HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF ACNE AND TREATMENT FOR IT
Majority of us have dealt with acne at least once in our lifetime and while these skin blemishes appear more often during our teenage years, it is not exclusive to it. There are some cases whereby children are affected, and even some individuals get acne prone skin when they are adults.
Many times, acne is labelled according to the age at which it occurs, but this skin problem is also described according to the severity of its symptoms and sometimes the different forms of acne are grouped according to the external causes that may have led to the appearance of the blemishes like summer acne, etc.
This post discusses the three different ways of grouping acne and explains the names, possible triggers, symptoms of each type and of course, we will talk about what could be an efficient acne treatment in Singapore.
Acne Types According To Severity
- Comedonal acne: Also known as mild acne, they usually appear on the nose, cheeks and forehead. They often appear in the form of blackheads, whiteheads and papules.
- Acne Pustules: Known as moderate acne, they are small bumps that contain pus or fluid. They tend to appear on the face, back and chest. When left uncared for, they leave behind marks and scars.
• Cystic acne: Known as severe acne, includes nodules, acne conglobata and cysts, tends to be less common and usually occurs during puberty and adulthood. They appear on the face, neck and back. Acne scars and blemishes may be unavoidable due to the size of the cysts.
Acne In Different Stages Of Our Life
Our hormones behave differently at different stages of our lives which means that the acne varies with age. Acne is more likely to occur when hormones fluctuate and is generally classified into four different age-related types.
- Baby acne: It occurs in about 20% of newborns and babies between 3-9 months. Boys are four times more likely to get it than girls.
- Teenage acne: Occurs during adolescence, most likely between 15 and 18 years of age. Between 70%-95% of teenagers are affected by this of acne to some degree
- Adult acne: It is more common among women because it is triggered by stress and the hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
Acne Types Caused By External Factors
Usually, the main cause of acne is hormones, making this an internal issue, but there are also numerous external factors that can cause acne or further worsen it. For this reason, experts tend to separate these causes into different groups.
Medical Acne: It’s usually triggered as a secondary effect after taking certain medications like corticosteroids, overdose of vitamins, steroids or contraceptive/emergency pills that create a hormonal imbalance. This type of medical acne tends to reduce once the individual stops taking the medication. It can appear as nodules or pustules on the face, or the rest of the body.
Summer Acne: This type of acne is common among women age 25-40 that have suffered from acne before in their teens. It usually appears after the skin has been over exposed to harmful UV light. It varies in severity; it can go from a simple rash to big pustules along with irritated skin surrounding it.
Acne Cause By Impurities: Probably the one that can be easily avoided. It’s caused after the pores are clogged by impurities in the environment or not practicing a proper face cleaning. It tends to be more common among women who wear makeup often and more so if the makeup is not removed properly. Exfoliating products such as scrubs can be used to avoid such acne.
Acne Caused By Picking: Another type of acne that can be avoided. It’s caused after the individual picks, touches, scratches an already active acne and making it worse than it is, to the point that the area can get infected. Remember to never pick any form of acne because it’s likely to form scars.
Treatment After Type Of Acne Has Been Diagnosed
When acne starts becoming a problem due to its severity, it is always recommended to seek professional help. The reason behind this is to avoid any further unnecessary damage to your skin and find suitable ways to control it. Even if you had to deal with it when you were younger and some scars were left behind, it is never too late to do something about it. Many people lose their confidence for this reason and it can be a life changer. Luckily, technology has offered many great alternatives, such is the case of using laser for acne scars, it is currently categorized as a fan favorite acne treatment in Singapore because it actually works.
People love this treatment because it’s not invasive and results are visible with persistent treatments. Results may vary depending on the depth of your scars as well. This factor will also determine if the cellular regeneration will occur on an epidermis or dermis level. Once you start a treatment usinglaser for acne scars it will pretty much remove the damaged layer which is full of blemishes and scars, giving place to a fresh skin layer. Make sure to check out our options at Gangnam Laser Clinic and let one of our certified professionals assist you!
