Is it Really Acne?
As you are no longer a teenager, you may question if those red bumps on your face are really zits. How can you tell if it is really a case of adult acne? “Adult acne lesions tend to be deeper, more cystic (feeling like a rubber ball), and more localised to the centre of the face and the jaw line than adolescent acne,” says dermatologist Dr. Richard Fried in his book Healing Adult Acne.

While acne is a common skin condition, characterised by whiteheads, blackheads, and inflamed red pimples or “zits,” the impact of acne can be a major distress no matter how old you are. “Acne is an obstacle to beautiful skin,” says New York dermatologist Doris J Day in her book 100 Questions and Answers About Acne, “It distorts the otherwise smooth contour; leaves the skin red, bumpy, and uneven in tone; and leaves behind scars that last a lifetime. It makes people feel embarrassed and self-conscious. It creates a barrier between the beauty within and the face that we put forward. The good news is that, if treated early and appropriately, it can be controlled so that the negative impact is minimised, or ideally, completely erased.”

WHITEHEADS. When the hair follicle openings are clogged and eventually blocked with dead skin and oil secretions, whiteheads are formed as bumps on the skin.

BLACKHEADS. Usually dark and blackish in colour, blackheads are the first signs of acne. It is formed before bacteria invade the pores of our skin, which in turn results in infection and inflammation.

PUSTULES. Pustules are soft pimples filled with pus, which reside on the surface of the skin or deep within it. Those that are superficial break easily, either by themselves or by the process of washing. Pustules disappear quickly, within three or four days.

ACNE CYSTS. Formed by two or more adjacent blemishes coming together to form a single, red, tender swelling, acne cysts are large areas of inflammation deep within the skin. They are often filled with a thick, creamy fluid made up of pus, dead cells, and sebum.

01: Acne Scarring
One of the most distressing aftermaths of acne is scarring. Generally, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue, appearing as visible reminders of injury and tissue repair. In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body’s inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle. Two types of true scars exist: depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and raised thickened tissue such as keloids.

02: Skin Ageing
Acne can speed up your skin’s ageing process because of hydrogen peroxide produced by the skin to fight off each acne infection. Hydrogen peroxide is a free radical which causes skin damage and skin ageing. After some time, the volume of hydrogen peroxide acts just like continual sun exposure, damaging skin components such as collagen and causing the skin to sag and wrinkle.

03: Hyperpigmentation
Long after pimples, pustules and cysts have cleared, red or brown “reminder spots” may be left behind. This condition is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which are the result of the intense inflammation that surrounded the hair follicle and caused deposition of pigment into the skin. Hyperpigmentation usually clears with time. Preventing actions that can irritate pimples can help a lot in lessening the chance of developing hyperpigmentation caused by acne.

Beauty Secret While it is not completely proven that diets and acne are solidly linked, it does not hurt to give dietary change a try. Some foods which contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities may help to alleviate the condition. For example, fish oil, green tea, avocado, berries, pomegranate, beans, whole grains, nuts, dark green vegetables and ginger. Purifying Power SOTHY’S Desquacrem A deep biological cleanser of remarkable efficiency, Desquacrem eliminates persistent impurities and softens subcutaneous blackheads, giving you a radiant complexion. Designed to digest fatty excretions and disencrust the follicular orifice, enzymatically emulsifying waxy esters (oily impurities), comedones (blackheads) and milia (hard waxy deposits) accumulating deeper in the tissues, Desquacrem prepares the skin to absorb serums and treatment creams allowing for a more efficient utilisation of their active ingredients. With astringent and lipo amino acid as key ingredients, this product gives off a gel-like texture and becomes creamy foam when emulsified with water. www.sothys.com Break Free from Breakouts Leaf and Rusher .2 Acne Serum Tx™ This fast-acting serum comforts and controls the symptoms of troubled skin, swiftly addressing the root cause of acne concerns. Formulated with the most advanced form of botanical extracts and vitamins, the serum treats existing breakouts and reduces the frequency of future problems. This complex, highly evolved treatment contains a unique soy extract that, with regular use, can help control regular recurring breakouts. This serum is part of the Tx Acne .1.2.3™ Collection; and best used with the .1 Acne Foaming Cleanser and .3 Acne Spot Tx™. www.leafandrusher.com Deep Clrearing Exposed Acne Treatment System Using Tea Tree Oil and herbal ingredients such as Jojoba and Green Tea, Exposed is an anti-bacterial approach to remove the source of the pain, swelling and spread of acne. It is mild enough for extra-sensitive skin and has been proven to be hypoallergenic. Best of all, it does not produce reddish skin (a common side effect of acne treatments) and comes with a 1-year money back guarantee. www.exposedskincare.com Mineral Care Adovia’s Natural Acne Soap This soap is specially developed to treat acne by using natural minerals carefully extracted from Dead Sea water and mud. The glycerin present in this soap acts to dry your acne blemishes, while at the same time your skin is deeply nourished with Dead Sea minerals and finally soothed with gentle Aloe Vera. This acne soap also effectively removes dirt, bacteria and impurities, thereby reducing the chances of further outbreaks. Contains natural oils that moisturise the skin without leaving it oily. www.mineralskincare.com Balancing Act Sodashi Balancing Concentrate Part of the BALANCE range, the Balancing Concentrate gently exfoliates and deeply cleanses the skin, leaving it soft and fresh. Designed for normal to oily skin, it is suited to those wanting to balance the skin and treat skin problems like acne caused by excess oil. With its astringent and toning properties, lime helps prevent breakouts and congestion by clearing excess oiliness from the pores. Lemon removes dead skin cells while lavender, palmarosa and petitgrain stimulate new cell growth, boosting the skin’s natural exfoliation process. Petitgrain is ideal for oily skin, helping to tone and tighten the skin in addition to its valuable cell regeneration properties. www.sodashi.com Zits Zapper Zeno Mini Acne Treatment Device When you catch a cold your body’s natural response is to fight it off with a fever. Zeno builds on the same idea. Zeno uses heat to kill what’s causing the blemish – the bacteria inside. A handheld, portable beauty device that makes pimples disappear fast using gentle, natural heat, Zeno “reads” your skin, then delivers precisely controlled low-level heat directly to the pimple. Zeno is for people with mild to moderate inflammatory acne, also called pimples, blemishes, zits and spots. It does not work on blackheads, whiteheads and the severe form of acne called cystic acne. www.myzeno.com Damage Control Sodashi Blemish Treatment This leave-on gel is designed to rapidly heal and clear skin blemishes. Plant essences including myrtle, palmarosa, German chamomile, calendula and spike lavender have been selected for their antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their ability to control infection and stimulate the repair of damaged skin. In addition to quickly and effectively reducing blemishes and inflammation, Sodashi’s Blemish Treatment can also be used to help prevent and treat scarring. Part of Sodashi’s EVERYFACE range, it is suitable for all skin types. www.sodashi.com Inside Out SkinB5 4-Step Complete Acne Control Program Vitamin B5 is proven to be effective for treating the production of sebum, the main cause of acne breakouts. Taking cue from this, SkinB5 combines Vitamin B5 with other selected powerful natural ingredients in its 4-step complete acne control program. This program incorporates: the Acne Control Tablets, a time-release formula to control and manage acne by delivering key vitamins and minerals to the body; the Acne Control Cleanser to unclog pores and remove excess skin oil and dead skin; the Acne Control Moisturiser, a light antioxidant-rich formula to prevent breakouts; and the Acne Control Capsules to fight blemishes and maintain healthy skin. www.skinb5.com Light Effect The Tända Clear™ Acne Light Therapy Treatment This treatment system brings you a dermatologist-recommended hand-held device that delivers powerful light therapy treatments - in the comfort of your own home. The device’s Blue Light LED produces a targeted 414 nm beam that kills acne-causing P.acnes bacteria, helping to eliminate current imperfections, keep future breakouts at bay, and improve skin texture, colour, and tone. This set includes the Tända Clear Skin Treatment Device, Light-Optimized Cleanser and Light-Optimized Anti-Blemish Gel. www.tanda.com For Him SOTHYS HOMME’s Matifying T-Zone Fluid Targeting the male skin that is 25% thicker than female with a higher level of sebum production, this lightweight fluid moisturises minus the greasy feel. Made from the revolutionary active Phytomalt, Birch Sap, Provitamin B5 and D.Panthenol to soothe, hydrate and firm skin to a fresh and matifying radiance it a wonderful rescue for those oily T-Zones that become breeding grounds for whiteheads. It is the perfect tool for a man’s skincare routine. No-fuss, non greasy and highly efficient! www.sothys.com; www.128faubourgforhim.com.my