Acne
Acne is a widespread skin concern affecting people of all ages, from teens to adults, and finding a personalised solution often requires expert guidance. For individuals in Chelsea and Battersea, our specialised acne treatment services offer tailored acne solutions designed to target the root causes and bring lasting clarity and confidence to your skin. Below, we cover the causes of acne, available treatments, and why professional care in Chelsea and Battersea can be your path to healthier, clearer skin.
Understanding Acne: Causes and Types
Acne is caused by clogged pores, which result from excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Factors such as hormones, diet, stress, and genetics also contribute to acne severity. Understanding these influences is essential for choosing the most effective acne treatment since not all forms of acne respond to the same therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Medical Acne Treatments
The initial approach in treating many acne cases is to reduce inflammation until the acne clears. This may involve using lotions or tablets, such as topical retinoids, oral or topical antibiotics, or hormone suppression. Derm Design Clinic can prescribe an oral medication with a high likelihood of clearing up acne.
Laser Acne Treatments
Lasers are an effective treatment for the redness and thread veins often linked with acne and acne rosacea. The procedure uses a strong light to eliminate the bacteria responsible for acne and remove the blood vessels causing redness. Additionally, lasers stimulate collagen production, eradicate bacteria, and reduce sebum production from the skin’s sebaceous glands.
This treatment is safe and non-invasive, with a recommended course of sessions for optimal results. Lasers can rejuvenate the skin by creating tiny columns of treated tissue within healthy tissue, promoting a healthier and more youthful appearance.
Steroid Acne Treatments
Steroid acne treatments are designed to combat acne caused by the use of corticosteroids. These treatments help reduce inflammation, clear clogged pores, and prevent further breakouts. Our specialised approach includes topical and oral medications tailored to your skin type and severity of acne. By addressing the root cause and promoting skin healing, steroid acne treatments aim to restore your skin’s clarity and health.
Subcision for Acne Scars
Subcision is a minimally invasive procedure designed to treat deep acne scars by releasing the fibrous bands that tether the skin and create depressions.
This technique involves using a fine needle to break up these bands, allowing the skin to rise and smooth out naturally.
By promoting collagen production and improving skin texture, subcision effectively reduces the appearance of acne scars, resulting in a more even and rejuvenated complexion. Ideal for various scar types, subcision offers a targeted approach to restoring your skin’s natural beauty.
Skin Boosters
Skin boosters are injectable treatments designed to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin from within. They contain hyaluronic acid, which improves skin elasticity, firmness, and radiance by attracting moisture to the skin. Skin boosters are a non-surgical option that can enhance overall skin texture, reduce fine lines, and give the skin a fresh, youthful appearance.
neckThey are suitable for various skin types and can be used on the face, neck, hands, and neck area.
Acne Treatment Includes
- Chemical Peels
- Microneedling
- Phototherapy
- Vascular Laser Treatment
- Oral Medications
- Topical Creams & Lotions
- Fractional Laser Resurfacing
Ance Treatment Before And After
Acne typically improves within a year or two, so the initial treatment aims to reduce inflammation until the acne clears up on its own. This may involve using lotions or taking tablets such as antibiotics or hormone-suppressing contraceptive pills (for females only). However, severe acne that causes disfigurement, scarring, or persists for a long time requires stronger medication. We can prescribe a medication that offers a high chance of curing acne. See the before and after images below for reference.
We provide a variety of acne treatments for individuals dealing with acne. Because acne is a complex condition with different levels of severity, our dermatologists will therefore recommend the most suitable treatment plan during your consultation. Additionally, we often suggest a gradual approach over time, with each stage bringing some improvement and collectively resulting in significant and lasting progress. Furthermore, your consultant will discuss each treatment option’s advantages and potential side effects, thus allowing for a joint decision on the best way to care for your skin.
Here's What Our Patients Say
Frequently Asked Questions about Acne
What Are The Main Causes Of Acne?
The 4 main causes of acne are:
- Excess oil (sebum) production– your oil-producing glands produce excessive oil.
- Hair follicles cloggedwith oil and dead skin cells.
- Bacteria– Although acne isn’t a disease, The presence of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes, previously known as Propionibacterium acnes), other bacteria, and yeasts contribute to inflammatory acne lesions.
- Inflammation– inflammation plays a primary and secondary role in acne. It presents throughout the event of acne lesions, both during the primary stages of non-inflammatory acne and the inflammatory stages where papules, pustules, and nodules are present.
What Are The Different Types Of Acne?
There are various types of acne, and understanding your form is essential to find an efficient and lasting treatment. Broadly, there are two main types: non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.
Non-inflammatory acne
Non-inflammatory acne, a common condition, doesn’t cause swelling of your skin. There are two main kinds of non-inflammatory acne:
- Blackheads– also called open comedones, blackheads form when pores become clogged with sebum and other debris, like dead skin cells, but the pore’s surface remains open.
- Whiteheads– or closed comedone, also form because of clogged pores. This type of lesions, the outer layer of the pore closes the sebum and debris in.
Inflammatory acne
Unlike blackheads and whiteheads, which are caused by sebum and dead skin cells, inflammatory acne causes inflammation and swelling. Bacteria create the inflamed reaction resulting in:
- Papules – also called pimples, are inflamed red bumps on your skin, these unsightly blemishes form when bacteria and debris enter a follicle. Most lesions occur on the face and are considered a moderate form of acne.
- Pustules – another moderate type of acne, these are papules with a white-coloured tip that contain pus, which is formed as your body reacts to the bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil.
- Nodules – These are a more severe form of acne. They appear as larger, inflamed lesions that are painful and hard to the touch. Nodules develop deeper down when the sebum, debris, and bacteria enter the deeper layers of the skin because of a damaged follicle. They typically contain pus in addition to oil and debris. Nodules don’t always have a white tip since they form deeper down.
- Acne cysts– These are one of the most severe, painful kinds of acne which are also foremost challenging to treat. However, with the right approach, they can be managed. They are large, soft, fluid-filled bumps beneath the surface of your skin, painful to the touch and, often cause acne scars. This type of acne forms the same way nodules form, but acne cysts are more severe and contain blood in conjunction with pus and debris.
What Are the Treatments for Acne?
Depending on how severe acne is, acne treatments can take several months before seeing the improvement. You can start by trying over-the-counter (non-prescription) acne products for mild acne. You may need to try several treatments before discovering what works best for you. And be patient. It can take weeks to determine the results of any medication.
Acne treatments work by inhibiting sebum production, encouraging the shedding of skin cells to unclog pores, limiting bacterial growth, and reducing inflammation. They can be classified into two main categories:
Topical treatments
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Topical retinoids
- Topical antibiotics
- Salicylic acid
- Azelaic acid
Oral medications
- Antibiotics
- Hormonal therapy
- Isotretinoin
Most prescription acne drugs will show results for four to eight weeks. However, acne can take months or years to clear up completely.
In addition to topical and oral medications, several other treatments can be used to help manage acne. These include:
- Chemical peels: can help to unclog the pores and reduce the appearance of acne scars
- Light therapy: can help to reduce inflammation and kill acne-causing bacteria
- Comedone extraction: can help to unclog pores and reduce the risk of acne breakouts
- Corticosteroid injections: can help to reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process
- Complementary and alternative therapies: such as tea tree oil, green tea extract, or acupuncture
While treatments are important, it’s equally crucial to make lifestyle changes that can help prevent and reduce acne. By using non-comedogenic products, managing stress, eating a low-sugar healthy diet, washing the face with a gentle cleanser, avoiding touching the face with hands, avoiding wearing tight clothing that can trap sweat and oil against the skin, and avoiding using oily or greasy hair and cosmetic products, you can play an active role in managing your acne.