Acne is a common condition, affecting people of almost all ages; the incidence peaks between the ages of 13 and17. Acne is a chronic disease that requires an initial aggressive acne treatment program and long-term maintenance. Even though it is not a life-threatening disease, acne can have a significant impact on the quality of life, especially during the teenage years. In some cases, acne also leads to scarring, which can be permanent If not treated.
What causes Acne?
Factors involved in causing acne include: hormone production at the time of puberty and beyond, excess sebum (oil) production, an increase in keratin formation (dead skin cells), and the presence of bacteria in the skin (Propionibacterium acnes.)
Severe acne may be caused by:
- Genetic factors (family members have bad acne)
- Hormonal factors (higher levels of androgenic hormones due to Polycystic Ovaries, psychological stress and depression).
- Environmental factors such as high humidity, cosmetics, hair care products and dietary factors.
When treating acne, we use an acne treatment program that targets one or more of these causative factors. Combination therapy is often needed.
How we can help
At Southern Cosmetics, an initial consultation is performed to determine the type and severity of acne, and then an acne treatment program will be formulated for you that best suits your particular concerns and skincare needs.
Skincare
A good skincare regimen is the mainstay of most anti-acne treatment programs and will help maintain the benefits of other treatment modalities. Topical treatment for acne is available as washes, solutions, lotions, gels and creams. They may have single or multiple active ingredients. There are numerous products available in supermarkets and pharmacies, but these have a low concentration of active ingredients, and often cause dryness and irritation.
At Southern Cosmetics, we use medical-strength topical therapies that are beneficial in most forms of acne, and these are often combined with other therapies such as Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels and various Laser and LED Light treatments to further improve results. Active ingredients in skincare may have one or more of the following properties:
- Anti-inflammatory effects to calm red, inflamed skin.
- Antibiotics and antiseptics to reduce bacteria
- Antioxidants to protect cells from damage by free radicals
- Agents to unplug blocked follicles (comedones)
- Exfoliants to reduce surface scale
- Agents that affect sebum production, such as Retinoids.
In addition, mineral make-up and sunscreens can also be helpful in managing acne. Our Jane Iredale Glowtime foundations and BB creams were recently voted one of the best foundations for acne-prone skin. Pop in for a complimentary colour-matching with one of our therapists, who can also offer advice about which of our skincare products will best suit your needs.
Microdermabrasion, Hydradermabrasion & Chemical Peels
These gentle skin resurfacing techniques are beneficial for patients with large pores, blackheads and whiteheads. Microdermabrasion uses tiny crystals to remove the surface skin layers, and gentle vacuum suction to open and clear the pores. Hydradermabrasion uses a water and exfoliant solution as well as suction to gently cleanse and unclog pores. A mild chemical peel is then applied to deep clean the pores and smooth skin texture. This treatment can also help reduce enlarged pores and improve mild scarring.
Find out more about these treatments here.
Extraction and Chemical Peels
Your Dermal Therapist will gently steam your skin to open the pores, and thoroughly clean them by manually extracting blackheads and whiteheads. She will then apply a light chemical peeling agent to further exfoliate and improve the appearance of the skin. You may experience a slight tingling sensation during the treatment, and mild redness lasting approximately one day.
Read more about this treatment here.
LED Light Therapy
Blue light kills the bacteria responsible for causing breakouts, while red light is anti-inflammatory, reducing redness from inflamed lesions and marks left behind from slow-healing breakouts. LED light therapy is extremely comfortable and has no downtime. In fact, often patients find this treatment very relaxing.
Discover how LED light therapy works here.
Laser Acne Treatments
We use both the Cutera Nd:Yag laser system and the Fotona Nd:Yag laser for these treatments. The laser targets the deeper layers of the dermis, thereby reducing redness and inflammation through photoselective absorption and controlled heating effects. The Nd:YAG laser safely penetrates the skin to an optimal treatment depth to thermally and selectively destroy overactive sebaceous glands. In addition to its thermal penetration effects, the Nd:YAG acne laser treatment also accelerates the healing process and stimulates collagen remodelling, an important step in the long-term treatment of acne and acne scarring. There is little or no downtime and discomfort and excellent results can be achieved with a series of treatments.
We also use the Fotona SP Dynamis Erbium laser to perform fractionated laser resurfacing for more severe acne scarring. Usually multiple treatments are required, but this is a very safe and effective laser for the treatment of scarring in patients of all ages.
Find out more about our Laser Acne treatments.
Acne Treatment Packages
These packages have been designed specifically for those wishing to see rapid, long-lasting results. Using a combination of treatments, alongside active cosmeceutical skincare, we can target the cause and visible symptoms of acne.
Read more about our acne treatments here.
Our treatments
