Why Acne Happens And How To Treat It

We’ve all heard the saying, “life isn’t fair,” right? Unfortunately, neither is acne. 

Acne isn’t picky and according to the American  Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S.  It has absolutely no care in the world regarding when, where, and who it shows up on.  And it certainly doesn’t care if you have plans where one or two pimples could make you feel as though your night is ruined. If you’re out there struggling with acne, know you’re not alone!

What exactly is acne? 

Oh, you mean other than annoying spots and red circles on your face that seem to show up at the most inconvenient times? To put it simply, acne is a skin condition that occurs when pores become clogged with oil, dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria.

Acne doesn’t come in one standard shape or size. Whether tiny and pesky or big and in the way, pimples just make themselves at home. So, what are the different types of acne? 

• Whiteheads — Small pimples under the skin. They appear white or flesh-colored. 
• Blackheads — Clearly open and visible on the surface of the skin, blackheads appear black in color and usually need to be extracted. 
• Papules — Small, solid, rounded bumps that rise from the skin. They are often red in color.
• Pustules — These pimples are usually full of pus. Red and pus ridden on top, they are visible on the skin’s surface. 
• Nodules — Similar to Papules, but larger. They can be painful and are embedded deep in the skin.
• Cysts — pus-filled cysts are visible on the skin’s surface and commonly cause scarring.

As if one kind of pimple wasn’t enough, they really had to throw in five more. No worries, though! We can tell you why this is happening so you can get ahead of it.

Why does acne happen? 

So we know that clogged pores can lead to pimples — tell us something we don’t know, please. There are four main factors that cause acne; excessive oil production, hair follicles clogged by oil, dead skin cells and dirt, bacteria and excessive activity of androgen hormones (hormonal changes) . 

Each pore of your skin is the opening of a follicle. The follicle is made up of a hair and a sebaceous oil gland. The oil gland releases oil (sebum), which travels up the hair, out of the pore and onto your skin to keep your skin lubricated and soft. Since sebaceous oil glands are found on the face and scalp more than anywhere else, it’s easy for pimples to show up on the face and next to the hairline

One or more problems in the lubrication process can cause acne. Too much sebum can be produced and dead skin cells accumulate in your pores. Sometimes,  dead skin cells aren’t shed — yikes. When this happens, those dead skin cells remain in the pores and get stuck together by the sticky sebum which causes blockage in the pore, causing a buildup of bacteria (infection), resulting in one of the pimples listed above. 

Even though the sebaceous glands begin producing sebum at birth, sebum production may increase up to 500% when there is excess activity of androgen hormones during puberty and hormonal changes.which is why acne is most often found in teenagers and women acne can pop up at any age.   

We can’t forget acne mechanica, also known as sports acne. This form of acne is most common in athletic people and occurs when a mix of sweat, oil, heat and friction from workout clothes, create the perfect recipe for acne. Sports acne is commonly found on the face, hairline, chest and back.

So, what can you do to help your skin? 

The days of you standing in front of the mirror and trying to pop each individual pimple are behind you! Plus, this is really bad for your skin. 

While there isn’t a magic potion to clear up that uninvited acne, there is a system that could become your new bestie. 

The CLENZIderm System is here to help you fight all your acne concerns with just three products that help kill bacteria and control excess oil production

This CLENZIderm System is formulated for normal to oily skin. Safe and lightweight, this product digs deep to reach acne spots from their starting point to rid the skin of troublesome acne. Even though this is a system that works best when used together, your doctor may recommend only using one or two depending on your skin type. 

If a more subtle regimen seems to work for you and your breakouts, at-home care is never frowned upon! When it comes to taking care of it on your own, though, be sure you’re taking care of your skin properly by:

• Washing at night — Grab a facial cleanser and be sure to cleanse off the debris from the day before snuggling up. We recommend our SkinMedica AHA/BHA exfoliator or the SkinMedica Facial Cleanser 
• Moisturizing — Whether it’s a serum or a thicker lotion, we recommend having one or the other to keep your skin hydrated. Try out  SkinMedica HA5 Hydrator 

Using a Vitamin C Serum — Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Brightens and rids the skin of stress and free radicals. Try the Vitamin C Serum at 15% or 20%

Okay, we get that these steps can seem like a lot. But really, it’s super important that we can add these three things into a daily regimen for ourselves.

• Washing your face at night rids your skin of any dirt, and bacteria you may have come into contact with during the day. It leaves your skin free of any dead skin cells and feeling smooth before bed. 

Nothing beats a good moisturizer. Keeping your skin hydrated so it doesn’t become flaky, dull, or itchy is important to maintain glowing skin. Be sure to find a moisturizer that works well for you to keep your skin at perfect hydration all day.

• Vitamin C serum is a sweet little holy grail product you’ll want to have on hand, morning and night. This will help to lock in that hydration, brighten dull skin, and give skin a youthful glow. This will also help to rid the skin of any debris it came into contact with throughout the day.
• Use makeup that is oil free or labeled “non comedogenic (not pore-clogging). And always remove makeup before bed.
• Always shower after any sports activities or exercising to rid your pores of oil, sweat and dirt.

Taking care of your skin in and out of a dermatologist’s office or a medical spa really is 80%of the battle. What you do at home is just as important as what you get from a medical spa treatment since you should be using products to help your skin every single day. 

The skin itself is important. We should want to shield it from the harsh ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, hydrated, and keep it looking its best. Ridding your skin of debris from the air, free radicals, bacteria, and acne doesn’t have to be so hard and with Juvly, we want to make it easy!

Pairing your skincare routine with a medical spa treatment of your choice with Juvly every 4-6 weeks will get you that much closer to clearing up those unwanted breakouts. 

• Juvly Signature Facial — nothing like pampering yourself and clearing up your skin. A facial at Juvly not only comes with extractions to pull all the dirt out of your pores but, exfoliation to rid your skin of dead skin cells and debris from the air. Finish out your relaxation time with a signature mask and steaming
• Microneedling — the Cadillac of all spa facials. The Skinpen creates micro-injuries in the skin to create a channel to trigger the body to fill these wounds by stimulating collagen production

Microdermabrasion — it’s time to unclog those pores! Followed by extractions, microdermabrasion exfoliates and removes the top layer of dry, dead skin cells, allowing the skin to breathe

• Chemical Peels — an option to treat most skin concerns, chemical peels enhance cell turnover and ride the skin of dead skin cells 

There are many ways to help your skin from a breakout, no matter the circumstances. Breakouts don’t define you, and Juvly wants to make treating those pesky breakouts easy and pain-free! It’s time for a long-overdue break-up with those unwanted pimples. And trust us, you won’t miss them.

Be sure to schedule your free skincare consult with us today for any questions you may have on where to start and what TLC your skin might need. If you’re already an expert on your skin and feel as though you’ve tried it all, call or book online here for your next spa treatment to pair with your skincare regimen. A little demo work on your skin has never looked so fun, right?