Treatment of acne, blackheads (pimples)

Acne (blackheads) is a chronic inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. The manifestation of this disease can spoil the appearance and cause physical discomfort.

Types of acne, blackheads (pimples)

Non-inflammatory elements (comedones) look like small tubercles or spots of different colors. Comedones can be open or closed.

Open comedones are dense, superficial rashes. They are usually gray or black in color due to the oxidative reaction of their contents with oxygen.

Closed comedones look like white bumps and resemble small grains of millet. Accumulated sebum has no way out, which leads to painful inflammation. Closed comedones often turn into classic red pimples.

Inflammatory elements are immediately noticeable due to their size. The skin around them becomes thinner and redder, and the purulent contents of the pimple are visible through it. When palpated, painful or uncomfortable sensations usually occur.

There are several types of inflammatory rashes:

• Papules (red pimples) are inflamed comedones without obvious purulent content. They look like small red or pink balls without a white head. They usually protrude above the surface of the skin. If a papule has formed at the site of an open comedone, then a dark plug can often be seen through the skin.
• Pustules are infected papules or, more simply put, pimples with purulent contents and a white head surrounded by inflamed skin. They appear when, in addition to sebum and bacteria, dead skin cells get into the pores. According to shape, there can be cone-shaped pustules, flat or spherical ones. Their color can vary from white to yellow or green.
• Nodules (nodules) are deep, hard subcutaneous papules of bright red, bluish or purple color, ranging in size from 1 to 3 cm, protruding to the surface of the skin, often accompanied by purulent discharge. After recovery, pigment spots and scars are left behind.
• Cystic acne is a sign of damage to the deep layers of the skin, indicating the presence of inflammation with the formation of pus. Cysts located at a short distance from each other tend to merge, forming a whole chain connected by fistulas.

Causes of acne (blackheads).

• Hormonal changes in the body;
• Genetic predisposition;
• Pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• Harmful habits;
• Diseases of the digestive system;
• Poor nutrition;
• Disruption of the integrity of the skin and inflammation;
• Incorrectly selected cosmetics for skin care;
• Features of the structure of the skin;
• Taking certain medications (for example, anabolic steroids).

Methods for treating acne, blackheads (pimples). Modern medicine offers many ways to treat acne, blackheads (pimples). But not all methods can cope with any type of acne. Let’s look at each treatment method separately and find out how effective they are in different situations. Generally, all treatment methods are divided into laser (hardware) and injection.

Laser (hardware) acne treatment methods at the Era Esthetic Avenue medical center are carried out using the following laser medical equipment:

Vbeam Candela. The Vbeam Candela laser is used not only to remove vascular pathologies, but is also used to treat acne, while evening out the skin tone. The Vbeam device is aimed at the vascular component during the formation of post-acne, which allows you to remove the red component of scars, making them less noticeable.

Nordlys Candela. Nordlys Candela kills bacteria and at the same time reduces the activity of the sebaceous glands. That is, it works immediately with 2 main causes of skin inflammation.

GentleMax Pro. The action of the GentleMax Pro laser is based on the absorption of laser radiation by the protein shell of the acne bacterium and accompanying flora. The mechanism of action is direct destruction of bacterial colonies. The effects of laser treatment are similar to antibiotic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy is an effective hardware technique for various forms of acne.

The goals of photodynamic therapy: Reduce the number of bacteria and remove inflammation; Reduce the effect of androgens on the sebaceous glands and reduce sebum production; Eliminate follicular hyperkeratosis and open pores to normalize the outflow of sebum.

The Era Esthetic Avenue medical center uses 2 photodynamic therapy devices: Omnilux. Medisol Deleo.

HydraFacial. The procedure with the HydraFacial device provides the skin with gentle exfoliation, deep hydration and nutrition. It removes keratinized particles of the epidermis and excess sebum – factors that provoke the appearance of comedones and pustules. This type of care is recommended to be carried out regularly for comprehensive skin health and improvement of its appearance.

HydraFacial is used for mild to moderate acne. During the procedure, the cosmetologist uses therapeutic serums that increase the effectiveness of skin cleansing and saturate it with beneficial components.

Préime DermaFacial. Vacuum facial cleansing Préime DermaFacial for the treatment of acne is a comprehensive hydro peeling procedure that helps get rid of acne, relieve inflammatory reactions, heal and rejuvenate your skin, additionally providing a moisturizing and lymphatic drainage effect.

Injection methods for treating acne at the Era Esthetic Avenue medical center: Drugs are injected under the skin that have a dissolving, stimulating, anti-inflammatory effect. Thanks to the drugs, you will not only speed up the post-acne recovery process, but also improve the overall condition of the skin: the tone is evened out, surface wrinkles are smoothed out, and the skin becomes more elastic. Injection treatments help improve skin condition and reduce existing problems. Most often, a specialist can use meso-cocktails of various compositions, which will strengthen the skin’s immunity, fight pigmentation and oiliness.

Mesotherapy helps to narrow pores, makes the complexion even, removes stagnant spots, and activates local immunity.

Botulinum therapy involves the injection of a drug (Dysport) into those areas where there are rashes, for example, the T-zone or V-zone. Used in combination to reduce sebum production, and for rosacea – for blood vessels.

PRP therapy (plasma therapy) is used to fill post-acne scars with collagen stimulants and smooth out the skin texture. The abbreviation PRP stands for ‘platelet-rich plasma’ – it is autologous cell biotechnology based on stimulating tissue regeneration. The patient’s own blood in this case is the medicine. The source is mesenchymal stem cells that retain the ability to divide throughout life and platelet growth factors. The patient’s blood is placed in a test tube and then into a centrifuge, where the blood components are separated based on their density. During centrifugation, plasma with platelets moves to the upper pole of the tube. It is this plasma that will be used in the future. The maximum effect of PRP is achieved by moving and enhancing physiological regeneration at the point (layer, zone) of the injection. The ERA ESTHETIC AVENUE medical center provides plasma therapy with Regenlab and PlasmoActive (Radiesse, Collost).

Indications for the procedure:

• Oily skin.
• Overactivity of the sebaceous glands.
• Acne (blackheads).
• Skin imperfections, enlarged pores and other consequences of acne.

Contraindications to the procedure:

• Pregnancy and lactation;
• The presence of general diseases that disrupt tissue trophism – diabetes mellitus in the stage of decompensation or decompensated arterial hypertension;
• Oncology;
• Fresh tan;
• Epilepsy.

Preparation for the procedure.

• 3 weeks before the procedure, you must refrain from sunbathing and visiting a tanning salon.
• You should also avoid scrubs and peels a week before the procedure.
• It is also recommended to inform your doctor about the presence of chronic diseases, taking medications, and allergic reactions at a preliminary consultation.

Care after the procedure.

• Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 daily;
• Avoid decorative cosmetics for 24 hours;
• Avoid visiting bathhouses, saunas, and tanning salons.

The effects of the procedure.

• The skin structure becomes more even;
• Active inflammatory elements disappear, the skin is cleared of pimples and acne;
• Oily shine disappears;
• Post-acne hyperpigmentation becomes lighter.

The advantages of this procedure at the Era Esthetic Avenue medical center. Only Era Esthetic Avenue specialists can offer such a variety of innovative methods for treating acne (blackheads), since  the medical center has implemented practically all the latest technologies.