Acne Program

What is Acne?

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris, is a skin condition where hair follicles become blocked by oil and dead skin cells. The spaces in which your hair follicles come out are known as sebaceous glands or skin pores. These produce the oily substance that stops the hair and skin from drying out, keeping it healthy. Overproduction of this oil however can result in mixing with dead skin cells and or bacteria that blocks the pores. 

Acne is extremely common with up to 85% of Australians experiencing it in their life. Of these people, 5% will experience a more severe form. While the condition is more common during the teenage years, half of all men and women will continue to get acne into their thirties. It can be embarrassing and distressing, particularly in its severe form, and can affect self-confidence and mental wellbeing.

The symptoms you may experience from this condition are:

• Whiteheads - closed blocked pores
• Blackheads - open blocked pores
• Pustules - white and red bumps from bacterial infected blocked pores
• Nodules - hard closed pores

These usually appear on the face, chest, or upper back. They can vary in severity from mild to more severe cystic acne, which can result in long-lasting scarring acne marks on the skin.

What Causes Acne?

Fundamentally it’s the blocking of skin pores that causes acne, however, there are various types of acne triggers.

Hormonal Acne

Hormone levels can greatly affect acne as they can drastically change how much oil the skin produces. Hormonal breakouts are tightly linked to changes in androgen levels in puberty, with teenagers commonly experiencing acne in the T-zone of the forehead, face, and jaw at this time.
The menstrual cycle also plays a large role in acne in women as fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels around one week before menstruation, often results in hormonal breakouts.

Cystic Acne

This is the most serious form of acne. This occurs when the normal bacteria that live on the skin mixes in with the excess oil and dead skin cells and becomes trapped in a pore. This results in painful, red, and inflamed cysts on the skin which can result in scarring if severe enough.

Medication Induced Acne

Some medicines can cause acne as a side effect. Particularly those that modify hormone levels in the body. Examples of drugs that can cause acne are corticosteroids, testosterone, and lithium.

Cosmetics

Oil-based cosmetics can result in worsening acne, especially if not removed regularly. For this reason, most cosmetics are now oil-free and recommended to be removed before sleeping.

Acne Treatments

There are various acne products available both over-the-counter and via prescription. Acne treatment varies depending on individual severity, health and needs and should be determined by a doctor.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Mild acne may be able to be treated by small changes to basic skincare routines such as:

• Avoiding oil-based cosmetics and creams - the excess oil from these products can worsen the skin.
• Avoid bursting pimples - bursting pimples releases the oils, dead skin and bacteria within, further exposing them to other pores.
• Wash the affected areas - washing the affected areas with gentle cleansers can remove dead skin and excess oils, lowing the potential for more blocked pores.
• Avoid heavy cleansers - heavy cleansers or scrubs can have the opposite effect as they can irritate the skin further.
• Shower regularly - this is to remove any excess oil or dead skin, particularly after sweating.