Acne is a frustrating skin issue that can
negatively affect a person’s self-esteem and social life.
What exactly is acne?/
For those who suffer from severe acne on the face or body, the search for an effective acne treatment seems to be a never-ending one.
The condition is caused by an overproduction of sebum, an oil designed to moisturize the skin and a bacteria. Acne is a very common skin disease and it affects roughly 80% of young people aged 11-30. When dirt and dead skin cells combine with excess sebum, blocked pores become infected and swollen, leading to red pimples commonly known as zits. Teenagers are known to suffer from this problem the most during puberty when hormone levels fluctuate and trigger excessive sebum production, however adults can be burdened with facial or body acne well into middle age. And without a proper acne treatment or acne medication, everyone from teens to adults seem to lose their self confidence.
Besides hormonal, other causes for acne can include medications, genetics, menopause and topical irritants. Often, people try numerous harsh, topical products to clear up their acne before they come to see us. Unfortunately, many strong cleansers can make sensitive, acne-prone skin breakout even more with the wrong self acne medication
What treatment options are available for my acne? /
Chemical Peels are a safe, natural treatment for mild to moderate acne breakouts.
They not only help in acne treatment by effectively cleansing and clearing the skin, reducing blackheads, whiteheads, sticky sebum and debris, but chemical peels also help to restore the ph. balance in skin and can boost healthy cell turnover and natural exfoliation. Salicylic Acid is a preferred acne treatment chemical peel from the beta hydroxyl acid family. This common, medical ingredient is known for its anti-acne effectiveness and is often found in topical acne medications. Though effective, it is gentle enough to use on sensitive, inflamed skin and helps to soothe and restore chemical and oil balance. Minor redness or irritation may last 2-3 days after treatment.
Another gentle but effective acne treatment in Toronto we offer at our clinic is red light/blue light therapy. Light therapy is also commonly known as photo therapy or photo-bio stimulation.
Research demonstrates that light energy at various frequencies stimulates specific health and aesthetic benefits for our skin. Low-energy light technology delivers energy to skin in such a way that it stimulates the skin’s cells to produce a healing response. The various colors on the spectrum- white, red, blue, green, etc. generate specific responses relating to issues like wrinkle reduction, pigmentation reduction, and acne reduction.
Blue light is typically the colour utilized for acne treatment. FDA approved for acne treatment, the blue LED light at 460nm targets bacteria. Acne will develop when a high number of bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes (P. acne), collect in a blocked pore and create pressure and inflammation. Narrow-band, high-intensity blue light targets Porphyrin which helps to kill the bacteria responsible for acne as it reacts to the therapy. Blue light is safe for all skin tones and can even be effective where other acne treatment options or acne medications have failed. Each session is quick and painless with no associated downtime.
More options /
Other choices available at our medical facility for acne treatment in Toronto include PRP. PRP is a cosmetic, medical therapy that has many diverse applications and new ones are discovered almost daily. Within our own bodies is one of the most potent sources for healing and rejuvenation. The platelets in our blood are packed with growth and healing factors that are designed to initiate repair where they are sent to. They attract assistance from stem cells for powerful healing and cell restoration.Our blood is composed of plasma and formed elements, serum and cells. Plasma is the pale fluid portion of blood containing protein, metabolites, enzymes, ions, antibodies, clotting factors, and other elements. Platelet-rich plasma therapy, or, PRP, harnesses our blood’s natural healing abilities to initiate healing in our tissues. A very small amount of your own blood is drawn, separated and then reintroduced with a very fine needle into the affected areas. When new collagen and elastin begin to develop in the treatment area, inflamed, infected skin begins to calm and heal. You may see minor redness or slight bruising after treatment but this will typically resolve within a couple of days and no time off work is required.
Our blood is composed of plasma and formed elements, serum and cells. Plasma is the pale fluid portion of blood containing protein, metabolites, enzymes, ions, antibodies, clotting factors, and other elements. Platelet-rich plasma therapy, or, PRP, harnesses our blood’s natural healing abilities to initiate healing in our tissues. A very small amount of your own blood is drawn, separated and then reintroduced with a very fine needle into the affected areas. When new collagen and elastin begin to develop in the treatment area, inflamed, infected skin begins to calm and heal. You may see minor redness or slight bruising after acne treatment with PRP but this will typically resolve within a couple of days and no time off work is required.
RF Therapy can be effective for the acne treatment of mild to moderate textural changes to the skin. Radio frequency treatment helps improve the smoothness of the skin by stimulating remodelling of the deep dermal layers. The radio frequency produces extremely small, micro-wounds in the skin which stimulate the healing and collagen production process. This works to thicken and smooth facial skin, shrink pores and minimize scarring. Minor discomfort can occur at the time of treatment but resolves quickly.
Topical products used to treat acne-prone skin usually contain Benzoyl peroxide, Retinoids, Salicylic acid or an antibiotic.
What about acne medications? /
We will sometimes prescribe antibiotics such as clindamycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, and tetracycline for the treatment of severe acne.
We recommend high quality medical grade skin care products which treat the causes of acne but also care deeply for your skin’s health. Many over the counter products in the form of acne medications designed to clear up skin at home, irritate and dry out the skin greatly which triggers a cycle of sebum overproduction.
Skin care products and acne medications containing retin can be very effective for reducing acne breakouts. Retinoids, such as retinol and retinoic acid, are naturally found in food sources such as liver, kidney, eggs, and dairy. Retinoids can be derived from vitamin A and their effects on skin health have been catching the cosmetic industry’s attention for years.
The basic mechanism of vitamin A is stimulate the turnover of skin cells. . Retinol fights acne powerfully as well as the scars it creates. Regular retinol use helps clear up pores which makes them appear smaller. It is also an anti-inflammatory and reduces redness and calms irritation.
To decide between the best suited option for your acne treatment in Toronto, get yourself booked a consultation with us NOW! Give us a call and we shall be happy to help you and make your life better by getting you rid of all that confidence shattering acne.