Sometimes, moles are more than just moles

Acne is a common dermatological concern that most people will face at some point in their lives. When a good skin care regimen and retail acne products are not enough, there are other strategies you can use to gain control over acne.

Facials

You may think of facials as a relaxing, special skin treatment, but there are many benefits to using facials as part of your acne treatment regimen. Routine facials can help soften the skin, making it easier for you and your dermatologist to manage your acne. Typically, facials consist of steaming methods to help open your pores. When your pores are open, it is much easier to remove any dirt or oil that is clogging them and any subsequent treatments used during your facial will be able to enter into your pores.

Steam treatments are especially important for any products used during your facial that are designed to help exfoliate your skin. Blackheads are a common type of acne, and one way to keep them under control is by using products to help exfoliate your pores from the inside out. Some other products that may be used during a facial are fruit enzyme masks, which gently exfoliate your skin and help smoother, softer skin emerge.

Chemical Peels

Although there are many methods of obtaining a chemical peel, it is always safest to have them performed by an aesthetician or dermatologist, especially when you have acne problems. Doing at-home peels by purchasing acids online can cause irreversible, severe burns. The chemicals using in chemical peels can include trichloroacetic (TCA), lactic, or glycolic acids in varying concentrations. Chemical peels can improve the texture and appearance of old acne scars while reducing acne.

If you have severe acne, peels may not be the right option and could make the problem worse. These treatments are geared more toward mild to moderate acne that would be reduced or eliminated by thoroughly clearing out your pores. During a peel, the uppermost layer of skin is destroyed. As the skin cells die, your skin may become darker and eventually peel away. The fresh skin that appears is typically red and may be swollen. Depending on the specific peel used and the concentration, it may take a couple of weeks for your skin to return to normal.

Extractions

Routine, professional extractions should be part of any acne management strategy. Investing in professional extractions is especially important for persistent acne and certain types of acne that are under the skin, such as cystic acne. Some cases of persistent, severe acne can be related to bacterial infections. Without using proper techniques and sterile instruments, the likelihood of spreading the bacteria and making your acne worse is high.

Additionally, when severe acne breakouts are caused by an abundance of bacteria, extractions should be used in combination with other methods, such as antibiotic use, to help kill bacteria and prevent it from spreading to other parts of your face. Some forms of acne exist under the skin without reaching the uppermost layer of skin. Unlike typical whiteheads and blackheads, these types cannot be extracted without making a small incision in the skin.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

If you have cystic acne, which is often red and painful, integrating an anti-inflammatory medication into your acne treatment may be important for reducing existing breakouts and minimizing scarring. Your dermatologist may prescribe topical steroids, which will usually shrink cystic acne and make it easier to extract or help until other medications begin to work.

Topical steroids should be used as spot treatment and for the least amount of time necessary to gain control over cystic acne. Unfortunately, although the topical application of steroids helps minimize systemic side effects associated with steroid use, there continues to be the risk of undesirable changes in the skin. The most common dermatological problem associated with topical steroids is thinning of the skin, which can make your skin tear easily.

When you have persistent acne problems, only using one approach to gain control over the problem is rarely effective. By using multiple treatments, you are more likely to have long-term success with minimizing or eliminating acne problems.

For more information about what treatments would work best for you, contact a local skin clinic like Northwest Dermatology.