Acne usually strikes when you’re at your most vulnerable: Just as you hit puberty and start to develop secondary sex characteristics. The influx of testosterone jump-starts the acne process by causing the pores (i.e., follicles) of your skin to produce excessive amounts of waxy sebum.
The excess sebum collects in your pores, slowing down the turnover of skin cells. Dead skin and sebum form plugs in your pores.
With so much extra “food” in the form of sebum and dead skin cells, the bacteria that normally live on your skin proliferate. Soon, your skin is inflamed by the bacteria and your clogged pores become acne lesions, such as pimples, zits, pustules, and cysts.
Of course, acne can be embarrassing at any age. Some people don't develop acne until they’re adults. Or, you may never have quite gotten over your teenage acne. Women might experience an acne surge with hormonal changes, including menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
Whatever your stage of life, you always want to put your best face forward. If you have acne, you may feel that to be a challenge.
Our team of expert dermatologists at The Center for Dermatology Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York, uses the latest, most cutting-edge treatments to treat your acne. If you’re embarrassed by clogged pores and inflammatory lesions, here’s how we help you.
We give your skin the help it needs to rid itself of dead skin cells, excess oil, and other debris. Regular facials and chemical peels slough away the outer, dull layer of your skin. They also deep-clean your pores so they stay clear.
Our Perfect 10 peel or our glycolic acid peel is ideal for improving acne-prone skin. These peels unclog your pores, reveal healthy new skin, and improve the health of your follicles. The Perfect 10 even includes retinoids that help your skin cells turn over more quickly.
Just as your health improves or worsens based on the types of foods you eat, your skin also needs the right kinds of nutrients to achieve optimal health.
As an alternative to drugstore skin care that may contain harmful chemicals and pore-clogging oils, we tailor a medical-grade skin care program for your skin’s specific needs.
Acne skin is highly sensitive to the kinds of products that you use. In fact, the wrong type of skin care products can aggravate your acne and make your skin look worse.
We recommend cleansers, moisturizers, and even sunscreens that are non-comedogenic and non-irritating. Our high-quality brands include:
Medical-grade skin care is even more important when your acne is complicated by another skin issue, such as rosacea, wrinkles, or age spots.
If you have inflammatory acne, you may benefit from a cutting-edge treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT). With PDT, we apply a photosensitizing solution to your skin and then expose it to red or blue light, or to intense pulsed light (IPL), as well as oxygen.
The combination of photosensitizer, light, and oxygen destroys the bacteria that cause inflammatory lesions. It also reduces the size and productivity of your sebaceous glands, which produce the excess sebum clogging your pores.
You might treat a mild acne breakout with over-the-counter medications from your local pharmacy. However, if you have moderate to severe acne, we may prescribe one or more oral or topical medications, such as:
Are you ready for clear skin again? To get customized acne treatment for your particular type of acne and skin type, contact our team by phone or online form today.
