Acne, without a doubt, may add to emotional disturbance. Acne and acne scars on your face and other visible body parts can impact your self-esteem and confidence and can even lead to feelings of anxiety or despair. That is why it is essential to seek treatment.

In this article, Dr. Anju Methil from Skin And Shape skin clinic in Andheri discusses acne problems and treatments.

What is Acne?

 Acne is a skin condition where your pores get clogged by bacteria, sebum, and dead skin cells. It causes blackheads, whiteheads, or pimples. Acne is most prominent In your teenage years, although it affects all age groups. Acne is widespread.

You may have acne if you develop pimples frequently, especially numerous at once. Acne, in other terms, is a skin ailment that creates pimples.

Acne does not affect your overall health, but some types of acne could be painful. After a while, it can lead to scarring.

Dr. Anju Methil is a renowned dermatologist. She specializes in general and cosmetic dermatology and has a lot of experience treating patients with acne. She has her skin clinic in Andheri, Skin And Shape Clinic.

Types of Acne

Acne commonly occurs on your face, shoulders, upper back, and chest. According to Dr. Methil, acne has the following types:

• Whiteheads: Bumps that are clogged by oil and dead skin.
• Blackheads: Open skin bumps filled with excess oil and dead skin.
• Papules: Red or little pink bumps that are inflamed.
• Pustules: These are pimples containing pus. They could cause scarring if scratched or picked.

• Cysts: Pimples that are filled with pus. These may cause scars. 
• Nodules: Pimples that are solid and deep in your skin. These are large and painful.
• Fungal acne: Fungal acne occurs if an excess of yeast develops in the hair follicles. These can be itchy and inflamed.

Dr. Methil treats all these acne conditions at her skin clinic in Andheri.

Causes

Every pore of your skin leads to a follicle. The follicle is composed of hair and an oil gland. Acne develops when your skin’s pores become clogged with oil, dead skin, or germs.

The oil gland secretes sebum (oil), which travels up the hair shaft, out the pore, and onto the skin. Sebum keeps your skin smooth and moisturized.

Some things that can worsen or trigger your acne are:

• Hormonal changes: The hormone developed in boys and girls throughout puberty is Androgen. It prompts the sebaceous glands to enlarge and generate more sebum. Midlife hormonal changes, particularly in women, can also trigger breakouts.
• Some medications: Medications that include lithium, testosterone, or corticosteroids.
• Stress does not cause acne, but it might aggravate it if you already have it.
• Diet: Certain meals, especially foods like chips, bagels, and bread, that are rich in carbohydrates can aggravate acne.

Some other reasons include:

Hormone levels fluctuate around the time of a woman’s cycle.

• Acne that is picked at.
• Specific meteorological conditions, exceptionally high humidity, and air pollution
• Using thick or oily personal care products
• Genetics

Grades of Acne

Dermatologists classify acne based on its severity, says Dr. Methil.

• Grade 1:  These are mild acne. Whiteheads and blackheads predominate, with a few papules and pustules.
• Grade 2: These are moderate or pustular acne—multiple papules and pustules, particularly on your face.

• Grade 3: This includes moderately severe acne—many papules and pustules, possibly with inflammatory nodules. Acne might impact your back and chest as well.
• Grade 4: These are severe acne, numerous big, painful, inflammatory pustules, and nodules.

Acne Scars

Scarring can occur as a result of acne. It occurs when acne enters the skin and harms the deeper layers. Acne pores expand due to inflammation, and the pore wall breaks down. Scarring may, of course, cause worry, which is natural. However, before your dermatologist can treat it, they will need to know what acne created the scars.

Treatments

It would help if you visited a dermatologist to get treatment for your acne. Your dermatologist treats your acne concerning your age, the severity of the acne, and its type.

Some of the acne treatments are as follows:

Over-the-counter medications like creams, gels, lotions, etc., can treat mild acne.

Your dermatologist may recommend the following treatments:

• Resorcinol: It helps in breaking down whiteheads and blackheads.
• Salicylic acid: Helps break down blackheads and whiteheads and reduces swelling and inflammation.
• Benzoyl peroxide: Kills acne-causing bacteria, encourages skin replacement and slows down sebum production.
• Azelaic acid: Strengthening the cells that line the follicles, inhibiting sebum production and bacterial development. There is acne cream, but different types are utilized for Rosacea.

If your acne doesn’t go away after over-the-counter treatments, you can tell your dermatologist, and they can prescribe you more potent medications. These include:

• Prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide.
• Retinoids
• Antibiotics

Sometimes, your dermatologist can suggest oral antibiotics or hormonal birth control for a hot time.

 For severe acne, your dermatologist may recommend combined treatment of the following:

• Benzoyl peroxide
• Topical retinoids
• Topical antibiotics
• Oral antibiotics

These treatments are available at Dr. Methil’s skin clinic in Andheri.

How can you prevent acne?

According to Dr. Methil, the following are the tips you can try to prevent acne. You can’t always prevent acne, but you can lower the chances.

• Wash your face twice a day.
• Try using oil-free makeup and cosmetics.
• Permanently remove your makeup and wash your face before going to bed.
• Use sunscreen.

• Do not pick your acne.
• Try an OTC treatment.
• Do not try to solve your acne problems with at-home remedies. Instead, talk to a dermatologist.
• Develop a skincare routine that suits you.
• Avoid shaving on your acne.

Conclusion:

Acne is difficult to cure, but many effective treatments are available to help reduce outbreaks and repair your skin.

If you continue to have severe or chronic breakouts, a dermatologist can assist you in developing a treatment plan that is effective for your skin and prevents scarring. You can feel confident in your skin after getting acne treatment. You can visit Dr. Anju Methil’s skin clinic in Andheri to get the treatment.