What treatments are available for acne?
Acne is quite a complex condition. The medical staff at Midland Skin have extensive experience in treating acne, including hormonal acne, resistant acne, complex acne, maskne, acne that recurs following Isotretinoin courses, and acne that is mild but chronic and difficult to control.
We also offer treatments for acne scarring.
Your journey should begin with a Dermatology Acne Consultation.
An individual treatment plan may include a combination of treatments. Further treatments may be added at regular follow-up consultations.
Assessment of your skin will also help establish if you have folliculitis, fungal acne, rosacea, perioral dermatitis or other overlapping diagnoses that may require a separate line of treatment.
The top acne treatments we offer at Midland Skin
- Topical therapies with proven active ingredients – which include prescription medications and bespoke creams that may contain ingredients containing topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, clindamycin, azelaic acid, AHAs, nicotinamide
- Antibiotics – short or long-term, pulsed or continuous
- Hyfrecation of comedones
- Roaccutane (Isotretinoin) – also known as Accutane in the USA
- Spironolactone
- Chemical peels – particularly salicylic acid
- Forever clear BBL laser treatment
- Laser Genesis
Treatments offered at Midland Skin for acne scarring
- Laser to reduce redness
- Laser resurfacing
- Hybrid laser treatment
- Tixel
- Subcision
- TCA Cross
- Filler injection
- Filler-subcision
- Punch excision or elliptical excision of acne scar
- Keloid scar treatment
What is acne?
Acne can be a very different problem for different people.
For some, acne may involve the odd spot, whereas for others, it causes persistent, large inflamed pustules and nodules, which may cause the skin to scar.
We help a large range of people of varied ages with the whole spectrum of acne.
What types of acne are there?
Acne may be comedonal in which many blackheads (open comedones) and skin-coloured bumps (closed comedones) form.
Acne may also be inflammatory, with red spots (papules) and puss heads (pustules).
Severe acne can lead to the formation of large lumps (nodules) and cysts.
Greasy skin may or may not be present.
Who gets acne?
Acne is common during the teenage years. It seems to be becoming more frequent among adults, with almost 30% of 20-year-olds and 20% of 30-year-olds suffering from recurring outbreaks.
Why does acne need treatment?
Several research studies have shown that acne causes low self-confidence and a poor quality of life. Treating acne leads to a measurable improvement in quality of life. Treating acne early will also prevent scarring.
Cure versus control
Acne is a chronic condition, and treatment is designed to control the symptoms. A treatment plan is introduced at your first visit and augmented during subsequent visits until adequate control is reached. With regular reviews, a high number of patients find their acne comes under good control though patience and persistence are required.
What causes acne?
There are 3 main factors:Cells lining hair follicles become ‘sticky’. This causes the hair follicles to clog up.A lot of sebum is produced by sebaceous glands, and if hair follicles are clogged, the sebum builds up.Overgrowth of Proprionobacterium acnes, a skin bacteria that likes sebum and causes inflamed pussy spots.
