Acne Treatment

What is acne?

Acne is a prevalent skin condition that develops when your hair follicles or pores become clogged with sebum – the oil produced by your skin – dead skin cells, and bacteria. You can have whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, inflamed lumps deep in your skin, or some combination of these.

Acne can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. It can develop anywhere on your body, but it’s most often found on your face, neck, shoulders, back, and chest.

What causes acne?

There is plenty of misinformation about what causes acne. For example, it’s a common misconception that dirty skin, chocolate, and greasy food trigger acne, but these are just old wives’ tales.

Your hormones are the primary cause of acne as they stimulate the extra sebum in your skin that gets trapped in your pores. Your genes and family history also contributes to your risk of developing acne. Medications that influence your hormones can also cause breakouts.

How is acne treated?

At Select Family Practice and Urgent Care, Mr. Hatefi and the rest of the team offer customized exams and treatments to reduce your acne. After examining your skin and possibly taking a blood sample to screen for hormonal imbalances and other conditions that could contribute to your acne, Mr. Hatefi can suggest topical ointments to reduce inflammation and bacteria on your skin. He can also prescribe oral medication to minimize your breakouts and clear your skin.

You should have regular appointments for Mr. Hatefi to monitor the effectiveness of your acne treatments. He can adjust your prescriptions if necessary to achieve your desired results.

How should I take care of my skin at home?

You need to use appropriate skin-care products to keep your skin clean and clear of bacteria, and also to reduce inflammation. Mr. Hatefi can recommend products specific to your skin needs.

You should also try to avoid touching your skin or picking at your pimples. The temptation is great, but the more you touch your skin, the more likely you are to spread bacteria. Also, broken skin can lead to other infections and problems.

If you’re concerned about acne, call Select Family Practice and Urgent Care or book an appointment online today.