How we create a bespoke treatment package to improve your acne
- 19 September 2018
- Posted by: rtwskin
- Category: Blog
How we create a bespoke treatment package to improve your acne
By Dr Fatima Ahmed
We all know what acne is, right? Yes, but acne can come in a range of severity – from mild to severe – causing a variety of additional complications. That’s why we tailor all our treatments, so we achieve the best possible results for you.
It doesn’t matter if you have only a few outbreaks of spots, or if your face and chest are covered with them, whether you have mild scarring or have deeply marked skin – what matters is how you feel about your acne. If you don’t want to live with it – especially if it’s knocking your self-confidence or making you feel self-conscious – it’s important to find a dermatologist who will work with you to find the best solutions for your particular symptoms.
The symptoms of acne
Acne typically flares up during puberty. It’s a condition that burns itself out, normally as the hormone levels stabilise in later teenage years, but it can last into your 40s. The symptoms include:
Whiteheads and blackheads: Caused by excess oil and dead skin cells blocking the follicles
Red or pus-filled spots: Caused by the normally harmless acne bacterium multiplying (due to the production of excess oil) and causing infection and inflammation
Scarring:
Rolling – broad depressions with rolling edges
Boxcar – broad depressions with more sharply defined edges
Ice-pick – deep, narrow, pitted scars
Hyperpigmentation (discolouration of the skin):
Postinflammatory erythema – pink or purple flat patches
Postinflammatory pigmentation – brown marks, seen in people who tan easily
Postinflammatory hypopigmentation – white marks
Our treatment options
Exactly which treatments we suggest will depend upon your symptoms and how extensive they are. We always recommend starting with the less aggressive appropriate solution and assessing the results, before progressing to the next option. We offer a wide range of treatment options, which we often use in combination to achieve optimal results, including:
Topical medications – including a very effective cleanser to take away your excess oil
Education – helping you understand what causes your acne and how you can best manage it is key to our approach
Chemical peels – salicylic acid peels specifically used for reducing inflammation, as well as specific chemical peels to improve the appearance of mild scarring
Specific acne facials – extraction facials in which your blackheads are manually removed
LED treatment – to improve inflammation by killing the acne bacterium
Laser procedures – different lasers can be used to kill the infection which leads to inflammation and spots or to treat scarring and hyperpigmentation
Derma rolling – to improve the texture and appearance of scars
Platelet Rich Plasma injections – to promote wound healing to reduce the appearance of scars
Subcision – useful to release very deep scars so they aren’t so pitted
Roaccutane – very occasionally, we refer a patient with very severe acne back to a consultant in the NHS if we think oral medication is the best solution; however, given the potential side effects of this drug, we only do so when we believe it really is the best option.
By considering your specific symptoms and how extensive they are, we can create a bespoke package to treat all your acne symptoms to help bring your condition under control, educate you to manage it and improve the appearance of any secondary complications so you look and feel your best.
Book a no-obligation consultation to discuss acne treatment and other dermatology procedures with Dr Fatima Ahmed
Call 01892 22 22 22
Meet the expert
Dr Fatima Ahmed is a speciality doctor in dermatology and aesthetics, with special interests in acne, mole and skin lesion diagnosis. With medical qualifications from Pakistan, Canada, the UK and USA, she achieved academic distinction at Cardiff University and received the Chancellor International Scholarship award at the University of Hertfordshire. She has worked in South Asia, the Middle East and the UK