What is acne?

Acne is a common skin complaint. In fact, approximately eight out of 10 people will have to deal with this issue at some point in their life. Acne can be hard to manage and can also impact sufferers from this condition not only visually but also mentally and emotionally. Improving this condition can be challenging. We offer safe treatment options to get your acne under control. Your progress will be supervised not only by your Dermal Therapist, but also by our Cosmetic Doctor.

Acne can also leave scars on the skin and the condition doesn’t always end when the teen years do; it can continue into adulthood.

Researchers cannot say with certainty how acne occurs precisely, but believe that it is caused by a combination of four events: excess secretion of sebum, overgrowth and plugging of follicles or pores, the presence of bacteria and inflammation. Read more about acne.

Acne facts & myths

By now, you probably know some of the myths. There is no clear evidence to suggest that acne is caused by eating greasy foods or by not washing your face or body enough.

Hormonal changes in the body may worsen acne. Studies have shown that people with acne can have increased levels of certain hormones. This can cause the glands containing hair follicles to grow larger and over-produce oil.

Good skin care is an excellent start to help get your acne under control. Using the right skin care products can play a vital part… We offer treatments ranging from facials to IPL treatments, lasers, peels and skin needling…

So what exactly causes acne? We all know not to touch our faces, leave our makeup on too long, workout and skip the face wash, etc, but what about when we do all these things and still experience those annoying blemishes?

Our skin is composed of three main layers. The epidermis is the topmost layer and contains our melanocytes (skin pigment producing cells). Next is the dermis containing hair follicles, and sebaceous (oil) and sweat glands. Finally, the hypodermis contains connective tissue and fat.

Acne occurs when hair follicles in the dermis get clogged. This can be caused by oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria (specifically, propionibacterium acnes). The areas where acne most commonly occurs, like the face, back, and chest contain the highest numbers of oil glands.

Sebum (oil) regulation is closely correlated to our hormones. Can you think of some crazy hormone times? Puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy commonly cause acne flare ups. Also, since birth control is used to regulate female hormones certain formulations can actually benefit acne.

Acne flare ups can range from mild comedones like whiteheads and blackheads to deeper, sometimes painful, cystic acne. The severity of acne is correlated to the underlying cause. Genetics, hormones, stress, environmental factors, and diet will all contribute to the formation of acne.

What are the main concerns related to acne issues?

To better understand how your acne lesions are classified let’s start breaking down the general categories of acne.

  1. Non-Inflammatory Acne: Refers to mild lesions like comedones (a.k.a. whiteheads and blackheads) that are relatively superficial and do not swell.
  2. Inflammatory Acne: These are the lesions that are red, swollen, and sometimes tender. Cystic acne and nodular acne fall into this category.

To continue our breakdown, let’s look at the subcategories within the inflammatory and non-inflammatory designations and types of Acne

  • Blackheads (a.k.a. open comedones): Non-inflammatory lesions that occur when the pore remains open despite being clogged with excess oil (sebum) and dead skin cells. This causes a dark-colored spot on the surface of the skin.
  • Whiteheads (a.k.a. closed comedones): Non-inflammatory lesions that form when the pore closes on top of a buildup of sebum and dead skin cells resulting in a small bump.
  • Papules: Small, tender inflammatory lesions resulting in pink or red bumps due to hair follicle wall break down.
  • Pustules (a.k.a. pimples): Inflammatory lesions that form like papules, but are infected, and, therefore, filled with pus. These appear with a red base and white or yellow tip.
  • Cysts: Pus-filled, inflammatory lesions growing up from deep into the skin layers causing red and white bumps to appear at the surface level.
  • Nodules: A more severe cyst. These large, firm inflammatory lesions occur when clogged pores are further irritated and deepen.
  • Comedones: Like whiteheads and blackheads, are relatively common and superficial. The more severe forms of acne, like papules, pustules, cysts, and nodules are correlated to increased irritation, inflammation, and possibly infection.

Here are some of our more advanced treatments:

Dermapen skin needling for Acne scarring.

Skin needling is a minimally invasive skin rejuvenations procedure that involve the use of a device that contains fine needles.  These needles are used to puncture skin at various depths to create a controlled skin injury. This stimulates collagen and has minimal side effects and downtime.  The scar collagen is broken down to induce new collagen and therefore reducing the appearance of scars. Multiple treatments may be required to achieve best results and results further improve over time.

Acne Treatment

The photo above is just after one treatment…

To find out how we can help you treat your acne and/or acne scarring, please get in touch with the team at Oo La La today and arrange an obligation free consultation with our Dermal Therapists. Our clinic is located at the Chevron Rennaisance in Surfers Paradise.