Acne

We all have breakouts and unwanted spots that seem to always appear at important times in our life such as before an interview, party or even your own wedding.

Acne results from a build-up of sebum and dead skin cells in the entrance to the skin pore. The skin starts to mount an inflammatory reaction to the area which leads to a pimple forming which can then develop into a full-blown spot. Those with oily skin types are much more prone to acne as they tend to have more sebum and therefore more pore blockage.

One reason why we have acne breakouts is related to hormones. At puberty, females start to produce hormones that stimulate the ovaries to release oestrogen, as well as androgen, which stimulate hair growth. When these two hormones surge before ovulation, an egg is released, but often during puberty the hormones aren't quite working in sync and this can cause a hormone imbalance. The result is increased oiliness, blackheads and breakouts.

80% of teens suffer from spots to some degree, boys are more susceptible in this period of their life as testosterone tends to make their spots worse. The face is the most common area to be affected but spots can appear on the neck, upper back, shoulders and chest. If attempts are made to squeeze spots the inflammation will spread making the problem worse Severe acne can lead to the typical pitted acne scarring. To dispel common myths acne is not caused by forgetting to wash your face or eating chocolate.

It is not just teens that suffer according to acne.org 25% of adult men and 50% of adult women will suffer from acne.

At Woodford Medical we pride ourselves on being able to offer solutions to clients suffering from this distressing condition and offer consultations with one of our Aesthetic Therapists to discuss the various options.