to reduce bacterial growth and inflammation, or old acne scars to reduce their appearance.
Our trained Skin Specialists and Nurses will recommend one or a combination of therapies for the best outcome. Our dedicated nurses will assess your skin every visit to monitor and guide you as your skin repairs and rebuilds
We also recommend that you are consistent at home with a good skincare routine to achieve the best possible results.
Call Skintech Medical And Book A Consultation Today
We know that acne or old acne scars can affect your self-esteem and confidence and can be a very frustrating problem to resolve. Our gentle and friendly specialist team of skin doctors and nurses will recommend the best treatment for your type of skin, assessing your skin and communicating with you at every step of the way toward the result you seek.
We’ve had excellent results treating active acne and old scarring from acne with our patients.