How to Treat Acne || Le Formulaire recommends

In our last blog, we discussed the causes of acne and myths surrounding the inflammatory condition. In this article, we’d like to discuss how you can treat your acne at home, and treatments your doctor can prescribe.

How do we manage acne?

Acne can sadly be extremely detrimental to a person’s confidence, and can physically leave a mark in the form of acne scarring. The first thing we need to consider when discussing acne treatment is that it is a very normal and an incredibly common condition. Secondly, lifestyle balance is an important aspect to acknowledge in the treatment of any condition in order to address matters holistically. Aside from eating a balanced anti-inflammatory diet, being mindful of refined sugar intake, prioritising sleep and inner calm, there are many topical and oral treatments for acne. Let us walk you through some options available.

 As discussed in our last blog, acne is caused by a four part cycle in our skin, which can be summarised as: overproduction of oil > pore becomes blocked > bacteria act on oil in blocked pore > the spot becomes inflamed. Below we’ll discuss options to treat every stage of acne production in order to prevent and treat our lovely skin.

Please note, try not touch your spots. Although it can be so tempting (and satisfying!) to pop our pimples, do doing so can lead to longer term scarring. Some extraction methods can be used in-clinic, but it’s best performed under medical supervision. One handy tip to minimise the temptation is to use a hydrocolloid patch. Our favourites at Le Formulaire are the Hero Mighty Patches. Another good option is to ice the pimple to reduce the redness.

Tackling: (1) oil production 

Many anti blemish products will help to remove oil but, there are really only a few ways to counter the production of oil in the first instance at the level of the skin. One great therapy to minimise oil production is through the use of retinoids. The most powerful form is Isotretinoin, a brand name being Roaccutane. This is quite a potent and effective prescription medicine that has a few side effects and is generally reserved for moderate to severe cases. This option may be available through consultation with a consultant dermatologist.

Topical retinoids are also available and we believe them to be the cornerstone of treating acne even if they’re not as powerful at reducing oil. Multiple topical dosages in many different forms such as gels and creams are on the market. We recommend all acne patients to consider a retinoid if suitable and we can help finding the right one for you.

Hormonal therapies can help reduce oil production by reducing circulating androgens.

Tackling: (2) Blocked pores

To help minimise the sticky excess cells that can block the pore, also known as follicular hyperkeratinisation, we have a few more options available to us. The surface of our blocked pores can be treated with a useful exfoliating acid known as salicylic acid.

To address the deeper layers of our blocked pores, try using a retinoid as described above, e.g. retinol or retinaldehyde. Retinoids are now popular for their graceful ageing effects, but they was first developed for the treatment of acne and are extremely effective. Retinoids come as over-the-counter versions or prescription strength such as Adapalene or Tretinoin - see our Tretinoin blog to learn how to incorporate it into your routine. Note that retinoids should not be used during pregnancy.

Benzoyl peroxide also helps minimise this hyperkeratinisation.

Tackling: (3) Bacteria build-up

P.acnes is a microbe present in all people. It is not more dominant in acne patients, however the immune system may react differently in people with acne and induce an inflammatory response by activating innate immunity.

Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful acne medication that is available in different strengths. It targets acne in three ways: it kills the bacteria that builds in the skin which lead to acne, exfoliates the skin and reduces inflammation. It can be extremely drying and irritating to use, so be sure to start with the lowest dose and slowly work your way up to a stronger strength. Azelaic acid in prescription strengths can also have an antimicrobial effect and have the added benefit of reducing post inflammatory marks.

Oral antibiotics may be favoured in some cases to help minimise the bacterial burden and for the added anti-inflammatory effect.

In-clinic LED treatments can do wonders for acne, as the blue 415NM light produced by LED machines kills the P.acnes bacteria we mentioned in our previous blog. LED is a fast, safe and non-invasive tool with no down time post treatment. In over 3,000 published clinical studies, no side effects have been reported. LED treatments are available to book at Le Formulaire.

Tackling: (4) Inflammation

In acne there is a chronic inflammatory response localised to the pilo-sebaceous unit (hair follicle and oil gland) that is driven by pro-inflammatory lipids. Additionally, acne prone skin is often found to have less of its own antioxidants to dampen down inflammation.

Retinoids, azelaic acid, antibiotics and salicylic acid all have anti-inflammatory action. Niacinamide is another ingredient with antioxidant potential that can reduce inflammation in the skin. A favourite choice at Le Formulaire as an alternative to Vitamin C.

LED is also a saviour when it comes to inflammation. Red 633NM and near infrared 830NM light available with LED help to soothe the skin barrier, reduce inflammation in the skin, and enhance healing.

Le Formulaire recommends 

Try not to introduce all of these new ingredients at once, we recommend bringing in one new product at a time.

Make sure to use a gentle products as well so as to support your delicate skin. Astringent and drying products can be attractive when our skin feels oily, however this will only serve to add to the inflammation.

It can be tempting to skimp on moisturisers when our skin feels oily, but to make sure we keep everything balanced, be sure to use a moisturiser at night. You can skip your moisturiser in the morning and use your sunscreen to hydrate and protect your skin if you like.

At Le Formulaire we work with you to individualise the regime: skin type, lifestyle, severity and type. The skincare discussion is the best place to start for learning to manage this chronic condition.

If you find yourself confused about acne, please feel free to book a consultation with us in our Nassau Street Clinic in Dublin.

We would love to help you on your path to managing acne.