Most people will have experienced some form of acne at some point in their lives. Acne is so common that there is no need to be shy or embarrassed about it. Understanding it is the key to helping control it, so let's start with the basics.
Acne is a skin condition that causes spots and oily skin usually around the face, neck and chest. It tends to be mostly linked with hormone changes. Your hormones can cause your oil glands to start to overproduce and clog your pores. Your skin's reaction to that is usually spots and breakouts. This can happen anytime as our hormones are always changing but most commonly starts at puberty. From then many factors can cause breakouts such as the time of month for women, seasons changing, and genetics also can play a role.
There are 4 grades:
- Grade I Acne - Mostly open and closed comedones (blackheads & whiteheads) with an occasional pimple. This is typical of a teenager just beginning puberty.
- Grade II Acne - Very large number of closed comedones, with occasional pustules and papules. The closed comedones, or whiteheads, never fully mature into open comedones and the skin may appear to be studded with lots of little white bumps. This process, called maturation arrest, happens when whiteheads just continue to enlarge and the surface opening never dilates, trapping the material inside.
- Grade III Acne - Probably the most common type of acne -- consists of inflamed papules and pustules along with open and closed comedones. Most people think of this type of acne as "typical teen acne"
- Grade IV Acne - Commonly referred to as cystic acne -- consists of open and closed comedones, large papules and pustules, as well as nodules and/or cysts. This type of acne is characterized by severe inflammation which becomes very red or even purple in color and leads to scarring or hyperpigmentation. The good news is that this type of acne typically responds quickly to treatment.
What treatments should I have to get rid of acne?
As explained there are four grades of acne so until we can assess your skin treatment will depend on what we advise. All of our treatments are bespoke to your concerns.
In our consultation we will tailor a bespoke treatment plan just for you and your skin.
Is there a specific technology/treatment that is good for acne?
We recommend a combination of bespoke treatments and products based on the clients skin type and level of acne. We believe using a variety of different technologies can get the best results then just using one.
Our Aestheticians are extremely well trained and specialise in treatments that involve multiple technologies.
How many treatments will I need to get rid of my acne?
Again, this is all dependant on the severity of the acne and what grade this is. However, we usually recommend a course of 3-6 treatments to start off. Then we recommend monthly treatments to maintain these results as your skin changes all the time.
Will having acne treatments cost me a lot of money?
Acne treatment can be expensive but we offer payment plans to allow treatment to be accessible.
We also have MyTime, our fantastic monthly membership scheme that our clients love. MyTime is bespoke skincare plan that consists of 70 mins of treatment time once a month and varied technologies for a fixed monthly plan. Ask our Aestheticians for more details.
Do I need to be using home care products along side my treatments?
We recommend everyone to use the basic skincare (cleanser, SPF and toner).
This is really important along side your treatments to get the best results. We only sell and use cosmeceutical products, which are tried and tested products. These are prescribed to you based on your skin type and concern. To put it in simple terms, if you are trying to get in better shape going to the gym everyday is your treatments and the good diet you are eating are the homecare skincare products. You need both..
If you want to know more about cosmeceuticals product and the difference between high street products click here
Other key tips to help with your acne
- Changing your pillowcase regularly
- Sleeping with your hair in a band and washing it regularly
- Wearing natural mineral makeup that will not contribute to clogging your pores
- DO NOT PICK, but if you must always wrap your fingers in tissues so the oils from your fingers do not spread to your skin
- Always wash your face after a sweaty workout
- Do not over exfoliate, only 2-3x a week is necessary as any more could cause irritations