Acne And Oily Skin

The triad of acne, oily skin and clogged pores is a form of chronic skin condition that may result in long term emotional and physical scarring if left untreated. Acne is also known as pimples, zits or blemish is caused by bacteria such as bacteria P. acnes that settles in the pores of the skin. Acne is prominent in areas such as face, chest, back or even scalp as these areas tend to produce more sebum and clogged pores. Acne is a form of inflammatory skin disorder that can affect anyone from 20’s to 40’s, especially teenagers. Acne treatment varies among individuals depending of the acne treatment algorithm that has graded acne into mild (comedones), moderate (papules), to severe (nodular and cystic). There are many effective acne treatments to prevent acne scarring. Customisable or combination treatment is hence necessary in order to cure acne condition more effectively.

 

There are several factors causing oily skin. While some people naturally produces more oil, for others, the excess oil produced by the body can be due to stress and changing hormonal levels during puberty. Other factors like a humid environment (here in sunny Singapore), contraceptives and genes can cause excess sebum. Sebum or oil secretions produced by the sebaceous glands is responsible in lubricating our hair and skin. The term clogged pores, comedones - blackheads or whiteheads are formed due to accumulation of excessive sebum and dead skin cells within the pores. The presence of clogged pores will lead to bumpy and rough skin texture and also pushing the pores sideways causing enlarged pores. Clogged pores are more prone to bacterial infection resulting in long term redness, scars and acne marks that stays for days and months. These inflammation or acne scars also named as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is hard to treat. These acne scars and marks tend to be stubborn and often require multiple treatments such as lasers, chemical peel, and whitening products.