Although many people will experience acne reduction as they get older, some will experience acne as a lifelong issue. It commonly occurs during the teenage years due to hormonal surges, but adult acne is not uncommon – even in those who have never experienced it as teenagers. The main reason to treat acne is to avoid scarring, which is much more difficult to treat. In addition, acne scarring can be socially difficult for many people. Wellmedica offers a wide variety of acne treatments for all skin types. Although acne is most commonly treated with topicals and antibiotics, high-tech solutions offer more effective and long-term solutions, especially for acne scarring.

Acne is an inflammatory disorder of pilosebaceous units, which include the hair shafts, hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and arrector pili muscles. The most common characteristics of acne are closed or open lesions (whiteheads and blackheads), inflamed papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. These can lead to significant scarring and skin pigment changes. Although acne is typically a symptom of adolescence, it can also affect men and women in their forties and fifties.

Acne lesions primarily occur on the face, neck, upper back, and chest. A patient may be diagnosed with chronic acne by determining the spread, type, and number of the lesions and the presence of heavy scarring.

SYMPTOMS OF ACNE

The symptoms and severity of acne will vary from patient to patient. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Whiteheads
• Blackheads
• Papules
• Pustules – inflamed bumps filled with pus
• Nodules – painful, large, and hard bumps
• Cystic lesions – painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin

These symptoms are often painful and frustrating for many people. Often times, pustules and cysts will leave behind scarring even after the outbreak has cleared up.

Acne occurs as a result of excess oil (sebum) production and dead skin, which clogs pores and hair follicles and leaves behind painful bumps. Although the true cause behind acne is not fully understood, there are various factors that could potentially lead to an outbreak, even in your older years.

RISK FACTORS

Some of the more noticeable factors that may make your skin more acne prone include:

Age: Although it is possible to have acne midlife, it is more common during your teen years.

Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes, especially during puberty, will increase androgens that cause acne. Hormonal changes midlife, such as menopause, can also cause an acne outbreak.

Medications: Hormonal medications, or other drugs containing corticosteroids or lithium, may make your skin more prone to acne.

Diet: Some believe that diet may contribute to acne outbreaks. However, more studies are necessary to determine whether dietary restrictions help relieve acne symptoms.

Family history: Genetics can be a potential risk factor for developing acne in your teens or later on. If your parents had acne, it is likely you will too.

Stress: Although acne does not occur due to stress, it is possible that stressing about your acne may make the outbreak worse.

Squeezing or popping pimples: Scrubbing the skin too harshly or using harsh chemicals too often can worsen symptoms of acne.

Acne cannot be avoided, nor can it be prevented. However, there are ways to reduce potential scarring. Various treatments are available if you are seeking to reduce the presence of your acne. In many cases, your general practitioner or dermatologist will recommend topical ointments or antibiotics.

Many over-the-counter topical creams and lotions contain benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Although these are commonly recommended treatments, they may take weeks to show improvement and may cause increased skin irritation, dryness, or inflammation. Other antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications may also have serious side-effects. It is best to talk with your doctor before using any over-the-counter acne treatments.

Some of the more prominent treatments for acne scarring include chemical peels, skin ablation, and laser or light treatments.

You should see your doctor if your acne becomes severe or does not resolve with home remedies. A dermatologist will be your best bet for receiving lasting treatments.

How to Treat Acne

We understand that acne scarring can often leave patients feeling self-conscious and can lead to a continuous journey to find which treatment best relieves unwanted pigmentation. From over-the-counter topical retinoids and topical antibiotics to oral antibiotics or at-home natural remedies, the journey may seem endless. However, we at Wellmedica offer high-tech solutions that can offer a more lasting and effective way for treating acne scarring.

COSMETIC TREATMENTS FOR ACNE

There are many efficient and prolific cosmetic treatments that help with acne reduction. Cosmetic treatments for acne include but are not limited to:

Chemical Peels

Chemical peel treatment is a trend that’s continued to grow since its inception. Chemical peels are an in-office treatment involving the placement of a gentle chemical solution on the skin’s surface to treat acne, facial wrinkles, abnormal skin growths, or abnormal skin pigmentation. Peels are available to people of all ages whenever the first effects of photo aging (damaging effects of sunlight on skin) begin to be visible on facial skin. At WellMedica, we provide our customers with a chemical solution that is applied to the skin, which makes it “blister,” and eventually peel off. The new skin is usually smoother and more even than the old skin.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a minimally invasive procedure used to renew and refresh your skin tone and texture. Combined with a special applicator and an abrasive surface, microdermabrasion gently smooths away the top layer of skin to rejuvenate features. This process is often helpful for people who have fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, enlarged pores and blackheads, acne and acne scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone and texture, melasma, and/or sun damage.

Intralesional Corticosteroid Injection

Intralesional corticosteroid injections are typically used to treat painful cysts or deep nodules that are more prone to scar. The corticosteroid is directly injected into the cyst or nodule and will help reduce its size. The needle is much smaller than your typical vaccine needle and is designed to enter the skin with very little pain.

Blue Light Therapy

Blue light therapy is an effective way of treating acne scarring while also reducing sebum production and sebaceous gland size. Although blue light therapy may have difficulty preventing or reducing non-inflammatory acne, there have been countless studies proving that the application of light therapy twice a week for four weeks successfully reduces inflammatory lesions. Studies also prove these sessions lessen acne scarring and acne presence and rejuvenate the skin.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser therapy is an advanced non-invasive treatment for acne, acne scars, and fine lines. The laser uses a combination of skin heating and cooling to selectively heat the middle layer of the skin. By heating the middle layer (dermis) it is possible to gently treat a variety of skin problems.

The most common side effect is mild redness in spots lasting about a few hours. Rare side effects can include blistering or color changes. Scarring is extremely rare, but possible with any treatment of the skin. Even though the laser is cutting edge technology, there is a chance it may not sufficiently treat your skin problem.

Photodynamic Therapy

At WellMedica, we provide Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) laser treatment. Photodynamic Therapy Laser Treatment is also a solution to other skin conditions, some of these conditions are discussed below. Photodynamic Therapy also known as ALA (PDT), is a treatment performed with a typical photo-sensitizing agent called Levulan® (5-aminolevulinic acid or ALA) that is applied to your skin and then activated with the correct wavelength of light.

Injectable Fillers

At WellMedica we use Bellafill® for acne scars. This has given our patients fabulous results from some of the most difficult cases of acne scarring our practice has come across. Bellafill® is the first and only injectable filler that is FDA-approved to treat acne scars. This filler that fades acne scars by adding volume to them and bringing them to the level of surrounding skin. Bellafill® will keep this volume over the course of one year.

Bellafill® reduces the look of acne scars in two ways:

First, it’s remarkably small polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres are suspended in a smooth collagen gel. The diameter of each microsphere is less than that of a human hair. This makes them not visible to the naked eye. Once our doctor injects this using a fine needle below the depression, you will notice the filler providing an immediate improvement. Results usually become visible within minutes, or when leaving the office.

Secondly, the PMMA microspheres form a supportive scaffold allowing your own collagen to build upon. Therefore, as the gel breaks down over time, your collagen forms a foundation. This foundation adds volume to the acne scars, providing an improvement that can last for an entire year.