Acne is a chronic disease and it affects many of us – physically, psychologically and socially.
Fortunately, there are modern techniques and potent pharmaceutical solutions to treating acne. The success rate is high, provided we embark on treatment early and maintain good compliance and follow-up during the treatment program.
What is Acne?
Acne is caused by inflammation and secondary infection of an obstructed pilo-sebaceous unit. This is usually contributed by factors related to androgen mediated stimulation of sebaceous glands, abnormal keratinisation of hair follicle epithelium (cells lining the follicle), activity of the bacteria propionibacterium acnes, and inflammation secondary to sebum extrusion from the follicle
Naturally, treatment is aimed at each of the above factors. There are several grades of acne ranging from comedonal acne (no inflammation), to inflammatory acne (with papules and pustules), and to the severe nodular cystic acne.
What are the aims of treating acne?
Treat present active acne
Prevent new acne from occurring
Improve scarring
What treatments are available?
Acne treatment can be broadly divided into:
Topical medication
Oral medication
Light-based treatment IPL (VPL)
Silk Peel
Injections of steroids (for very severe and resistant cases only)
We usually like to combine several modalities for optimal results. If you have mainly comedonal acne, treatment
with a drug that contains a retinoid (like Retin A or Differin) is very useful.
However most patients will have a combination of comedones and inflammatory acne and using a retinoid by itself may not be good enough. In such circumstances, our experience is that a combination of a topical retinoid such as Tretinoin (trans-retinoic acid; Vitamin A acid) together with potent home care products containing a variety of actives such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and Azelaic acid can show dramatic results. A course of oral antibiotics may be added if there are many red papules and/or pustules seen.
However such a combination while being synergistic, has the potential for side effects such as peeling, flaking, irritation, itch and redness. The good news is that theses unpleasant effects are easily controlled by using these products tactically, specifically and purposefully. Another manner in which we find very useful to prevent such side effects is to use a really good moisturizer. And when we say good, we mean really good ones – not just any run of the mill "keep moist cream". We only use our Rose-2 range of moisturizers because they are manufactured to the strictest quality standards and are non-comedogenic, and have minimal fragrance, colouring and preservatives. This makes this range of products very suitable for acne treatment.
VPL Light based treatment and Silk Peel
This is an exciting treatment area that continues to give impressive results regardless of acne type. VPL (Variable Pulsed Light, similar to IPL) works by using heat and light of the correct wavelength to destroy the bacteria proprionibacterium acnes which is responsible for acne. Silk peel is an innovative and revolutionary concept of microdermabrasion (which we are all familiar with) combined with dermal-infusion.
Our experience has demonstrated that patients can get good improvement of acne just by using VPL and Silk Peel. When combined with the topical treatments highlighted above, results can be further enhanced.
Oral medication
Oral antibiotics and oral retinoids may sometimes be prescribed in conjunction with our treatment. This will vary from patient to patient.
In general, we do not like to use oral retinoids (such as Ro-accutane) unless absolutely necessary.
Acne
TREATMENT OPTIONS
