Acne problem is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting around 80% of people at some point between the ages of 11 and 30. It occurs when hair follicles get clogged with oil and dead skin cells, leading to blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and deeper lumps. Acne problems are not dangerous but can cause emotional distress and in some cases lead to permanent scarring.
The good news is that various treatments are available, both over-the-counter and prescription, and by following proper skin care and diet advice, acne can be substantially reduced or cleared up entirely. This blog post is your complete guide to understanding and treating acne.
What Causes Acne
- Genetics
Family history plays a major role. Children of parents who have acne are more likely to develop it themselves.
- Hormonal Changes
Acne worsens during puberty and menstrual cycles because of androgen hormone production. It is also common during pregnancy.
- Oil Production
When excess sebum mixes with dead skin cells in clogged follicles, it creates an ideal environment for P. acne bacteria to multiply.
- Bacteria and Inflammation
The bacteria Propionibacterium acnes triggers inflammation when rapid growth occurs in clogged follicles. This leads to visible lesions.
- Diet
Some evidence suggests that Western high glycaemic load diets contribute to acne risk, while diets low on the glycaemic index may improve it.
- Stress
Stress causes increased cortisol and oil production, worsening acne, especially along the chin, jawline, and neck.
- Medications
Certain medications containing vitamins B12, lithium, anticonvulsants, and corticosteroids are linked with acne.
Types of Acne
- Non-Inflammatory Acne
- Blackheads (open comedones)
- Whiteheads (closed comedones)
- Inflammatory Acne
- Papules – Small red, tender bumps
- Pustules – Red bumps with white pus
- Nodules – Large, solid, painful lumps under the skin
- Cystic Lesions – Painful pus-filled lumps under skin
Other Types
- Acne Fulminans – Severe inflammatory acne covered with oozing, crusty sores
- Acne Mechanica – From friction and pressure, often along the jawline from cell phone use, tight collars, shoulder straps, etc.
- Acne Conglobata – Highly inflammatory cystic acne under the skin causing bruise-like marks on the face and body
Lifestyle Changes and Self-Care
Let’s start with some basic lifestyle changes and self-care you can implement right away to help reduce acne problem from the inside out. Remember to be patient – it can take 4-6 weeks to start seeing improvements.
- Wash face twice daily
Use lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser in the morning and evening to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells without over-drying.
- Avoid touching or popping pimples
Pressing on pimples pushes bacteria further down into pores, causing more redness and swelling.
- Shampoo hair frequently
Shampoo every other day or daily to keep excess oil and product residue from getting on your forehead and cheeks.
- Avoid friction from headgear
Baseball caps, headbands, football helmets, backpacks, and tight collars can all cause pimples along the hairline due to friction and sweat build-up.
- Reduce stress
Try relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation or just going for a short walk to manage emotional stress if possible. Stress hormones trigger inflammation.
- Exercise regularly
Working out helps reduce inflammation in the body. Just be sure to shower right after intense workouts to prevent breakouts.
- Ditch thick, comedogenic makeup
Avoid oil-based foundations, concealers, primers, and hair products which can clog pores. Look for non-comedogenic or light water-based formulas.
- Change pillowcases twice weekly
Dead skin and bacteria accumulate on pillowcases and can transfer back to your skin while sleeping. Fresh pillowcases prevent breakouts.
- Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated helps flush toxins and bacteria out of your system. Aim for the recommended daily intake of nine 8-ounce glasses of fluid.
Dietary Changes
What you eat impacts your skin health more than you may think. Making dietary adjustments could help reduce acne problem over time. Here are some key areas to focus on:
- Limit dairy
A high intake of milk, cheese, and other dairy products is linked with an increased risk of acne problem. Choose plant-based milk and limit yogurt and cheese instead.
- Cut back on white carbs and sugar
Foods like white bread, crackers, cookies, sodas, and candy cause blood sugar spikes. This triggers oil production and inflammation. Switch to whole grains, beans, lentils, veggies and fruit.
- Eat more antioxidant-rich produce
Load up your diet with bright fruits and veggies that fight acne-causing free radicals. Great choices are berries, leafy greens, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
- Increase Omega-3 fatty acids
Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Plant sources like walnuts, flax, and chia also help balance oil production.
- Take a daily probiotic
Supplementing with probiotics may improve acne by balancing out bad strains of acne bacteria in your gut microbiome. Look for broadly studied strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
- Drink spearmint tea
Spearmint tea is thought to reduce androgens, including dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates oil glands. 2 cups of spearmint tea per day may improve breakouts.
Finding the Right Treatment for Products Acne Problem
With so many acne products lining store shelves, it can be overwhelming trying to select the right solutions for your particular skin and concerns. Here’s how to choose effective over-the-counter treatments to include in your skincare regimen:
- Body wash with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid
Use an acne body wash with at least 2% benzoyl peroxide or 2% salicylic acid to kill bacteria on your back, neck, chest, and shoulders while cleansing skin to keep additional breakouts in check.
- Benzoyl peroxide face wash
Use a gentle face wash with 2.5-10% benzoyl peroxide to penetrate deep into pores once or twice daily to kill P. acnes bacteria. Choose wash over leave-on creams which can bleach fabrics and be overly drying. Start with the lowest concentration and increase strength slowly to allow the skin to adjust and prevent peeling.
- Salicylic acid leave-on gels or liquids
After cleansing apply a product containing 0.5-2% salicylic acid. It dissolves sticky pore-clogging sebum and allows dead skin cells to shed. Start applying every other day then increase to once daily depending on skin tolerance, being careful not to over-dry your skin.
- Sulfur spot treatment
Dab a hydrating sulfur cream or gel directly onto new or existing pimples. Sulfur dries up active breakouts by absorbing oil. Use continuously for 1-2 weeks until underlying congestion starts clearing.
- Cica gels or creams
Apply Centella Asiatica extract (also called Madecassoside or Cica) creams onto red or irritated breakouts to calm inflammation. The antibacterial botanicals speed up healing. Look for Cica in K-beauty acne patches too.
- Retinoid
Available both over the counter and via prescription, vitamin A derivatives promote faster cell turnover to keep pores unclogged while reducing acne-induced inflammation. They can initially cause some dryness, peeling, and redness as your skin adjusts. Introduce into your routine gradually, starting with using a pea-sized amount only 2-3 nights a week, then slowly increasing in frequency and amount used over 4-6 weeks as tolerated.
Professional Acne Treatments
In severe or difficult-to-treat cases of acne problem, the dermatologist has access to prescription anti-acne therapies and clinical procedures which can get even the most stubborn breakouts under control when OTC products alone aren’t cutting it.
- Powerful prescription topical
Creams or gels containing higher-strength benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, antibiotics, or antibacterial agents can help curb moderate to severe inflammatory acne. Must be prescribed by a doctor.
- Hormonal treatments
Oral contraceptive pills and spironolactone tablets alter hormone levels to reduce monthly breakouts in women. Also prescribed by physicians only.
- Isotretinoin pills
For extreme cystic acne unresponsive to other oral or topical treatments, isotretinoin (a vitamin A derivative) taken daily for 4-6 months offers long-term clearing, prevents scarring, and frequently cures acne for good.
Given the powerful nature of this drug, enrolment in the I Pledge program is mandatory for both males and females, overseen by the FDA, to ensure no chance of birth defects occurring as isotretinoin can be extremely dangerous for unborn babies. Monthly blood work is also required to monitor for potential side effects. Must strictly avoid pregnancy for one month before, during, and for one month after treatment.
- Photodynamic light therapy
A photosensitizing liquid called Levulan is applied to the skin and then activated by different wavelengths of light. Blue light kills p.acnes surface bacteria while red light penetrates deep into sebaceous glands helping destroy subsurface bacteria colonies. A series of treatments reduce acne lesions and post-inflammatory changes. Minimal downtime but can initially cause redness, dryness, stinging, and peeling before symptoms subside.
- Laser and radiofrequency devices
Used in offices in dermatology, plastic surgery, and media settings. Laser and radiofrequency treatments generate targeted heat to destroy oil glands and abnormal collagen formation implicated in acne while stimulating new collagen. Treatments have little to no downtime but you may briefly experience some redness, swelling, and sensitivity in the treated areas for a few hours to a few days afterward. Multiple sessions are generally required.
- Chemical peels and microneedling
Both medium-depth acid peels and micro-needling treatments with a derma roller or electronic pen device create controlled micro-injuries that trigger skin regeneration. New cells replace damaged ones while collagen production ramps up. Improves the appearance of acne scars too. You’ll need several peel or needling sessions spaced 2-4 weeks apart for optimal results. Recovery lasts about 5 days when the skin finishes flaking and redness fades.
- Intralesional corticosteroid injections
For severe cystic lesions not responsive to other therapies, a dermatologist injects a diluted corticosteroid solution directly into the lesion using a small needle. Reduces nodule size, swelling, and inflammation over several hours to days.
Triamcinolone and Kenalog are two commonly used steroid preparations given via intralesional injection.
Covering & Concealing Acne Problem
Dealing with pimples can take an emotional toll, especially during breakouts.
When you feel the urge to cancel plans or avoid people because you feel unattractive or ashamed of red, swollen bumps on your face, remember that makeup offers a confidence-boosting solution to mask blemishes so you can carry on with life! Here are pro tips for solving acne problem:
- Choose oil-free, non-comedogenic formulas labeled “won’t clog pores”
Use liquid foundation, cream concealer, pressed powder, and a setting spray designed specifically for acne-prone skin types since the products won’t worsen breakouts. Many brands now offer mattifying, long-wearing formulas ideal for oily and acne-prone complexions.
- Use a color corrector to neutralize redness
Before applying skin-toned concealer, first tap on a complementary color corrector like green or lavender with your fingers or a damp sponge on any angry red pimples, scars, or hyperpigmentation to visually cancel out discoloration. Then apply concealer on top in thin layers using gentle pressing and stippling motions rather than swiping or rubbing.
- Set with a lightweight powder
Use a large powder brush to lightly dust your whole face with a sheer, loose finishing powder or pressed powder compact. Avoid heavier mineral foundations which can look cakey. Setting mattifying powder keeps the concealer locked into place all day without creasing up.
- Use blemish patches for a quick fix
Innovative hydrocolloid dots and patches with acne-fighting ingredients provide effective spot treatment under makeup. The thin, transparent round stickers cling tightly over zits to conceal while also drawing out impurities to accelerate shrinking them overnight or under makeup during the day. Results can be dramatic on big under-the-skin cysts!
- Take makeup off thoroughly each night
Never sleep with a full face of makeup on! You must remove every trace of products with cleansing oil or balm followed by face wash nightly before bed so pores don’t get jammed up with pigments, waxes, and oils which greatly worsen breakouts.
Acne Scar Treatment Options
If previous inflammatory acne has left its mark in the form of textural changes like indented scars, raised scars, or dark spots, several professional procedures can drastically improve their appearance by producing new collagen and skin cells, resurfacing the top layers of skin, or filling in depressions via injection. Treatments include:
- Fractional laser skin resurfacing
Laser energy creates thousands of tiny treated columns surrounded by healthy untreated tissue, which aids rapid healing. Promotes collagen remodeling while smoothing and evening tone/texture.
- Radiofrequency micro needling
Alternating RF energy and tiny needling stimulates collagen growth to soften the edges of scars. A combination of RF and microneedling treats scars better than either treatment alone. You’ll need 3-6 sessions spaced 4 weeks apart.
- subcision
A needle or specialized tool frees up tethered scar tissue bands physically pulling indented scars down against underlying structures. The new collagen fills in depressions and raises scars to match the surrounding skin. Low downtime procedure but often requires multiple treatments.
- Fillers like Bellafill or Radiesse
Injectable dermal fillers directly fill sunken acne scar depressions for immediate visible correction. Effects can last 6 months up to 5 years depending on the material injected. No recovery period is necessary.
- Punch excision surgery
The scar is surgically removed the edges are stitched closed resulting in tighter, smoother skin. Deeper ice-pick scars respond best to this treatment.
Conclusion
I hope you found this detailed guide to understanding and overcoming acne problem genuinely useful! Remember that consistency is key, so stick with your new skin care regimen, avoid triggers, nourish your skin internally through healthy lifestyle choices, and be patient. With the comprehensive tips outlined here, you should start seeing real improvements within 6 to 8 weeks. Just by implementing some of the basic advice covered, you can get breakouts under control, prevent new ones from forming, improve post-acne marks, safeguard your self-confidence, and take back your life from acne!
