Skin conditions affect people of all ages – both men and women – and extreme skin problems can have a profound affect on various aspects of everyday life.

There are two main skin conditions that commonly affect both men and women.  Although these conditions are treatable, they are not necessarily curable.  However, there are some fantastic expert treatments and homecare protocols that will help you to successfully keep them at bay.

I talked about Rosacea in the last blog.  Now it’s time to talk about Acne.

Acne

Acne is a very common skin condition that affects teenagers from 13 years right up to 20 years old.  For most people, acne will have disappeared by their mid-20s but for some people, it can continue to affect the skin until much later on in life.

Acne is caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands that can be found on the face, chest and sometimes the back.  During puberty, the production of androgens increases in both boys and girls and can stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum.  White heads and blackheads occur when the bacteria in the pores becomes inflamed.

Severe cases of acne can be treated medically with antibiotics or Roaccutane, a strong Vitamin A based treatment only prescribed by a dermatologist.  Mild cases can be treated at home with products containing Benzynoic Peroxide, or in a skin clinic where the skin expert will extract and clean out the pores ensuring no contamination occurs.

Too many harsh products will simply dry out the skin and make the condition worse.  A mild cleanser and oil-free moisturiser will soon help to improve the condition.

Acne scarring can be treated with medical microdermabrasion to reduce blackheads.  Severe scars, such as ‘ice pick’ scars, can be treated with Dermaroller – a skin needling treatment that stimulates collagen synthesis to plump up the scars permanently, making them harder to see.