What Is Acne

What Is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that most Americans are quite familiar with, since 90% of teens, 50% of adult women and 25% of all adults have acne!  It crosses gender lines, with males and females both equally affected with this embarrassing problem. At Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of NY & NJ, our dermatologists know more about treating acne than almost anyone.

 

What Causes Acne?

Let's first tell you what does not cause acne. Chocolate doesn't cause acne. In fact, many researchers say that food has nothing to do with the development of acne. It's a combination of factors that are far beneath the surface of your skin that contribute to the formation of acne.

A pimple actually starts about 2-3 weeks before you see it pop up to the surface of your skin. It starts in the sebaceous hair follicles, more commonly known as the pores.  Deep inside the pores the sebaceous glands create sebum. Sebum is a special skin oil that keeps the skin supple and moist. Without sebum, your skin would be terribly dry and flaky. As your skin cells are created, the new cells push the old ones away. The older skin cells mix with the sebum on the surface of the skin and are sloughed off by washing, touching the face, having your face in your pillow at night, etc. For people without acne, the sloughing off of these skin cells is a relatively smooth process. However, if the shedding skin cells don't slough off, they can become sticky from the sebum, bunch together and form a plug in the follicle, similar to a cork in a bottle. The cork (plug) traps the oil and bacteria inside the follicle, which then begins to swell as more oil is produced but trapped by the plug. Eventually the body attacks this bacteria-laden plug with white cells in an effort to eliminate it. This is what creates a pimple.

 

How Is Acne Treated?

The first line of defense against acne is prevention—stopping acne before it is visible. Once we have identified an acne treatment that accomplishes this, we need you to stick with it! Even after the acne disappears, you will need ongoing treatment to keep new blemishes away. It's crucial to begin treatment as soon as the first signs of acne appear, because the sooner you start treatment the less likely you will be to have permanent skin damage, such as acne scarring.

Our dermatologists are quite skilled in the treatment of acne here at Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of NY & NJ. They treat acne in both teens and adults. First, they will carefully evaluate your skin in order to make the best treatment recommendation based on the severity, extent and location of the condition. Topical medicines that contain vitamin A products (like Retin-A, Differin, and Tazorac) are agents that are particularly effective in treating whiteheads and blackheads. Other acne treatments that we use are topical antibiotics and other topical medications, oral antibiotics, and laser treatments

Isolaz™ Treatment

Isolaz™ therapy is a breakthrough treatment for deep cleansing and purifying the pores from the inside out. Isolaz™ improves acne and rejuvenates the skin. The result is clearer, more radiant looking skin that is free of many blemishes.

Isolaz™ uses a breakthrough technology known as photopneumatics™ which combines a gentle vacuum with broadband light. It is an easy, painless, quick treatment that can be performed during your lunch break without any downtime. There is no need for topical anesthetics and a full face treatment can be completed in as little as ten minutes. Isolaz™ can be used on all skin types and is often ideal for individuals with acne that has not responded to other treatments including antibiotics, topical treatments, lasers and accutane.

During treatment, the Isolaz™ handpiece is placed on the skin. For acne treatment, the gentle pressure of the vacuum loosens and extracts acne-causing impurities, dirt, blackheads, whiteheads and excess oil form the pores. Next, the painless laser is used to destroy the acne-causing bacteria and blemishes. This results in tighter, clearer, cleaner skin free of many impurities with a healthier, more radiant glow.

How Do I Get Started with Acne Treatment?

At Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of NY & NJ, our dermatologists have many successful treatments for acne. We will create an acne-clearing program that's just right for you, just as we have done for many others. Our singular goal is to make you feel great and look good with beautiful skin. Please feel free to call for a private consultation or schedule an appointment online at one of our offices.