June is Acne Awareness month!

June is acne awareness month! It’s a condition that affects many people roughly 8 out of 10 at some stage in their life according to some stats from the US. And its typically identified by blackheads, pimples and cysts coming through on the skin in various degrees (from quite mild to severe and very painful).

So what causes it? Well there can be a few different factors such as; hormones, stress, some medications, genetics and environment. Everyone is different and it’s usually a combination of a few different things that will result in an acne skin.

Typically when you think of acne the first thing that comes to mind is a pimply teen (thaaaanks a lot raging hormones!) But, in reality it affects plenty of adults as well. Roughly 20% of adults will experience acne to some degree later in life. And it’s not uncommon for women during their menstrual cycle or during pregnancy to have a flare up (there’s those hormones again!). There is light at the end of the tunnel though. When it comes to acne, usually the symptoms do subside as we get older.

So what can you can do?  Well, that largely depends on the severity of your condition. But, it is possible to effectively treat without harsh medications such as roaccutane (more on that coming soon). Good quality skin care, specifically prescribed by a skin or dermal therapist is a great start, because you are consistently giving your skin the right kind of nourishment to heal and repair efficiently. This can be coupled with different treatments such as regular facials, LED light therapy (more on LED for acne here soon) and IPL (more on IPL for acne here soon) to reduce bacteria and inflammation and stimulate repair function on a deeper level than we are able to reach with skincare and manual treatments alone. For the really severe cases it can be effective to take a multifaceted approach with antibiotics from the GP.

What is really important for acne skins is to maintain the integrity of your skin function. You want it to be able to protect you (like it's supposed to) AND you want it to be able to heal effectively. This can’t be done when it’s been stripped of all its goodness from incorrect product useage or really harsh products and medications. It is absolutely a condition that you can get under control, it just takes a little persistence and dedication. But, know that you can improve your skin, you just need the right tools.

If you or someone you know is struggling with acne, click here to get in touch for a free skin consultation.