Acne is an extremely prevalent chronic skin condition; almost everyone has symptoms at some point in their lives. People who escaped their teen years almost acne free may develop persistent adult-onset acne as they get older. Women are more likely than men to have mild to moderate forms into their 30s and beyond. It is characterised by non-inflammatory (blackheads/whiteheads) and inflammatory (cysts/pustules) skin lesions. Acne can result in pitted scarring and depending on skin type, areas of pigmentation.

The 4 main contributing factors of acne include:

• Over production of sebum caused by hormones, stress etc
• Blockage of the hair follicle by excess sebum and general skin debris
• Trapped bacteria, mainly propionbacterium acne (P.acne), by this blockage causes inflammation
• Chemicals called poryphyrins are released by the inflammatory process and penetrate deeper into the skin

There are several ways to tackle acne including homecare products, antibiotics, chemical peels, medical microdermabrasion, Omnilux light therapy and lasers. We would always suggest that you consult your GP for treatment options in the first instance. Here at Skin Deep Rejuvenation Therapies we offer specialist homecare products to tackle excess sebum production, light to medium depth chemical peels to aid with deep pore cleansing, textural smoothing, lightening of pigmentation and minimisation of pore size.
Medical microdermabrasion can help with scarring and exfoliation whilst Omnilux light therapy Blue and Revive/Plus can aid in the destruction of P.acnes, calm inflammation and minimise pore size.

Our homecare products of choice are the Acne Reversion Control system from Theraderm with OPC gel and sunscreen. These products exfoliate skin surface cells and un-block clogged pores gently and effectively, without the redness and dryness associated with over-the-counter products. When you embark on a course of treatment with us, these 3 products are included in the treatment price (excludes course of 4 x medical microdermabrasion).

Unfortunately there is no magic cure or over-night solution to acne however modern medicine and non-surgical aesthetic treatments can help with it’s management.

To minimise any permanent scarring the key things to remember are ~

• As soon as a new lesion begins, start to control it’s progression by administering acne medication; never pick or squeeze acne lesions or blackheads
• Use the Reversion Acne Control System twice daily
• Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of clear fluids
• If a particularly inflamed lesion appears, apply a small drop of Reversion Antimicrobial Wash before going to bed and leave in place all night (for one night only)
• Apply an ace pack for 5 minutes to very inflamed lesion; this will reduce swelling.