Acne

A number of factors can contribute to the development of acne, including:

• Genetics: There is a tendency for acne to run in families, suggesting there is a genetic component that can increase your risk of developing acne.
• Hormones: Hormonal changes caused by puberty, pregnancy, menopause, stress or a medical condition can increase oil production which in turn can stimulate acne.
• Diet: A high glycaemic index (GI) diet full of processed and refined foods can worsen acne. Consumption of dairy products can also exacerbate acne in some individuals.
• Cosmetics: Thick makeup and skincare products can clog the sebaceous glands, as can some hair products that come into contact with the skin.

For mild cases of acne or oily skin, a good skin care regimen may be sufficient to manage the condition. Look for lighter formulations of cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreens with labels like “non-comedogenic” and “oil-free.” Incorporating active ingredients like niacinamide, alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, benzoyl peroxide and topical retinoids into your routine can help balance sebum activity, clear congestion and prevent acne from forming.

We recommend seeking out professional help to receive a bespoke medical skincare plan that is suitable for your skin. Our dermal clinician can review your current skincare routine and help you find the most beneficial prescription and non- prescription products for your skin. Book your dermatology appointment.

Avoiding irritation of the skin can reduce inflammation and acne lesions. Those prone to acne tend to over-cleanse and use harsh products on their skin to reduce congestion. Though this may sound like a logical approach, it is usually counterproductive. Excessive use of oil-stripping products can increase irritation, oil production and skin cell turnover, increasing blockage of the pores and resulting in more acne lesions. This will need to be treated before continuing with topical products.

It’s also important to avoid heavy makeup and oil-based products if your skin is vulnerable to blocked pores. Many people use products such as Bio-Oil and rosehip oil on their skin, which can aggravate acne. Non-comedogenic makeup and mineral makeup are safe to use.

In addition to its skin-firming capabilities, RF microneedling can improve the appearance of skin texture and scars, including acne scarring. Formed when the deeper layers of the skin are damaged, scars develop due to the body fighting to quickly heal the skin, resulting in a different quality and structure of collagen being produced. RF microneedling treatments break down old scar tissue, replacing it with new, healthy collagen structures.

Usually, a course of 3 to 4 treatments a month apart yield best results.

The skin tightening effect will take 3 months to show, and the smoothing and evening of pigment effect should become apparent in 2 to 4 weeks.

Some RF microneedling devices have been reported as painful, however the Focus Dual that we use at our clinic is a very tolerable treatment due to a number of factors:

• The Focus Dual has the option of non-insulated needles for less discomfort, bleeding and less downtime.
• The Focus Dual has the finest needles on the market at 0.16 mm again leading to less discomfort, bleeding and less downtime.
• No local anaesthetic injections are required unlike some other RF microneedling devices.
• The Focus Dual has vacuum suction to pull the needles into the skin rather than the operator having to push the needles down into the skin. This offers a more precise treatment depth with less risk of slipping.

Treatments are minimally invasive with patients reporting low levels of discomfort. The target area may feel warm and appear slightly red for about 4 hours after treatment, but this quickly subsides.

Generally, for treatments of the face or neck we will not go beyond the depth of the epidermis and dermis, unless the aim of the treatment is to reduce some fat volume from the lower face or chin as well as to tighten the skin. In these cases, the Focus Dual needles are capable of going to a depth of 3.5 mm. Normally we are treating at a depth of up to 1.5 mm for collagen generation on the face and neck.