Moderate To Severe Acne: What Works And What Not?

Dr Rohit Batra offers advice on treating monsoon acne effectively.

Written By: Tavishi Dogra | Updated : September 3, 2022 5:51 PM IST

In India, acne is a significant skin issue. Pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads appear to be widespread due to the rise in humidity and the impending warm days. It not only makes your skin seem bad, but it also makes it look lifeless, dry, and dull. Since acne is caused by sebum overproduction from your skin, the monsoon season is the worst for the problem. The cause of acne is greasy skin. This is because more oil production during the monsoon blocks the skin's pores.

Additionally, there are times when your face has too many dead skin cells. This often leads to clogged skin pores. The Propionibacterium acnes bacteria is what causes acne to develop. They appear in the pores and cause acne to erupt. The monsoon season is the worst for acne because of heat from the powerful sun's rays, which can lead to skin inflammation and intense redness. In addition to being inevitable, monsoon acne is a challenging skin condition to treat. There are, however, practical approaches to handling the situation.

Dr Rohit Batra, Dermatologist, DermaWorld Skin & Hair Clinic, New Delhi, offers advice on treating monsoon acne effectively.

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Maintain a Cleansing Routine: Maintaining clean skin is critical to prevent debris and dust buildup, which typically causes acne breakouts. Therefore, keep up a suitable cleaning schedule. Ideally, use a mild face wash with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to cleanse your face three to four times daily. After cleaning, you should gently scrub your skin to get rid of the dead skin. People with oily, acne-prone skin should be careful while selecting skin care products. For example, face masks with salicylic acid and tea tree oil are excellent for acne-prone skin.
Apply sunscreen lotion: Applying sunscreen lotion before going outside is advised during this season. One should remember that sunburn frequently leads to increased oil production, which frequently leads to skin acne. Therefore, it's crucial to protect your skin by applying sunscreen lotion at least 30 minutes beforehand. Those with dry skin should choose a lotion-based sunscreen, and gel-based sunscreen is advised for people with oily or acne-prone skin.
Don't pop or prick: Acne shouldn't be popped or pricked. Your risk of scarring and inflammation may increase due to this habit. Therefore, rather than attempting to treat one's acne and pimples at home, one should seek the advice of a certified dermatologist. Also, if visiting Salon, don't let an untrained person pop or squeeze your acne. It will only increase the chances of infection and scarring.

Moisturize Regularly: There is a widespread belief that moisturizers are inappropriate for those with oily skin. This is untrue, though. Instead, use a water- or gel-based moisturizer to keep your skin soft and supple and prevent breakouts. Oil-based products should not be used on the face or scalp since they can clog pores and cause acne.
Say "No" to Acnegenic Foods: Diet is a critical factor in preventing acne. To maintain healthy and happy skin, avoid Acne-causing foods such as refined flours, fried food, aerated beverages, chocolates, ice creams, and others.

Acne Treatments

In a few, Acne breakouts can be temporary, but the rest can face severe, chronic acne that can be difficult to treat. Acne will cause less long-term harm to your skin the sooner you start taking prescription medication from a skin specialist. Many treatments and therapies are efficient for acne as they concentrate on the underlying causes of acne. Depending on your problem's seriousness, your skin specialist will suggest medicine to treat your acne breakouts & acne scars.

Medical Treatment Involves:

1. Oral and Topical antibiotics

2. Topical agents like Benzoyl peroxide

3. Oral and Topical retinoids.

4. Salicylic acid/ AzealicAcid peels

5. Cleansing Medi facials which open the closed comedones and infuse Topical medicines for a quick healing

6. LASERs and LED Light-based Procedures

Once the active acne is controlled, marks and scars can be reduced substantially.

Spots Require Treatment Modalities Like:

1. Micro Needling Radiofrequency

2. Fractional Resurfacing

3. Platelet-rich plasma

4. Nano Fractional Lasers

5. Subscission

6. TCA Cross

Takeaway Message

Moderate acne will become serious if not treated on time. Severe acne & acne scars can be challenging to treat, can be physically bothering, and contribute to anxiety, despair, and low self-esteem. Therefore, it's better to seek medical care if you see no improvement in the condition within a few weeks after following a basic skincare routine. Depending on the kind, intensity, age, and shape of your acne, your dermatologist may recommend oral or topical medications or a combination of therapies.

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