A guide to acne: Protect and treat the skin

Acne is a common skin condition that takes a physical and emotional toll. Fortunately, Board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Rahul Shukla, and our team at DRS Skincare in Hamilton, Ontario have several options to treat this recurrent and damaging skin concern. 

Protecting the skin

While there are no known strategies to prevent acne, there are numerous risk factors or triggers associated with it. These contributors include:

• Messing with the affected areas – It sounds easy in theory; however, picking and otherwise touching pimples and spots can be compulsive and hard to stop. These behaviours exacerbate active acne, and can leave behind lasting scars.
• Consuming triggering foods – While the connection between diet and acne is not clear, research indicates that dairy and products with high sugar content/glycemic index may cause flare-ups among some populations. We encourage you to be mindful of potential triggers and to take a commonsense approach to avoiding them. 
• Not managing your stress – Distress or negative stress is bad for acne and for the “rest of you.” We encourage stress management techniques as a fantastic overall health strategy.

Treating acne 

Currently, there are several potential treatment options available to dermatologists like the specialists at DRS Skincare. They range from skincare personalised to your needs and prescription topical creams and oral medications, to professional procedures like chemical peels, microneedling, and laser-assisted therapies. Customised treatment plans are one-of-a-kind, but unified under a common banner of clearing the skin and preventing and/or treating scars and undesirable post-inflammatory changes. 

Treatment in a bottle

There are many acne-fighting topical creams and skin care ingredients. They may be recommended singularly or in conjunction with other therapies following a skin evaluation or consultation at our office. These products are generally formulated with ingredients such as glycolic, salicylic, kojic, hyaluronic, and azelaic acids; sulfur; niacinamide; retinoids; and ceramides. Our specialists have the expertise to ensure that these products and formulations safely and effectively complement other components of your custom treatment plan.

Prescription topicals can play an important role in both managing acne and maintaining clear skin. These topicals target and treat acne at its source. Prescription medications may also be taken orally. They include the following: 

• Antibiotics for mild to severe acne – They reduce bacteria in the skin and inflammation. Commonly, tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline are prescribed over the short term to get acne under control. They are also helpful to manage recurrent acne. Often, they are combined with good skin care, creams, chemical peels, and lasers to improve and sustain results. 
• Hormone-regulating agents for underlying hormonal imbalances and conditions such as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) — This group of medications spans oral contraceptives to spironolactone, the latter of which works by blocking the effects of androgen associated with acne and hair growth and can sometimes be prepared as a cream. 
• Isotretinoin – This retinoid or “Vitamin A derivative” sold under Accutane®, Epuris®, and other brand names now treats many forms of acne. It is designed to shrink oil glands and reduce oil production, ease inflammation, and inhibit the growth of bacteria. While isotretinoin is one of the most effective treatment options, it has many potential side effects – from the annoying to more serious adverse events that should be discussed and monitored. Laser therapy and other procedures can be safely used in conjunction with this drug. 

Therapies

Depending on the nature and severity of your acne, Dr. Shukla may recommend in-house, professional services. We have highlighted a few options below:

• Microdermabrasion with extractions – A combination of physical exfoliation and customised serums further enhance results and help to reduce whiteheads and blackheads. This is a particularly useful strategy when combined with other treatment alternatives.
• Chemical peels – A variety of skin-loving formulations may be applied to treat acne, either on its own or in combination with other approaches.
• Laser-assisted therapies – AviClear® is a relatively new Health Canada-cleared device for moderate to severe acne that works by targeting and reducing oil gland activity. More than 85% of patients in a study experienced a 50% reduction in their acne after six months. Three monthly treatments may be combined with skincare, and topical or oral medications to further enhance results. The ND:Yag laser (Excel® V and Laser Genesis) may be appropriate for acne, post-inflammatory selling, and the “red staining” and scars left behind as lingering reminders of past breakouts. Research has shown a 40% reduction in acne lesions after four treatments. 
• Other energy-based devices – Our microneedling service may be combined with Radiofrequency energy (RF) or radio waves to super-charge treatment. RF-assisted microneedling with the Morpheus8 system triggers a beneficial healing process of collagen production and remodeling to improve the appearance of active acne and associated scarring.

A final word

Most of the time, two or more types of therapies are better than one. This statement is particularly true of devices, which tend to amplify the effectiveness of other treatments and products. They also aid in reducing rates of relapse or recurrence when combined with the other strategies listed here. For instance, combination therapy with vascular laser and isotretinoin demonstrated greater reduction in acne and red discolouration than isotretinoin on its own. The isotretinoin dose in combined therapy was also minimised when compared to the isotretinoin-only group in studies. Not all devices can be safely combined with medications. So, it is essential to speak with one of our dermatologists at DRS Skincare. 

Phone (905) 524-1712 to schedule a consultation at our office in Hamilton, ON. During your visit, we will work with you to explore and customise the myriad options to best suit your needs and one-of-a-kind situation.

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