Acne is a common problem that can be treated in a variety of ways, including with creams, lotions, and medications. Another type of treatment, light therapy, has also shown to be very successful.
What exactly is acne?
First, the fundamentals. Acne is a skin condition caused by pore blockage. It's natural, and at some point, 85% of the world's population will encounter it.
While acne can appear anywhere' on your skin, it is more common on the face, back, shoulders, neck, and chest because these are the areas with the most sebaceous glands, which are oil-producing glands in our bodies.
Acne Varieties
Although acne is a common occurrence, no two cases are alike. Acne can take various forms, and there are two types of acne: non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.
Non-inflammatory acne includes:
- Whiteheads: Whiteheads appear as small, raised bumps under the skin and are flesh-colored when present on the skin.
- Blackheads: This type of acne appears darker on the skin and opens at the skin's surface.
The following are examples of inflammatory acne:
- Papules are small, tender bumps that are inflamed and painful to the touch.
- Pustules: Similar to pimples, these are bumps with pus that form on the skin and are caused by skin debris and bacteria.
- Cysts: Cysts are extremely painful and filled with pus. These are deep-under-the-skin lesions that can be half a centimeter in diameter. They are also more likely to leave acne scars.
- Nodules: These are firm and large lesions that can be quite painful. They occur deep within the skin but do not produce pus.
All acne forms begin as clogged pores, and time and other factors can cause non-inflammatory acne to burst and transform into inflammatory acne.
Acne's Stages
When acne appears on the skin, it can progress through several stages of severity.
- Stage 1: Mild acne, which appears as a small cluster of pimples or blackheads, is present at this stage. This stage is typically non-inflamed and can appear and disappear on a regular basis, with or without treatment.
- Stage 2: Acne in this stage is more moderate and can include pustules, blackheads, poles, and pimples. This stage of acne appears more frequently, and there may be redness or inflammation in the affected areas.
- Stage 3: This is moderate to severe acne, and the acne is inflamed, with the skin appearing red and irritated. Papules, nodules, and cysts are most likely present.
- Stage 4: This is the most severe stage of acne, and the acne in this stage is extremely painful for the person suffering from it. Acne appears on various parts of the body at this stage as pustules, cysts, nodules, and papules.
Acne stages are determined by the presence or absence of inflammation, as well as the presence and extent of lesions. Some of the stages may necessitate a comprehensive treatment plan.
How does acne start?
Three important factors come into play when acne first appears on the skin: oil production, dead skin, and bacteria.
The sebaceous glands' main function is to produce sebum, an oil that lubricates your skin. Oil glands occasionally produce too much oil, which can stay in pores and clog them.
Dead skin cells are regularly shed from the epidermis, the skin's top layer. It is how the skin regenerates, and new cells are created in the epidermis's deepest layer. These fresh cells are dried out by the time they reach the topmost layer, and the process keeps going. Because the process of creating new cells isn't always efficient, the body occasionally produces more skin cells than necessary, clogging pores.
An anaerobic -environment develops when oil and dead skin cells prevent oxygen from entering a pore. In these circumstances, bacteria like P. acnes can grow quickly and thrive.
Specific factors can cause some types of acne.
Hormones
Pregnancy, the beginning or stopping of birth control, and puberty are just a few of the factors that can cause hormonal fluctuations. By increasing the amount of oil that the skin produces, hormones worsen acne.
Biology
Acne may run in families. There is a greater likelihood that you will have acne if your parents do.
Stress
Our endocrine and immune systems can be impacted by stress, and taxing our bodies with an intense schedule or little to no sleep can have a negative impact on these systems and cause them to behave abnormally, such as releasing more hormones.
B12 vitamin
Despite the fact that this vitamin is crucial for skin health, excessive amounts of it can cause an excess of sebum, which is directly linked to the emergence of acne.
Utilizing Phototherapy
Light therapy is one of the treatments available to help with acne eradication. Light therapy is the application of low-intensity, secure light wavelengths to the body to treat skin conditions.
Blue light therapy fights to inactivate and kill various types of bacteria, including P. acnes. Blue light can also aid in shrinking oil glands, which can lessen oil production and pore obstructions.
Red light therapy helps to heal damaged tissues and reduce inflammation by working above and below the skin's surface. It can aid in the healing of active outbreaks and the visibility of existing scars in cases of acne. Red light therapy has the same potential to lower oil production as blue light therapy.
The Bye Acne Wand from SolaWave is one product on the market. The wand effectively targets and treats acne because it is a light therapy spot treatment that has received FDA clearance. Each session lasts just three minutes and uses both blue and red light therapy to treat acne at all stages of development. Results are visible after just one to three sessions.
You only need to clean your skin, pat it dry, and then hold the Bye Acne Wand over the area you want to treat. The fact that it will turn off automatically at the end of the session is its best feature. You can carry the small, portable device with you where'ver you go.
