June is Acne Awareness Month, a time to debunk acne myths and provide educational resources to raise awareness. Acne can affect anyone regardless of their age, race, or gender. In fact, acne is one of the most commonly diagnosed skin conditions that affects both adolescents and adults in the U.S. In honor of Acne Awareness Month, we’ve dedicated this blog to types, treatments, and helpful tips to empower those dealing with this skin condition with the tools they need to get help. 

Understanding Your Acne Type 

It’s important to understand which type of acne you’re dealing with, as this affects the treatment course that our DAA team will follow! There are various factors that cause acne, which fall into three main categories: hormonal, bacterial, and fungal acne. Hormonal acne is caused by fluctuations in androgens that cause sebaceous glands to overproduce oil, leading to clogged pores. It often occurs on the chin, jawline, and upper neck in female patients. This form of acne tends to be more cystic, causing deep, painful cysts to form. Acne vulgaris is one of the most common forms of hormonal acne, occurring in teenagers and appearing on the face, back, and shoulders. 

Bacterial acne is caused by P. acnes, which rapidly spreads and grows within the hair follicles. It occurs as whiteheads, blackheads, and red, inflamed pimples on the face, forehead, chest, upper back, and shoulders. Fungal acne occurs when hair follicles get infected with a fungus called Malassezia yeast. It appears as clusters of small, itchy, red bumps on the skin’s surface. In some cases, they can turn into whiteheads or pustules, which contain yellow pus.

Acne Treatment Methods 

At DAA, we offer a variety of effective treatment methods to address all types of acne. The first step our team of board-certified providers will take is to create a personalized treatment plan to determine the best course of action. Often, we recommend oral or topical medications depending on the severity of the specific case. If this doesn’t provide optimal results, we’ll then move to acne treatments that may include cosmetic laser treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, Glo2Facial treatments and microneedling. Our experienced dermatologists also specialize in non-surgical and surgical acne scarring treatments that can reduce the appearance of the scars or uneven skin texture! To learn more, visit our website to explore all of our acne treatment options. 

Helpful Tips to Follow 

We’ve curated a few helpful tips to follow before, during, and after a breakout! While some forms of acne are nearly impossible to fully prevent, following these easy tips will help prevent breakouts as much as possible and reduce inflammation or redness. Before you have a breakout, it’s important to wash your face twice a day, remove all makeup before you fall asleep, and switch your skincare products and sunscreen to oil-free. When your breakouts start appearing, it’s best to make an appointment at DAA so we can recommend specific skincare products to address your acne needs. After a breakout, if you experience scarring or uneven skin texture, our team may recommend a chemical peel, microdermabrasion, or a laser treatment to help. 

Whether you’ve been suffering from acne since you were an adolescent or you’ve recently developed issues, DAA is the best place to receive treatment. Our team of board-certified providers and aestheticians is ready to help effectively treat your acne and scarring! To schedule an appointment, complete an appointment request form or call us at 404.256.4457.