Dealing With Acne

When flipping through the pages of magazines you cannot help but sigh at the models. Their perfect skin just glows through their even more perfect smiles. In fact, their skin looks like bronzed porcelain – well most of them. Others have gorgeous “English-Rose” complexions emulating ‘Snow White’ with pale faces and pink tinted cheeks. But let’s get real. We are “normal” human beings. Our lives don’t revolve around working out every day and munching on “perfect food” that doesn’t cripple our skin. Their livelihoods depend on their looks. Ours, fortunately, don’t. Of course we still want to look amazing. We still all want skin that’s radiant, that looks at us in the mirror and gently says, “thank you for taking such good care of me.” So let’s take a look at one of the most of common skin conditions and how to treat it.

Acne

We all at some stage of our lives suffer from acne. It’s like one morning we woke up and someone just threw a pizza on our face and the toppings don’t look great! It usually hits us in our teenage years but some of us, unfortunately, deal with it, uncomfortably, as adults. Let’s break acne down. These little (or sometimes rather large) critters pop up as:

  • Whiteheads and Blackheads
  • Raised Bumps (which must never be squeezed!)
  • Red, soft bumps that showcase pus at their tips
  • Large, hard and painful bumps
  • Large, pus-filled bumps hiding beneath the surface that can do damage by leaving scars

What Is It Caused By?

Acne is created when there is an overproduction of oil, shedding of dead skin as well as a buildup of bacteria. Medications (especially the pill), hormones and heredity are also common contributors.

How To Treat It

Often, depending on the severity of your acne, a visit to the dermatologist will do your skin the world of good! That way your dermatologist can tell you exactly what to do to erase it.

Mild Acne

If you have mild acne (this includes whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples) you will need:

  1. Gentle cleansing accompanied by warm water and mild soap
  2. Application of a product with benzoyl peroxide
  3. Application of salicylic acid

Lotions that help unclog pores are also beneficial as is antibiotic lotion.

Moderate To Severe Acne

Sometimes acne can look bad – real bad. It’s like there’s a colony of intruders that just decided to take over your skin “the land” and just keep spreading and it ain’t a pretty picture! Because a lot of severe acne leaves scars, you really need to treat it properly. This is where you definitely need to see a dermatologist who may prescribe antibiotics for you. You may need:

  1. Benzoyl Peroxide
  2. Drainage of pimples and cysts by your dermatologist
  3. Application of prescription antibiotic lotions, gels and creams.
  4. Application of azelaic acid
  5. Oral antibiotics
  6. Oral retinoids (this particular drug has serious side effects and is usually used only as a last resort!)

If you have permanent scars, there are options such as laser resurfacing as well as dermabrasion. Definitely, go to your dermatologist and see what they have to say, you may even need the help of a plastic surgeon. The pill is also prescribed at times.

Look, acne is acne, it’s a part of life but the best way to tackle it is not to squeeze (as tempting as that may be) and rather opt to go to a professional dermatologist who will help you every step of the way. Also, remember that diet plays a big factor in acne and the less fried food you consume the healthier your skin will look. Vegetables, fruit, a diet low in dairy and lots of water are also great for keeping acne at bay.