
Why does acne occur?
The acne problem, which we frequently encounter with the name of puberty acne, is caused by the skin structure of the patient. If the mother or father or their relatives have acne problems, this can often occur in their children.
Our skin is constantly lubricated by the sebaceous glands, and in this way, a protective oil layer is formed on the skin. Thanks to this oil layer, our skin is protected from microbes, chemicals and external factors such as cold weather or sun. However, in some people, the sebaceous glands are overworked and at the same time, the ends of the sebaceous gland ducts are prone to clogging. As a result, the swollen and clogged sebaceous gland becomes inflamed and leads to acne as we know it.
Since the sebaceous glands are densely located on the face, back and front of the body, acne is most common in these areas.
Mistakes in acne
Pınar is a 17-year-old patient with acne problem. His mother also had acne problems in her youth, and her face is still noticeable. There are intense cyst-shaped acne on the face of Pınar, especially on the forehead and cheeks. She went to a dermatologist once, but she applied the cream she gave to her face a few times, then got bored and never went to check again.
Pınar went to the pharmacy a few times and bought some cosmetics upon recommendation. However, they increased her acne instead of reducing it, so she did not use them. Upon the recommendation of a friend, he bought sulfur soap and washed his face with it a few mornings, and his face was dry and stretched, but the acne did not go away.
Exploding the inflamed has become his hobby. But meanwhile, his face was filled with blemishes and scars as he intervened in acne.
Corrects in acne
Ayşe is also 17 years old. He also has cystic acne like Pınar on his face and even on his back.
The dermatologist Ayşe went to explained to her that acne is caused by the skin structure and that acne treatment is a process. He said that it may take 2-3 months to get rid of acne and that he should use the drugs regularly and not interrupt his controls. Ayşe underwent chemical peeling at intervals and used dermocosmetic products suitable for her skin with the advice of her dermatologist.
At the end of this process, Ayşe, who knew her skin better, learned which cosmetics to use on her face and which ones she should not use. After the treatment, she had acne-free skin with the care creams recommended by her doctor.
Acne treatment is personal
Acne can sometimes be seen in people with dry and combination skin structure. The reason for this is the structure of the sebaceous glands and especially the effect of hormones. A drug taken with the advice of a friend or a pharmacy can make your face red and have serious side effects. Dermatologists are the most specialized in the treatment of acne. It is of great importance that you consult a dermatologist without damaging your skin.
Treatment stages: First, the treatment of acne, then the care of the skin with acne
Treating acne only does not provide a solution for our patients who will probably experience acne again due to their skin structure. It is of great importance to maintain the oil balance of the skin by recommending various creams after the treatment, and the use of regular care creams in most of our patients solves the problem of acne without the need for drugs such as vitamin A derivatives.
Acne treatments:
· Pills containing antibiotics: It treats inflamed acne and prevents them from coming out when used for a long time. Side effects include stomach and intestinal complaints. If you have stomach problems, be sure to warn your doctor who prescribes antibiotics for acne. These drugs have no effect on blackheads and white pimples. They are often not used on their own, but given together with other creams.
· Peeling, drying creams: When combined with antibiotic creams, they provide optimum acne treatment. They both cause the scars to disappear faster and clean the plugs in the sebaceous glands and prevent the formation of blackheads and new acne. Side effects are drying and light peeling. This can be resolved with moisturizers recommended by your dermatologist. Because of these effects, they are often used in the evening. In cases of severe itching and redness and severe crusting, the drug should be discontinued and a dermatologist should be consulted.
· Antibiotic creams and gels: They are used in cases where peeling creams cannot be used due to skin type and together with peeling and drying creams. Their side effects are rarely the development of allergies. After applying those containing tetracyclines, one should not sunbathe and stay in the sun for a long time.
· Chemical Peel: With chemical peeling, which we frequently use in the treatment of acne in our hospital, the problematic upper layer of the skin is peeled and cleaned with fruit acids. Blackheads and incipient acne are also treated in this way. In addition, scars in the form of redness due to acne also heal quickly. As a side effect, there may be a temporary redness that lasts for 1-2 days on sensitive areas of the skin. Soap and medicine should not come into contact with the skin for 1-2 days after peeling. Our patients can return to their daily lives without any problems, as we do superficial peeling that peels off the upper layers of the skin in our hospital.
· Vitamin A derivatives: These drugs reduce the oil secretion of the skin and eliminate the acne problem for a long time and in some patients completely. In addition, side effects are more common than other drugs and they are prescribed with a dermatologist examination, which requires monthly blood tests. Our approach is to use these drugs for cystic (pitting while healing) and acne resistant acne. The most important side effects are that it should be taken during the treatment and after a certain period of pregnancy in female patients due to severe side effects on the baby’s nervous system. Because of this possibility, male patients cannot donate blood during and after treatment.
· Birth Control Pills: They are especially effective in the treatment of acne that increases during menstrual periods and acne that occurs in women with hormonal imbalance, which we call polycystic ovary. In long-term use, the patient should be under the supervision of a doctor. Apart from this, a blood thinner should be recommended by your doctor in cases such as airplane travel, which requires prolonged sitting, as they can precipitate in the blood.
Acne, cosmetics and make-up:
Especially moisturizers and sunscreens with intense oil content increase acne. Apart from this, concealer make-up materials such as foundation and powder can also cause acne on the face by clogging the oil glands. For this reason, you should use dermocosmetic-style products and make-up products that your dermatologist will recommend to you.