Acne is a very common skin problem. It affects both men and women of almost all ages. It causes the skin to have whiteheads, blackheads or inflamed red lesions on it. Acne is most common on faces but can appear elsewhere on the body especially the shoulders or back. These whiteheads, blackheads and sores are often called pimples or zits. There are many acne treatments available to improve the appearance of your skin.
Acne Treatments in Kelowna with Dr. Crippen
What are the symptoms of Acne Vulgaris(medical term for acne)?
Acne manifests as blackheads, whiteheads or bumps filled with air, fluid or pus. These bumps are often painful. Acne often causes redness and can result in scarring. The severity of the scarring varies depending on the individual. This scarring can be embarrassing. A person’s face is highly visible and an important part of how they present themselves to the world. Acne scar treatments in Kelowna can help remove acne scars and eliminate embarrassment.
What causes acne?
Oil that is too thick or excessive in quantity in the skin is the cause of acne. Despite rumours to the contrary, acne is generally not caused by poor diet or bad hygiene. It is often the result of your own genetics. Our bodies are covered in small pores that have a hair and an oil gland in them. When too much oil is produced, or if the oil is too thick, the pore becomes blocked and sometimes infected. A plug forms within the blocked pore. It can either be white or black. Some infections are deeper and more painful than others, those are cystic acne lesions.
Other causes
Hormone changes during menstruation, pregnancy or because of birth control can cause acne outbreaks or changes in the amount of oil produced. Individuals often suffer worse acne when they are stressed. Oily products can cause blocked pores. High levels or sweat and humidity can cause acne to worsen.
Preventative measures
You can make lifestyle changes and engage in non-medical treatments to reduce or help speed up the healing of acne. Wash your face with mild soaps to remove excessive dirt and makeup. Wash your hair daily. Don’t pick at, scratch or rub acne spots. This will only aggravate the acne lesion and possibly lead to a permanent acne scar. Use non-comedogenic skin care products. These are designed to not block pores. Also, avoid oily skin care products.
We offer the following acne treatments:
- Prescription Medication (Very useful for most patients)
- Chemical Peels
- Erbium Laser
- Fractional CO2 Laser
- Photodynamic Therapy
- VBeam Pulsed Dye Laser
Also, check out our acne scar page for more information about how we treat them with lasers.
Here are some photos of Acne patients before and after treatment.
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Can An Adolescent Use These Treatments?
Our acne treatments are safe for adolescents, and we can treat younger patients with permission from their parents or guardians. Early treatment can be important to diminishing the effects of acne scars and other damaged skin.
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Can You Prevent Future Breakouts?
Acne can breakout for many reasons, some of which are difficult to control with any method. There are treatments and lifestyle changes that may make a difference, depending on the source of your acne. We’ll be able to tell you more with a physical examination.
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How Effective Is The Acne Scar Treatment?
We’ll let our clients speak for themselves: Testimonials can be found here. The before-and-after photos that you see on this page are taken from our own clinic. Not every type of acne scar can be treated easily, but we have achieved great results for our patients.
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Will Laser Treatment Stop Recurrence of Acne?
Certain types of lasers can improve acne although acne is a genetic/hormonal condition that will improve usually over time. Some of the lasers that can help are the long-pulsed 1064 laser, v-beam laser, blue light and a few others.
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Quickest and Most Effective Acne Treatment?
The most effective acne treatments are those that reduce inflammation. The V-Beam laser is very effective in reducing the redness associated with acne break-outs but medication is the mainstay of therapy to maintain long-lasting results.
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Will There Ever Be a Really Effective Acne Treatment?
There are many effective acne treatments today. One treatment may work for one individual but not for another hence a few different approaches are sometimes needed for each patient. Usually a combination of medications is the best way to attack and eliminate acne break-outs.
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What Are the Different Types of Acne?
Some different types of acne are comedonal, pustular and cystic. Comedonal acne is commonly referred to as blackheads. Pustular acne is the type of acne that forms a small white papule at the top of the lesion with a red swollen base. Cystic acne is the worst form of acne that can cause permanent scarring.
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What's the Best Back Acne Treatment?
Topical medications are usually impractical for treating back, so oral medication is the best in this situation. Commonly used medications include oral antibiotics or isotretinoin.
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Are There Acne Treatments for Different Types of Acne?
Absolutely. We tailor our acne treatments depending on the type and location of the acne. For example, severe cystic acne on the face or chest/back requires isotretinoin. Mild comedonal acne on the forehead might only require a mild topical cream. Each acne treatment is unique to the patient.
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If I Switch Acne Treatments, Will I Get Break Outs?
If your treatment regimen for acne is working, don’t change treatments. If it’s not working, then switching might be a good option. In the latter case you should only see improvements generally from a change in your acne treatment regimen but each case and patient is unique.
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Risks and Complications of Laser Acne Treatment?
Laser therapy can be useful mostly for the redness associated with an old acne lesion, not as much for ongoing break-outs. Some complications of vascular laser therapy to remove some post-inflammatory erythema from acne includes bruising (very common), swelling and tenderness to the area for a day or two at most. More severe complications are very rare with the technology used today in the V-Beam laser.