Treating the factors and Influences of Acne

Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells collect in the skin’s pores, then rise to the surface of the openings and eventually fall away from the skin. The oil-producing gland which assists the skin in keeping its natural moisture levels gets congested, inflamed and infected by bacteria. The excess oil build-up in the skin causes the dead skin cells to stick together forming a mixture that becomes trapped in the pores.

Formation of Skin Pimples and Acnes

Acne is not limited to teenagers. Most people outgrow acne, but in women, it may last until menopause. A small percentage of women and an even lower percentage of men develop acne at the age of 40.

There is no cure for acne, but through skin resurfacing, effective treatment is available. Before we can understand how to treat acne, let’s gain a better understanding of what causes acne, the different types of acne, as well as influencers of acne.

Causes of Acne

Hormonal changes can cause the skin to overproduce oil in the skin, therefore, anything that raises hormone levels (for example pregnancy, stress, menstrual periods and certain medications, such as corticosteroids) aggravate acne. The male sex hormone testosterone, which is present in both men and women, is mainly responsible, but the female sex hormone progesterone also contributes to acne in women.

Interesting fact: there are babies that are born with acne because their mothers pass certain hormones on to them just before birth. This however, is very is rare.

In-grown hairs prevent the follicle to push through the skin causing the oil-producing glands to over-compensate.

Infection by a bacterium – If there are too many bacteria, they may secrete enzymes that break down the moisture levels in the skin, and in so doing, promote inflammation in the follicle. Some people may be more sensitive to this reaction than others, making their acne more severe.

Diet can be a contributor to acne as certain foods may cause allergic reactions.

Emotional stress is a contributor to acne.

Cosmetics – ingredients in cosmetic products can aggravate an active or dormant acne condition.

Types of Acne pimples

Acne can form various types of skin blemishes, each with distinct symptoms and appearance – inflammatory & non-inflammatory acne.

Inflammatory acne is a severe acne type that has two visible symptoms, one with visible signs of scarring and pitting – the skin appears red, swollen with solid and tender raised bumps on the surface of the skin, commonly known as papules; while pustules typically look larger with more inflamed whiteheads filled with a creamy substance with a bump that has pink/red base.

Non-inflammatory acne is less severe. Typically, the blemishes do not cause swelling and are not painful. Symptoms of non-inflammatory acne are whiteheads – small white/flesh colour spots or bumps that have a white circular centre surrounded by a red halo; while blackheads are dark coloured spots that may appear as slightly raised bumps. The skin around a blackhead appears normal, however, the centre of the blackhead is darker than the area that surrounds it.

Influencers of Acne

Build-up of dead skin cells are up to 7 times more evident in acne skin, than in normal skin and the sebum is thicker which makes it harder for the skin to rid itself of dead skin cells. This means that exfoliation is important to focus on a daily basis. Granules should, however, be avoided as these can irritate the skin and cause higher levels of keratinisation taking place.

Inflammation is the key factor involved in acne development and increased breakouts over time.

Don’t squeeze! When an inflamed acne skin is squeezed, the follicle “bursts” and inflammatory fluids leak into the dermis. This can lead to further acne development in surrounding tissue and hyperpigmentation.

Scarring forms when a breakout penetrates the skin deeply and damages the tissues beneath it. In order to treat a scar it’s imperative to know what type of scar you are treating as each type responds differently to treatments, and certain treatments yield better results with customised treatments.

Nutritional solutions

A healthy skin requires tender love and care inside and out. It is for this reason that one should always be cognisant of your nutritional intake.

There are foods that raise your blood sugar which causes the body to release insulin. An excess of insulin in the blood can cause your oil glands to produce more oil in the skin which increases the risk of inflammation in the skin.

Complex Carbohydrates and foods that contain zinc, antioxidants and vitamin A& E reduce the risk of developing acne and are beneficial for maintaining a healthy skin and reducing inflammation in the skin.

A healthy diet in combination with a pHormulated skin resurfacing solution for home and customised professional treatments will restore the skin as well all the confidence you could have ever wished for

The ultimate pHormulated solution

The overall skin resurfacing results depends on the correct application and use of home care products and professional treatments.

Homecare

At home, you can use your A.C. Homecare Kit – a skin resurfacing skincare kit carefully formulated to solve inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne concerns. In this kit you will find:

E.X.F.O. cleanse – creamy cleanser which contains exfoliating properties, removes make-up and impurities, leaving skin clean and hydrated. Gently removes make-up and impurities. Use twice daily. Can also be used as a face mask.

A.C. recovery – a unique combination of active ingredients working synergistically to assist in speeding-up skin recovery, assists to clear scarring, maintaining the overall health of the skin, and helping to prevent future skin damage. Use in the morning.

A.C.T.I.V.E. formula – a gentle exfoliator that regulates cellular differentiation, especially formulated to assist in normalizing all skin disorders and maintaining overall results. Use only in the evening.

SPOT ON blemish active – a fast-acting SPOT ON blemish active that helps rapidly clear and soothe the discomfort of acne breakouts. The anti-microbial formula which immediately eliminates acne-causing bacteria, while salicylic acid penetrates pores to clear acne blemishes.

ViTA A cream – contains pure retinol and should be used as an advanced treatment product for ageing skin. Retinol help stimulate cell regeneration to diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots from both photo- and intrinsic ageing. Retinol is also effective in correcting blemishes and blotchiness often associated with problematic skin. The 24-hour moisturizing complex in the formula comprised of a synergistic blend of natural moisturizing factors to assist in pro-longed hydration and protection of the skin. Using only in the evening as a support product to your night time skincare regime.

P.O.S.T. recovery cream – a rich emollient cream which contains a blend of humectants for maximum hydration. It helps to alleviate immediate skin dryness and provides excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Use twice daily.

C.C. CREAM SPF 30+ The multifunctional complexion correcting C.C. cream instantly minimizes the look of imperfections while the sun filters block ageing-accelerating UVA-UVB rays. Ideal for use after dermatological procedures including light to medium chemical peels, laser resurfacing, and IPL.

U.V. protect SPF 50+ An essential skin defence product with a unique combination of state-of-the-art ingredients. The U.V. protect SPF 50 + provides superior protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays whilst reducing inflammation produced by infrared radiation. Provides high sun protection, yet is comfortable and gentle on the skin. This unique formula, especially for the face, includes beneficial ingredients to help prevent skin dryness. Ideal to be applied during skin resurfacing procedures or outdoor activities and sports.

The key to maintaining a healthy skin and skincare regime is to visit a pHformula skin specialist for a skin resurfacing in-cabin treatment and to have your skin assessed at regular intervals – recommended to go every 10-21 days for an acne treatment

In-cabin

A.C. solution 1& 2

This active solution effectively penetrates the pores to assist in dissolving impurities and to help with the control of microbial proliferation in acne prone skin. The solution offers anti-inflammatory benefits along with a strong keratolytic action to help normalise problematic skin.

The unique combination of actives in the pHformula A.C. solutions was specifically formulated to correct the main a factors which trigger acne.

Determine your skin resurfacing programme

There are precautions for sensitive skin, sunburn, pregnancy and for women who are breast feeding. Your pHformula skin specialist will be able to recommend an equally effective treatment.

Consult your pHformula skin specialist to determine your skin resurfacing programme.