Our skin is our largest organ, and it is constantly on display to the world. Being the most common skin concern amongst humans, acne does not discriminate and affects people of all shapes, sizes and colours. Adult acne is also a big concern on top of the battle scars we’re left with from our adolescence. It can affect our confidence, our mood, and our self-esteem. Verve and the Global Beauty Group have teamed up to narrow down the top tips from Dermal Therapist and educator Elise Andrews – who sees and treats acne on a daily basis.
1. Skincare
We all know skincare is essential in our lives, combatting the harshness of our day-to-day routines. When shopping for your acne-targeting skincare, look for these ingredients:
- Niacinamide
This helps with inflammation. It can also regulate oil flow and may assist with lightning post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. - Salicylic acid (BHA)
This ingredient is great at unclogging congested pores and easing inflammation, dissolving the intracellular glue and at the same time, exfoliating the skin. - Zinc
This anti-inflammatory ingredient helps to heal wounds. - Vitamin A (Retinol)
This powerhouse active increases cellular turnover, improves post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and reduces oil production.
Elise also recommends purchasing cleansers with glycolic or salicylic acid as these are very effective when it comes to unclogging those pores. Always make sure to choose mild, non-comedogenic products or skincare made specifically for sensitive skin, this includes moisturisers, makeup and sunscreen.
Make sure to avoid cleansers with a gritty texture or that contain harsh granules as these can aggravate and irritate any active pimples. Unnecessarily scrubbing acne-prone or sensitive skin can do the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve – it can actually worsen breakouts and even create scarring.
On a final note, remember that skincare itself is also a process. Be patient and make sure to give your chosen products time to work their magic. When trying out new products, avoid overloading your skin, instead introduce just 1 new ingredient to your routine at a time, this will give you the ability to identify if your skin reacts favourably.
2. Hygiene, Hygiene, Hygiene!
Hygiene can be a big contributor to those dreaded breakouts. Gently Washing your face twice a day, and always after exercising (or any other forms of sweating) is essential to acne prevention. In the same vein, always make sure that you’re washing your hands before touching your face, as well as keeping your hair off your face and out of the way. Regularly washing pillowcases, masks, hats or anything else that comes into contact with your face regularly will also help prevent the spread of bacteria. Making sure you are constantly sanitising “high touch” items such your phone is essential also.
And yes, we have all heard it before but we are here to tell you again – PLEASE STOP touching, picking or popping those pimples and blackheads (no matter how tempted you may be!). You will only spread the infection and worse, possibly creating scars.
3. Treatments – to clear, decongest and exfoliate the skin
I believe I’m safe in assuming that we all love a pamper session, setting up camp with a glass of wine and a face mask on whilst binging your favourite Netflix show. Treatments are great for many reasons other than treating yourself, including re-texturising the skin, reducing and thoroughly cleansing those pores, cancelling that excess oil build-up, deeply exfoliating and assisting with acne scarring. Treatments have also come a long way since the humble face mask, so to make your choice that little bit easier we’ve listed below the best treatments on the market:
- The Carbon Facial
A carbon facial, otherwise known as the China Doll Facial or a Hollywood Peel, treats acne by deeply cleansing, exfoliating and purifying the skin whilst improving dull, uneven skin tone and revealing fresher, clearer, rejuvenated skin. Carbon facials utilize a Q-Switched laser mechanism as well as liquid or crème carbon that is applied to the face.
The laser emits a warm energy that the carbon crème absorbs, before shattering it into particles. As the carbon is blasted off, it takes away dead epidermal skin cells, contaminants and excess oil with it. This promotes cellular turnover and reveals fresher, clearer skin whilst reducing the severity of active acne. The heat of the laser also stimulates collagen in the skin for long-term skin rejuvenation and tightening benefits, and resulting in reduced pore size and cancellation of oil build-up. You are left with the porcelain smooth looking skin you were promised and first hand experience of why this treatment earned that name it did!
There is no downtime, treatments, are quick and painless and with results are visible after the first treatment. For best results, clinicians will usually recommend a series of sessions, spaced 1-2 weeks apart to achieve the best results.
- Microdermabrasion/ Hydrodermabrasion
Microdermabrasion consists of a deep cleanse, exfoliation with hydrodermabrasion also utilising intense hydration. An important thing to note is that this treatment is only used on congestion and acne scarring – not on inflammatory acne.
A gentle vacuum uses vortex suction to decongest, resurface and exfoliate your skin. The vacuum rids your skin of dirt, debris, excess sebaceous oil, grime, excess product residue/buildup, bacteria, superficial dead skin cells and anything else that has accumulated as a result of your day-to-day life. A microdermabrasion machine buffs away the top layer of the skin, removing any unwanted build-up of surface grime, whilst replenishing skin at the same time. It is great at thoroughly cleansing the skin and suits all skin types and conditions including acne, acne scars, congested skin, blackheads, whiteheads, inflammation, and discolouration.
In the end, you’re left with reduced pore size, reduction in oil buildup, improved skin tone and texture, improved cellular turnover, promotion in your collagen production and increased skin circulation. It is suitable for almost all skin types and there is no downtime, you can run your errands straight after your treatment with glowing, smooth skin.
4. Treatments – to treat active acne and prevent future breakouts
These treatments are a slight level up from the previous treatments, catered to those who need that little bit extra. In addition, these treatments can also target acne flare-ups in other areas such as neck, decollate, shoulders and back.
- IPL Acne Management Programmes
IPL is recommended for people who experience active acne. An IPL machine uses a series of different coloured lights over a range of wavelengths which are then pulsed onto the surface of the skin, producing a single white flash of light. It can specifically and rapidly dry up acne by targeting and killing the acne-causing bacteria deep in the skin. It also targets the sebaceous glands and stops them from producing too much sebum or oil, therefore aiding in reducing future breakouts.
Overall IPL treatments slow your oil production, dramatically reducing pimples, treating inflammation and minimising pore appearance.
- LED Blue Light Therapy
LED or light-emitting diode is a light-based treatment that uses specific wavelengths to target specific layers of the skin. LED light therapy machines are used to treat various ranges of skin conditions, including acne.
This treatment method is non-invasive and great for mild to moderate acne. LED uses blue light to target and kill acne-causing bacteria, and in the process normalising sebaceous (oil) activity. It is suitable to treat active acne, inflammatory acne, oil-prone skin, bacterial lesions, as well as to control sebum production which results in prevention and control for future breakouts. It can also be used to treat other acne-prone areas like your shoulders, back, neck and so on.
LED treatments are safe, gentle and painless with no recovery or downtime, and studies have shown it gives you a 65% improvement with a series of sessions. It can work alongside other acne remedies and only takes 15-30 minutes, so you’ll be back to running those errands in no time. Results are noticeable within 2-4 weeks, and therapists will most likely recommend a series of more like 6-10 sessions over a 4-6 week period, depending on your personal needs.
5. Diet, supplements & lifestyle
And finally, the one we’ve all been told before, and have told the people around us – diet and lifestyle is one of the biggest contributing factors to the quality of our skin. We have all indulged in that block of chocolate, only to the next morning wake up to a sudden skin breakout. Water and vegetables are your skin’s best friend. Avoiding stimulants such as sugar, dairy, processed foods etc. will help clear and prevent those breakouts immensely, and although easier said than done, avoiding stress is also key. Exercise is another great method for detoxifying the skin, so that game of tennis will pay off in more ways than one!
Another idea is to introduce supplements such as zinc (which helps with wound healing), and fish oil (omega fatty acids) which will help with your skin’s hydration and inflammation. Whilst it is not an overnight fix, studies have shown consistent, long-term use can prevent and help to heal acne over time.
So to conclude, we have, quite literally, all been there. We’re lucky enough in this day and age to have a plethora of choices when it comes to treating your skin, and as everybody’s skin is different, what works for one person may not work for you. Trying a multi-pronged approach gives you the ability to find the best method for your skin, and investing in some good skincare will help boost any professional treatments you may get. Likewise, a lot of these tips and tricks will work well together and alongside one another.
With this, I leave you with a quote from our Dermal Educator, Elise Andrews, at The Global Beauty Group. “Acne is a multi-factorial condition so addressing a number of factors is the best approach. Combining in clinic treatments with skincare, diet and lifestyle factors will enable you to reach your skin goals quickly. Working with a professional to guide you through the process is a great way to develop a tailored treatment plan and avoid getting overwhelmed with information.”
Words: Annabelle Taurua in association with The Global Beauty Group
