HOW TO CONTROL AND PREVENT ACNE

How to Control and Prevent Acne

Many are still misguided into believing that acne is caused by poor hygiene, eating chocolate, French fries, and greasy food. Sexual overdrive is also mentioned as a culprit. Acne is not caused by anything you do. Acne occurs during your episodes of hormonal imbalance. It is triggered by a rise in androgen hormone, resulting in enlarged oil glands that pump more oil into the skin. The mixture of oil and dead skin cells can block pores, forming blackheads and whiteheads, which can deteriorate into acne breakouts.

AcneX Exfoliant Soap has nanoencapsulated
salicylic acid to keep pores unclogged. 

Keeping pores unclogged is the key to prevention of acne. Topical acne medications work by preventing whiteheads and blackheads from forming, and by breaking down comedones that have developed. You will find commonly used active ingredients such as resorcinol, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur. They exfoliate and peel off the dead top skin layer that causes pores to become clogged. These are in the form of soaps, gels, pads, and creams.

If you have severe acne, you should see a dermatologist. You may be prescribed topical and oral antibiotics, like erythromycin, to combat the growth of P. acnes bacteria and reduce inflammation. Topical retinoids like tretinoin, tazarotene, and adapalene are prescription actives that prevent whiteheads and blackheads from developing. 

When all else fails, isotretinoin, a strong oral retinoid may be given by the doctor. There are many side effects associated with the use of isotretinoin, which is why it is considered the medicine of last resort.  

Acne injection is a popular procedure among those who want to get rid of pimples fast for some important event. The dermatologist will inject a diluted corticosteroid to lower the inflammation and speed up healing. The cyst will “melt” within a few days. Acne injection will also reduce the risk of scarring from inflamed cystic acne.

Acnelight therapy is a novel approach to the treatment of acne. A machine which emits blue light is used to sterilize the skin, eliminating P. acnes bacteria. It is recommended that it be used in conjunction with traditional topical acne medications.

For your acne problem, SkinStation offers free doctor’s consultation, Acnelight therapy, acne injection, Anti-acne facial, and AcneX transparent cleansing bar with double encapsulated salicylic acid.

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Skin Smart seeks to clarify facts and myths on skin care. This column was published in the Manila Bulletin Lifestyle Section on May 14, 2013.  The author  received the 2011 Outstanding Chemist Award from Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for his achievements in the field of cosmetic chemistry.  The author is the CEO of SkinStation and can be reached at fred.reyes@skinstation.ph.   

Can Light Therapy Clear Acne?

Can Light Therapy Clear Acne?

The sun has been a subject of worship and study for thousands of years.  Sunlight can lift your mood and make you feel happy. And light can have antibacterial effect.

It was discovered that some of the blue light present in sunlight (415–430 nm) can eliminate acne bacteria from the inside out. When blue light reaches the sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin, it activates porphyrins, which are compounds inside the acne bacteria. These excited porphyrins release singlet oxygen, resulting in self-destruction of the bacteria. Being anaerobic, acne bacteria cannot survive the presence of oxygen.

The USFDA approved for the first time in 2004 the use of blue light as a medical device for the treatment of mild to moderate acne. The first blue light system was based on metal halide lamps custom made to emit most of its energy at 405-420nm. Now, blue light systems use LEDs, with very minimal level of UV light.

The USFDA approval was based on a peer reviewed clinical study on effect of blue light on acne lesions done in Israel on 2003. Current literature points toward blue + red light therapy showing slightly better results than blue light alone. Red light (620-660nm) has been shown to effectively reduce inflammation. A combination of blue and red light provides both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action. This is the best light therapy option for inflammatory acne breakouts.

Overall improvements of an average 76% for 80% of patients occur over three months. Some studies show that it performs better than benzoyl peroxide and the treatment is far better tolerated. However, approximately 10% of users see no improvement.

At-home light therapy devices require much patience to use: 30 minutes to 1 hour twice daily. With medical grade equipment, 15-minute treatment done 2 - 3 times weekly is recommended. Eye goggles should be used to protect the eyes. No short-term significant adverse side effects have been reported except for redness and irritation for light sensitive individuals, especially those on Roaccutane.

One positive side effect is the significant decrease in melanin levels during the course of treatment, with brightened skin tone and improved skin texture reported by patients in one study.

Conclusion: Light therapy is a safe and effective option for acne clearance. It is most especially useful when patients want to avoid antibiotic medication or are pregnant or breastfeeding. For the first three months it is necessary to have the 15-minute treatment done 2 - 3 times a week.  After that, the frequency of treatment can be reduced.

____________________________________________________________________This column was published in the Manila Bulletin Lifestyle Section on April 24, 2012. The author is the CEO of SkinStation. He received the 2011 Outstanding Chemist Award from Professional Regulations Commission for his achievements in the field of cosmetic chemistry. He can be reached at fred.reyes@skinstation.ph.