Acne 101 & How to Treat that Pimple

So you’re struggling with sudden breakouts and aren’t sure how to go about getting them to go away. First, it’s helpful to understand what acne is, how it’s formed, and determine what kind of acne you’re experiencing to figure out your plan of action.

What is acne?

Our entire face is covered in hair follicles and sebaceous glands, or oil glands. Oil travels up the hair to the surface of your skin to help with lubricate and waterproof our skin, and this is a normal bodily function that isn’t an issue if you’re not acne prone.

If you are acne prone, then three things are taking place on your skin: excess oil, dead skin cells and bacteria. When this magical (read: super annoying) combination occurs, it clogs our pores, they become infected and creates inflamed pimples within your skin.

I’m sure you’re wondering how your acne even started. And the truth is, it could be triggered by a variety of things such as hormones, stress, diet, medications or using products with pore-clogging ingredients – all things I can help you determine!

What type of acne do I have?

Clogged pores, aka acne, come in all different shapes and sizes, and require different treatments to get rid of successfully. A few common types I see in my clients are:

• Blackhead: This is a type of non-inflamed acne that has a visible, dark-tipped plug at the surface of your skin. The black color occurs when oil and dead skin cells in a hair follicle are exposed to the air, leading to oxidization.
• Comedone: A typical kind of acne that just means the hair follicle is clogged with sebum. These aren’t white heads, but simply just clogged, covered pores that lead to bumps on the surface of the skin.
• Cyst: These are deep, infected acne lesions under the surface of the skin and often painful to the touch. These are most commonly caused by hormonal imbalances.
• Pustule: This is a white head surrounded by red, irritated skin on the skin’s surface.
• Whitehead: This is a closed come done formed with oil and dead skin cells blocking the opening of a hair follicle.

How can I treat a pimple at home?

ICE IT, DON’T PICK IT! I know it is tempting, but poking at your acne is making it worse! It can cause more inflammation, spread bacteria that created the pimple in the first place and increase likelihood of scaring and dark spots.

Instead repeat these two, quick easy steps – ice and heat! Take a hot compress to the pimple for a few minutes, then follow that with icing it with a roller or ice cube (hold it there a few seconds, then off a few seconds and repeat). Repeat morning and night for a few days, and if you start this process as your acne first forms, it’s more likely it will go away on its own.

Also, I know pimple patches are a hot topic right now, but they’re made with really drying ingredients and the adhesives can be really irritating to the skin. Instead, I recommend spot treating with a clay mask you can wear overnight, or the Sulfur Spot Treatment from Face Reality.

Acne is a complex and individual issue for most, but I’m confident that I could help you get to the root of what is causing your acne and clear it in as little as 3-4 months with my Face Reality Program!

Call me today to book your acne consultation and be one day closer to clearing your acne to reveal radiant skin!

Check out some before & after photos of clients who went through the program!