Acne.
It’s the skin concern we’re asked about most often- but we’re not experts.
This month, Glow Journal have partnered with La Roche-Posay and, to herald the launch of their Effaclar SpotScan technology, we’ve asked the experts (Dr JoAnn See of Central Sydney Dermatology, La Roche-Posay Scientific Communications Manager Rachel McAdam and La Roche-Posay Senior Scientific Advisor Lauri Fisher) some of your most pressing skin care questions (and a few of our own!)
To really treat acne, we need to understand what it is. So- what is acne?
Rachel McAdam: Acne is a skin condition that usually occurs on the face, and sometimes neck, chest and back. It occurs when the hair follicle becomes blocked with sebum and skin cells leading to the development of often inflamed spots.
I managed to escape puberty relatively unscathed, but was struck with adult acne in my 20s. My question is: why?! I thought I was safe!
Dr JoAnn See: The cause is not straightforward. Genetics play a part, as do hormones or medical conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome. Research also suggests stress may be a trigger for acne later in life.
We know our diet, lifestyle, hormones and environment have an effect on the skin. What percentage of our skin woes can really be treated by topical skincare?
Dr JoAnn See: It won’t work if you don’t use it! We need clean skin to apply topical acne treatments to and as they can be irritating we need a moisturised barrier for protection. Good skin care can help with medical acne management.
What’s the difference between blackheads, whiteheads and those painful red spots that never come to any head?
Lauri Fisher: A lot of people think blackheads are trapped dirt but this is a misconception. Both blackheads and whiteheads occur when oil, dead skin and bacteria become trapped in your pores. A blocked pore may be open to the air (blackhead) or closed by skin (whitehead). Being open to the air causes oxidation, which turns the tip black, hence the name blackheads. It has nothing to do with dirt. Blackheads are non-inflamed blemishes. They are typically flat, aren’t red or swollen, and they don’t hurt. When blemishes turn painful and red it’s because the bacteria can aggravate an immune response which causes inflammation.
So do different types of acne need to be treated differently?
Dr JoAnn See: The best thing you can do to treat your acne is to talk to your healthcare professional. There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to acne. Different treatments act via different mechanisms. Therefore, treatment will need to be selected according to your acne type and individual circumstances.
Your doctor knows the best treatments available for acne. They can select from products that unblock pores, control oil production, reduce bacteria or regulate hormone levels. Their choice will depend on the severity of your acne, potential for scarring, the emotional impact acne is having on your life and your medical history. You may need combination therapy such as a cream or lotion and an oral medication for best results.
I’ve used Effaclar SpotScan so I can personally vouch for its efficacy- but how does it work?!
Lauri Fisher: The technology is quite fascinating, it’s based on an algorithm for lesion identification. The first step in creation of the algorithm was to collect over 6000 patient images. These patients had varying phototypes and were of different ethnicities to allow adaptability of the algorithm to the global population. The images were first evaluated by 3 dermatologists who completed manual lesion tagging. These images were then used to train the algorithm in lesion identification.
Two years of trialling and improvements led to an algorithm reaching an accuracy level comparable to the dermatologists’ severity analysis.
It’s quite simple, and you can access the website through your smartphone. It involves taking three
pictures; front face, left profile and right profile. The algorithm applies lesion tags to the images and measure the severity of acne. It only takes a few minutes to complete. You are given your acne grading and skincare advice and/or advice to consult a dermatologist.
Are there any key ingredients we should be looking out for- to either use, or avoid?
Dr JoAnn See: For products that are used on a daily basis, skin care has to be non irritating and ideally cosmetically appealing and relatively inexpensive. Acne is often inflammatory and some acne treatments can be irritating so a cleanser and moisturiser that can be partnered with medical treatment is recommended.
After using Effaclar SpotScan, I was prescribed acne-fighting products from the La Roche-Posay Effaclar collection. What is it about the Effaclar range that makes it so good at clearing the skin?
Lauri Fisher: The range contains dermatological solution adapted to each oily skin profile. It has active ingredients such as niacinamide, zinc, LHA and salicylic acid that are known to be very good for acne. In addition to the fact that all products being formulated for sensitive skin.
How long should we allow for a new skincare routine to start delivering results?
Dr JoAnn See: Some patients can switch to a more effective skin care routine and see results as soon as 4-6 weeks. Often people are using inappropriate skin care that contributes to the problem!
This post is sponsored by La Roche-Posay.
