Acne101: How to get out of your pesky pimple nightmare
MANILA,Philippines - In reality, beauty issues affect confidence. As much as most women hate to admit it, looking good is inextricably linked to a sense of self-worth. And this may be the reason why beauty products are not only seen as a form of vanity or luxury these days, but more like a necessity, especially for those women with beauty issues.
Much of women today are affected by the skin breakouts that they get from time to time.
“Acne usually takes a toll on a person’s self-esteem. Some even avoid going out with altogether or meet new people. These situations are very alarming,” said Harry Tsai, general manager of Karihome Inc. exclusive distributor of Eau Thermale Avène products in the Philippines.
At the launch of Eau Thermale Avène in SM Makati on October 23, Dr. Blossom Chan talked about the nature of acne vulgaris, including its causes and prevention.
What is acne vulgaris?
Acne vulgaris is very common, chronic and also multifactorial, says Dr.Chan.
"Acne is chronic. It will not go away in just one treatment... It is not infectious, which means you can't get your acne from somebody else, but infectious in a way that it is a bacterial infection," she said.
Based on data collected from top clinical institutions, Dr.Chan said acne is more common in 16-25 year-old females.
Acne is polymorpic, meaning it is not just a single blister. It can start from a white head or black head and get inflamed and bigger eventually.
What causes acne?
Acne growth is caused by excessive production of sebum. The oil secreted may lead to abnormal keratinisation and comedogenesis (clogged pores due to whiteheads or blackheads), which can be inflamed and develop into bacterial proliferation.
Acne is multifactorial, which means there are internal and external factors that trigger its growth. Internal factors are the hardest factors to control. These include genetics and oral medications such as steroids, vitamins, etc. Dr. Chan also mentioned hormonal changes brought by androgenetic stimulation or pregnancy. External factors on the other hand include hygiene (proper washing of face) and poor habits (frequent touching of face).
Habits that worsen acne
Among all other things, stress and lack of sleep can make your acne worse. When people are stressed, cells produce more sebum, which can clog the hair follicles to allow more acne growth. This is why it is important to keep the stress at bay if you do not want to worsen the breakouts that you already have.
Dr.Chan also revealed that there's a difference between getting eight hours of sleep and getting the right sleep. In her own words, "number of hours of sleep is not equal to right kind of sleep."
Dr. Chan said that we have a body rhythm and that is between 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. - the usual time when the body releases a hormone that will try to relax the body. Sleeping after 10:00 p.m. is not advisable since body rhythms cannot really be changed.
In addition to that, cosmetics,including the hair products that you use can worsen the acne.
What is needed to prevent acne?
Dr. Chan mentioned three core tips to prevent acne. First is to regulate sebum secretion, to eliminate accumulated cells, to avoid bacterial proliferation and to soothe inflammation.
- Control oil - choose the proper facial wash for your type of skin.
- Eliminate accumulated cells - remove traces of cleanser, mask or makeup by using the right toner. Toners, which typically contain alcohol, water and herbal extracts can be best applied with a cotton pad. For oily skin, toners containing astringent are recommended, while the opposite is recommended for those with dry or normal skin.
- Avoid bacterial proliferation and soothe inflammation - avoid touching your face and picking your acne. Be wary of using comedogenic hair products that can be washed on the face
Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance Expert is specifically formulated using three active ingredients: diolenyl which limits bacterial proliferation, reduces redness and helps eliminate spots; X-Pressin which reduces blackheads and smoothens the skin's texture; and monolaurin that regulated the hyperproduction of sebum to create matte finish
