Stopping Acne Flares
Patient A: How can I stop these ongoing acne flares? Anything that I can do to avoid pimples from coming on?
Acne Vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the pilosebaceous unit that affects about 85% of adolescents. It is characterised by comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and cysts which give it a spectrum of severity.
Yet, only about 40% of people affected seek medical help. The cycle of increase in sebaceuous gland activity, coupled with abnormal follicular differentiation with an increase in keratinisation which in turn predisposes to microbial colonisation leading to increased inflammation propagates the spread of acne.
Other contributing factors include:
- Hormonal disturbances from medications
- Family history
- Comedogenic products
- Dietary intake of high glycemic or dairy food which elevates IGF-1 levels and in turn cause an increased sebum production and follicular keratinisation
How to Prevent Acne?
Acne is the most unwelcome guest. It arrives unannounced at the worst possible time, hangs around for too long, and then leaves behind chaos. Learn everything you need to know about stop acne and removing different types of skin imperfections.
Top Anti-Acne Tips for prevent acne
The following are the top 9 tips for preventing acne and reducing pimples.
1. Clean up your face
If you want spotless, glowing skin, you need to wash your face twice a day.
More than twice routine washing may be damaging. Warm water and a mild cleanser are great options. Deodorant body soap can irritate already itchy skin.
Washing your face with a wet cloth, or glove can be extremely irritating to the skin and is not ideal. Wash with hands and dry with a soft towel after washing. (Dirty towels spread bacteria; toss them in the hamper.) Use washcloth only one time.
2. Moisturize.
Moisturizers that reduce dryness and peeling along with any acne treatment is important because many of these products contain drying ingredients.
To ensure that the product you choose won’t aggravate your acne, look for the word “noncomedogenic” on the packaging. Dr Sin Yong recommends the use of the RAI Intensive Recovery Serum for best results. Oily, dry, and combination skin all have moisturizing options.
3. Use acne skin care product
You can get these acne treatments without a doctor’s prescription. Benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, and lactic acid are all examples of skin-drying and antibacterial ingredients. You should use a minimal amount at first in case they dry or peel your skin. The frequency and quantity of use can undergo fine tuning accordingly.
Different types of acne gel are another option. It prevents acne from forming and is effective. If you have highly sensitive skin, use these products with caution.
4. Ingest an anti- acne diet.
Consider that oily foods like French fries and burgers will cause you to break out? Perhaps there is a correlation, but not for the reasons you believe.
A low-glycemic diet, also known as an anti-acne diet, can help people with skin issues by preventing abnormal spikes in blood sugar. An increase in blood sugar causes systemic inflammation. These protrusions also promote your skin to produce sebum, an oily substance. Inflammation and oil buildup are two potential causes of acne.
5. Protect yourself from the sun by staying indoors.
Redness, swelling, and post-inflammatory dark spots are all made worse by the sun’s rays (dark discoloration). Some acne treatment can increase sensitivity.
Wear a versatile hat, full shirt if you go to somewhere between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Applying the sunblock 20 minutes before going out into the sunlight is ideal.
If you want to reduce acne and get better skin, look for the word “noncomedogenic” on the sunscreen label. Always check the label to see exactly what you’ll be putting on your skin.
6. Keep your hands off your face!
Keep your hands away from your face and don’t use them to support your cheeks or chin. Both the bacteria and the irritation to the already inflamed facial skin are risks. Skin redness and infection are two potential outcomes of picking or popping pimples with your fingers.
7. Avoid too much makeup.
You should not use any kind of makeup on your face if you are experiencing a breakout. Remove your makeup before bed if you wear any. Try to find oil-free makeup that doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals.
Use the makeup that is “noncomedogenic,” or will not damage the skin acne. Consider the ingredient on the product tag before buying.
8. Be careful about what you put in your hair.
No scented products, including oils, powders, or gels, for your hair. They can cause irritation and even block your pores if they get onto your face.
Use a gentle shampoo and conditioner when washing your hair. Because oily hair can aggravate acne, it’s critical to keep it clean. Don’t let your long hair hit you in the face.
9. The R2 Glow laser.
The R2 glow laser is an efficient acne treatment that combines skin care and therapy.
Although diet may play a role in triggering or exacerbating acne, it takes more than just dietary adjustments to keep skin clear. Acne skin care and acne medication are helpful in reducing the chances of future acne breakouts.
Arresting The Aggravating Factors
What can we do to stop Acne Vulgaris?
The answer lies in breaking the cycle of acne.
I would recommend the following steps to break the cycle effectively.
Other additional steps for specific skin types.
(1) Thorough Evaluation of Skin Care Regime
These are the products that we use on our face daily and forms the foundation in our battle against acne. Any comedogenic products should be removed and the texture and consistency of products should be evaluated.
(2) Adjuvant Laser Therapy
A combination of R2 Glow Laser and Pigmentation Removal Laser aims to achieve the following results.
(A) Decreased Inflammation (B) Decreased Bacteria Counts (C) Lightening of Pigmentation & Redness
(3) Chemical Peel / Hydrafacial Microdermabrasion
Chemical peels help to remove excessive dead skin cells which can predispose to clogging of sebaceous ducts which in turn results in comedone formation.
** You should always have your condition evaluated by a trained doctor to ascertain the diagnosis before commencing any form of treatment.
Acne Severity
How do I know how severe is my acne?
Grading To Acne
(1) Clear
No lesions to barely noticeable ones; very few scattered comedones and papules
(2) Almost clear
Hardly visible from 2.5 meters away; a few scattered comedones and a few small papules; and very few pustules, comedones, and papules
(3) Mild
Easily recognizable; less than half of the affected area is involved; many comedones, papules, and pustules
(4) Moderate
More than half of the affected area is involved; numerous comedones, papules, and pustules
(5) Severe
Entire area is involved; covered with comedones, numerous pustules and papules, a few nodules and cysts
(6) Very severe
Highly inflammatory acne covering the affected area, nodules and cysts present
Do I need to be treated?
Or should I let time pass by and hopefully it gets better?
Like any disease, it is always better to treat it early before it spreads.
Acne destroys our self confidence, takes away our self esteem and burdens our psychological health, creating a depressed self.
*Dr Sin Yong is a firm advocate against the acne and stands to utilise the best equipment at optimal treatment protocols to help you manage acne together. A common treatment regime will see good clearance of between 50-90% after 3 months.
