Acne & Acne Scars
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that that usually appears on the face, back, shoulders, neck, chest, and upper arms in all skin types, and all genders.
Acne most frequently occurs during puberty and adolescence, but it can manifest for the first time in adulthood. If acne presents in adulthood it is almost always high androgen activity, as seen in insulin-resistance and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).
Acne develops when the sebaceous glands produce excessive sebum (glands producing oil) and, combined with with dead skin cells, block neighbouring hair follicles, making an “ideal” environment for bacteria to develop and cause inflammation. The most common bacteria is Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).
Causes & Triggers of Acne
The cause and trigger of acne is complex and often due to multiple factors:
- Hereditary predisposition
- Hormonal imbalance (excessive androgens, androgen/estrogen altered balance)
- Stress with excessive cortisol production
- Insulin resistance syndrome
- Low immunity
- Minerals and vitamins depletion (Zinc, Vitamin D, etc.)
- Gut dysbiosis
- Ineffective detoxification
Pimples, cysts, blackheads and whiteheads and nodules are all different types of acne and can be present at varying degrees. Acne can leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentations and scars that can have a negative psychological impact.
Prevention / Early Diagnosis
Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is important if you want to avoid scarring and possible psychological effects. It's never a good idea to “wait” for acne to go away.
Plan of Action for Acne Removal:
- Increase cell turnover to keep pores from clogging (chemical peel).
- Introduce oxygen into the pores to stop bacterial growth (cryo-mesotherapy).
- Control and eradicate bacteria (LED therapy using blue light and antibiotics in severe cases).
- Control and eradicate inflammation (I-pixel laser and IPL).
- Slow down excess skin oil production (topical creams, topical preparations, suppressing DHT receptors – androgen receptors).
- Control and remove underlying causes and triggers (integrative medicine approach with tailored lifestyle changes).
- Control and remove acne scarring (I-pixel laser).
Our approach to Acne
Personalised Treatments
- We treat mild, moderate and severe acne in a personalised manner, identifying all possible causes and triggers, as finding the root cause is the only way to ensure complete removal (Integrative medicine).
- Naturally we combine this integrative medicine approach with aesthetic treatments.
- We do not advise using the contraceptive pill due to its detrimental side effects. This conventional approach does not address the root cause of a problem. (read about the Birth control pill)
- In addition, we treat adult onset acne, which is usually due to Insulin Resistance syndrome, PCOS or high DHT due to various reasons.
Acne Scarring
Acne scarring is a permanent tissue destruction resulting from skin damage during acne development and inadequate tissue repair. This usually happens with moderate to severe acne and can have a major impact on one’s self-esteem.
Acne Scarring Treatment
The most important approach to any acne problem is to stop further expansion and prevent scarring. This is much easier than to treat scars once developed. Isolated or combination treatments can improve scarring by 30% to 70% at most. This is why prevention is extremely important.
8th Sense offers combination treatments consisting of:
- Chemical peels
- Mirconeedling with Dermapen
- Collagen induction therapy with Dermaroller
- I-pixel laser and Clear Lift Laser
- Fillers
FAQ
Keeping your skin clean is important. However, overly vigorous washing will only cause more oil production and aggravate your condition.
Stress can trigger acne prone skin to “break out” easily. Altered cortisol affects the immune system, disturbs bacterial balance in the skin and often, if prolonged, contributes to gut dysbiosis that is associated with prolonged acne. Reducing stress, adding adrenal adaptogens and using specific probiotics can help with acne.
There have been studies concluding that removing dairy products and high GL food from your diet makes a difference in eradicating acne.
Anyone with acne knows this is not true. Acne scars are a result of skin damage and the emotional impact can be very serious and destressing.