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Most of the treatment options for acne may take one to three months to start working. So it’s important to give each regimen or drug enough time to work before giving up on it and moving on to other treatments.
The teen years are when puberty and sexual maturation take place.
One of the most rapid phases of bodily development, adolescence is marked by many hormonedriven changes. These hormones play a major part in setting the stage for a teen rite of passage – Acne. Dermatology Specialist, Dr Cheong Lai Leng describes the condition and how to treat it.
Acne is a collective term used to describe several blemishes, namely, congested pores, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, pustules or cysts (deep pimples).
These occur wherever there are concentrations of oil (sebaceous) glands, mainly on the face, chest and back. It is important to seek advice early since medical treatment can improve appearance and treat the condition fairly quickly, depending on the type and severity. Teenagers are most vulnerable to it, fuelled mostly by all the hormonal changes they are undergoing.
Acne treatment includes oral medications like antibiotics and isotretinoin as well as prescription-grade creams and lotions for application on the affected areas. If left untreated for an extended period of time, acne can leave permanent scars.
Lack of personal hygiene also slows down healing, which can cause scarring.
This may cause even poorer self-esteem in adolescents already self-conscious about their looks.
“The important thing when it comes to treating acne is patience. Most of the treatment options for acne may take one to three months to start working. So it’s important to give each regimen or drug enough time to work before giving up on it and moving on to other treatments,” explains Dr Cheong.
There are numerous cosmetic procedures that can reduce the appearance of acne scars, and many have shown remarkable results.
They either aim to remove the skin discolouration left by inflammation, stimulate new collagen production, or skim off the layer of damaged skin and encourage new, clearer and smoother skin to regrow in the affected area.
Laser treatment is one of the methods which stimulates collagen regrowth, hence replacing the scarred areas on the epidermis. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy, chemical peeling and subcision can also produce good results.
