Natural Skin Care Monthly Newsletter
May, 2007
With featured articles on skin care, treating facial skin problems, and interviews with skin care practitioners, skin care product providers, and dermatologists.
Cosmetic Skin Care Treatments For Acne
By Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP, CH
Although acne is usually associated with puberty and the teen years, young people are not the only ones who have to deal with this unpleasant condition. Acne can affect anyone, from infants to the elderly. Times of hormonal imbalance, such as pregnancy or menopause, can also trigger acne. Emotional stress is also a factor in some acne cases. Fortunately, there are several options available for treating acne breakouts.
Natural Medications
There are quite a few over-the-counter treatments that can help relieve acne symptoms. Two of the most popular acne products are Aloe Calm&trade, and the facial mist and cleanser Hydra-Tone™. For updates and reviews of these and other acne products, please visit Acne-answers.org.
Facials
Facials can be an excellent antidote for acne. They can cleanse, nourish, renew, and tone the skin. Although each salon will vary in the facial products they choose to employ, the general procedure remains basically the same. Facials seek to cleanse, exfoliate (get rid of dead skin cells), and unclog the pores of the skin.
Products used to accomplish these goals include astringents, cleansing creams, steam cleaners, infrared heat lamps, facial saunas, clay or gel masks, and various motorized facial massagers. Look for a certified skin care professional to perform facials. Keeping your skin clean and your pores tight can be a big help in the battle against acne.
Chemical Peels
I personally do not recommend chemical peels due to the trauma and toxins they expose your skin to. However, it is good to be aware of them for educational purposes. Natural organic peels and masques are a much better option.
Light chemical peels, the most gentle type, are effective at brightening the skin, and can temporarily improve acne. As the name implies, chemical peels involve the application of a chemical solution to facial skin. Light chemical peels remove dead skin cells from the outermost layer of skin (the upper epidermis), and help improve the overall appearance of the skin.
Light chemical peels may use a variety of chemicals. Common solutions are composed of glycolic acid or trichloracetic acid, typically in concentrations of 10-25%. Another popular combination is that of salicylic acid, resorcinol, and lactic acid.
Conventional Dermabrasion
Conventional dermabrasion has been in use for nearly half a century. It is often used in the treatment of acne as well as for other conditions such as age spots, scars, tattoos, pockmarks, wrinkles, and other blemishes. Dermabrasion works by abrading the skin with high-speed rotating brushes attached to a motorized tool. The procedure involves local anesthetic, followed by the application of a refrigerant such as ethyl chloride or flurethyl spray to "freeze" the skin. This helps numb the skin, and also makes it firmer and more receptive to the treatment. Upon completion, the face is bandaged for 24 hours. Dermabrasion can be quite traumatic, and full recovery requires ten days or more.
Skin Buffing
Skin buffing is in essence a milder form of dermabrasion that causes less trauma, and involves a shorter recovery time. Buffing is also useful for the treatment of acne. Buffing is done manually, rather than with a motorized tool, and the technician has much more control during the procedure and can more easily focus on problem areas. Skin buffing usually requires the use of a sedative followed by a local anesthetic. Patients often describe the effects of buffing as similar to a bad sunburn.
Surgery
Severe acne often leads to significant scarring. These deep, rough-edged scars typically aren't helped much by chemical peels, dermabrasion, or skin buffing. However, there are surgical procedures that are quite effective on acne scarring. Punch excision, punch elevation, and punch grafting are three surgical methods that are really "variations on a theme." Each of these uses a tool called a "punch" to deal with acne scarring.
Punch Excision: In this method, the punch is used to completely remove a "plug" of scar tissue. The edges of the scar are then sutured together with ultra-fine material to avoid scarring. In 3-5 days, the sutures are removed, and bandages are applied. Complete healing takes about a week to 10 days.
Punch Elevation: Using punch elevation, the scar tissue in the pitted area is raised up to be even with the surrounding skin. The wound is then bandaged, and fully heals in several days.
Punch Grafting: Similar to punch excision, punch grafting involves removing the scar tissue. But instead of suturing the wound, it is filled with a skin graft from elsewhere on the body, often from behind the ear. Once grafting has taken place, the site is either sutured or bandaged.