Acne affects millions of people worldwide. It is considered one of the most common dermatological conditions. Blackheads are a type of acne that occurs when certain biological substances come in contact with the air. The effects of acne can vary. It may only produce mild irritations and milder blemishes upon the skin, or it may create permanent marks that scar your face.
The difficulty in treating acne is that few treatments address the many issues that could cause it. Everything from clogged pores to an overproduction of sebum can make acne symptoms manifest. Acne treatments are personalized treatments designed to reduce the symptoms of acne by addressing the causes as they pertain to an individual. This allows them to display a heightened success rate while minimizing the discomfort and long-term effects of acne.
What is Acne? What are Blackheads?
Acne is an inflammation of the sebaceous glands beneath the skin. These glands produce a substance called sebum, which in turn helps to keep the skin moist, supple and protected from the elements. Blackheads are another type of acne. The main difference between blackheads and other forms of acne is the fact that the sebum interacts with the air, which in turn causes it to oxidize into the form that most people are familiar with. Apart from the appearance and the open exposure of the sebum to the air, blackheads are incredibly similar to acne. They can cause inflammation, irritation and scarring.
What Do Acne Treatments Do?
Acne treatments tackle acne in three main ways:
- They remove contaminants, such as dirt and makeup, from the skin. This helps to unclog pores, which in turn allows the sebum to freely escape from the pores without causing wounds, inflammation or additional stress to the sebaceous glands.
- They soothe the sebaceous glands. By soothing the glands, inflammation can be limited. This helps to reduce the incidence of scarring, and helps the body to heal from acne outbreaks.
- They fortify the skin. This conditioning, which may include prescription topical agents, vitamin supplements or a combination of both, aims to make it more difficult for acne to persist. These treatments may be a one-time occurrence, or they may need to occur as maintenance to prevent acne outbreaks.
By utilizing these three distinct methods of treating acne, it is possible to address most cases.
Personalized Acne Treatments
Acne is one of the most prevalent and complicated conditions. Personalized approaches are often necessary to ensure success when treating this condition. When blackheads are involved, removing the sebum from the pores is typically the priority. This may be done by using a topical agent, mechanical means or a combination of the two.
Treating the inflammation is the next step. This may involve intense-pulsed light therapy, chemical peels, topical agents or a number of other acne treatments. The point to take away from this is that acne treatments can and should be personalized to maximize the benefits to the patient. This will help reduce current acne outbreaks, prevent future ones and minimize the lasting damage to the face.
Get All the Facts
To learn more about acne treatments, or to see how we can help with your acne, make an appointment at Pinnacle Dermatology in Birmingham. We will be happy to evaluate your unique needs, and then create a personalized acne treatment plan to remove unsightly blackheads. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation.