Different Types of Acne & How to Treat Them💥

Acne comes in different types. But I think we can all agree it’s a bad experience in any form. ⁣ It’s not just a teenage problem -- millions of adults and even infants can suffer too. I have dealt with acne in my teenage years, but not as worse as I did in the past two years. In this post, I’d like to talk about the different types of acne and share tips on how to treat them. ⁣ ⁣ Basically, all acne falls under one of 𝐓𝗪𝐎 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne.⁣ ____________________________________________ ⁣ 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐧𝐞 includes blackheads and whiteheads. ⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬? ⁣ Also called open-comedones (clogged hair follicles), these are small bumps filled with dead skin cells and oil. When the melanin pigment of our skin makes contact with the air at the top of an open comedone, it oxidizes and turns black.⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬? ⁣ Also called close-comedones, these are basically pimples hidden by a clogged pore. They often look like tiny skin-toned bumps. ⁣ ⁣ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦? ⁣ The key to treat comedones is to get to the source - excessive oil production from the sebaceous glands. From my own experience, it’s really not easy to get rid of them. You have to treat comedones continuously or they would keep forming - you have to practice consistent care and good hygiene. ⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 that work for me:⁣ - Using salicylic toner like Paula’s Choice BHA lotion. Make sure to focus on your T-zone where it’s usually more oily. I would use BHA in the morning every other day. If you are very sensitive, use it only 2-3x a week. ⁣ - Use Niacinamide daily. Toner or serum form, niacinamide helps control sebum production and is anti-inflammatory. I like TO Niacinamide+Zinc and have previously reaped good results from Pond’s White Beauty Pore Conditioning Toner.⁣ - Blot excessive sebum. I recommend Gatsby Powdered blotting sheets -- keep it in your purse and use every time it’s needed. ⁣ - This is optional but consider getting an ultrasonic facial scrubber. This is a gentle way of exfoliation by using ultrasonic sound waves to deep clean your skin. It is safe for sensitive and rosacea skin and definitely so much better than using nose strips or manual extraction. This helps you avoid more irritation or inflammation. ⁣ ______________________________________⁣ ⁣ 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 acne includes involves papules, pustules, cysts, and nodules. ⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬? ⁣ They are small inflamed bumps. They form when a hair follicle becomes clogged with bacteria. Your immune system reacts to the bacteria by producing white blood cells, which fight the infections.⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬? ⁣ Pustules are similar to papules but are usually bigger in size. Pustules have pus (a thick yellowish whitish liquid produced in infected tissue) on the top and are red on the bottom of the lesion. ⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬? ⁣ These are large, hard, and painful pimples that arise deep in the skin. They occur when clogged and inflamed pores endure further irritation. ⁣ ⁣ What are 𝐂𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬? ⁣ Cysts are a severe form of acne. They are deep, pus-filled, and are often very painful to touch. They occur deeper in the skin than nodules and usually result from a severe infection. They’re most likely to leave a scar. ⁣ ⁣ 𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐧𝐞?⁣ ⁣ 1. Genetics - it may be prevalent in your family, it could be hereditary. ⁣ 2. Hormones- acne may develop in response to hormonal changes, especially a rise in androgens, such as testosterone. ⁣ 3. Cosmetics- your makeup products may have bad ingredients and/or clogging your pores⁣ 4. Lifestyle- your sleeping habits, stress levels, your food choices and more can contribute to getting acne⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦? ⁣ Some inflammatory acne can be controlled with over-the-counter treatments and self-care measures, while some patients may feel they require medical help. If you have severe acne, consider getting professional help. But if you opt for self-treatment, here’s my 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬: ⁣ ⁣ - Avoid fragrance and use only gentle products. Refrain from using products with bad alcohol like ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, etc. “Fragrance” comes in different names -- natural fragrance (i.e. essential oils like lavender oil, peppermint oil) orange peel oil, lemon peel oil, linalool, and limonene are just few of the many. ⁣ ⁣ - Stop using many products. You have to reset and give your skin barrier the time to repair. Try using only a cleanser, gentle active like niacinamide, moisturizer with ceramides, and sunscreen for a month. Our skin can heal itself -- we forget this fact often. Allowing our skin repair and supplementing it with repairing ingredients may actually get rid of your acne. ⁣ ⁣ - Wash your face twice a day and clean your makeup brushes and bed sheets regularly. ⁣ ⁣ - Drink a lot of water. Adequate hydration is essential to help our body function and heal properly. ⁣ ⁣ - Use anti-inflammatory or exfoliating ingredients like Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide. If you see only minimal results, consider using a retinol or retinoid. Adapalene is in a class of medications called retinoid-like compounds. It works by stopping pimples from forming under the surface of the skin. It is the first prescription-strength retinoid to be available over-the-counter. ⁣ Tretinoin - a dermatologists’ favorite ingredient. Effectively treats acne and has an excellent safety record over 50+ years of use. Available only by prescription in the US. ⁣ * Some of these products may not be safe to use during pregnancy. Check with your doctor before using. ⁣ ⁣ Patients with severe acne condition that doesn’t improve after three months of treatment with an over-the-counter medication may need to see a dermatologist for oral medication.