The Approach To Acne – Causes & How To Treat

1) Excess oil production

• • • this is hormonally driven and will require a consult with an NP or physician.  Only prescription products will change this.  It isn’t always necessarily to reduce oil production if you can manage bacterial levels.

2) High bacteria levels

• • • wash with an effective antibacterial cleanser like hexamidine; hexamidine is not available over the counter but it can be purchased in pharmaceutical skin care without a prescription (eg.Hexam cleanser – Vivier Canada)
    • consider blue light therapy; repeated exposure to a certain wavelength of blue light can kill Propioni Acnes bacteria. (eg. Blu U therapy – available at ArtMed once we re-open)

3) Inflammation

• • • reduce bacterial counts as this will reduce your inflammatory response (see #2 above)
    • use clean science pharmaceutical level skin care (eg AlumierMD products);  you want to avoid dyes, perfumes, preservatives like parabens etc, which can trigger a hormonal and inflammatory response
    • use benzoyl peroxide to treat inflamed acne lesions – it is antibacterial and antiinflammatory; ideally use micronized BPO because it more deeply penetrates into acne lesions (eg. Spot Clearing Lotion – Alumier MD)
    • oral -cycline antibiotics such as Apprilon treat inflammation and are safe for long term use; this requires a prescription from an NP or Physician

4) Disordered keratinization and desquamation

• • • Topical acid preparations are helpful such as alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxyacids; using a wash that contains salicylic acid (eg. Vivier Medicated Wash) helps break down thickened keratin layer found in acne sufferers; moisturizers that contain acids as Alumier Hydrasmooth or Vivier Exfoliant Forte or Vivier AHA/BHA
    • chemical peels and at-home peels or masks (eg. Vivier Ultra Purifying Clay Mask)
    • avoid products that are comedogenic ie they block pores (especially makeup)
    • Use of retinols – pharmaceutical grade 0.25% if sensitive such as Alastin retinol 0.25%; if more tolerant use a stronger retinol such as Alumier retinol 0.5% or Vivier Retinol 1% night complex
    • Prescription retinol – see an NP or physician (consult at ArtMed)
    • Oral retinol – Accutane – see an NP or physician (consult at ArtMed)

Specialty products:

Vitamin C serum – if you are using a Vitamin serum consider Radiance serum by Vivier which is very good for oil or combination skin

Body cleansing -( back/chest acne) – salicylic acid soap for body cleansing (available at ArtMed) and Aklief prescription; consider oral medication like Apprilon or Accutane if severe