What is acne?

Human skin has pores that connect to oil glands under the skin, which connect to follicles that contain little hairs. The glands produce and secrete an oily liquid called sebum. The job of sebum is to carry dead skin cells through the follicles, to the surface of the skin. Often, the skin cells, sebum and hair combine together to form a plug, causing the follicles to get blocked and infected with bacteria. This causes a buildup of oil under the skin’s surface and acne starts developing.

So essentially, acne is the result of clogged pores infected with bacteria. These bacteria can come from external pollutants in the air, touching your face with unclean hands, unwashed bed sheets, greasy hair touching the face and a range of other lifestyle, environmental and genetic variants. Typically, acne begins in puberty, affecting predominantly adolescents and young adults, but can affect people of all ages.

So what can I do?

“I have acne, what can I do?”  is a complaint made by men and women, across all ages, globally. It is a complaint that unites us all. Unfortunately, breakouts happen to everyone at some point in their life. In fact, acne is the most common skin condition in Australia affecting up to 85 percent of people at some point in their life. For some, it’s minor; for others, it’s debilitating. So what can you do about acne?

1. Avoid bacterial exposure 

How frequently do you wash your bed sheets? How frequently do you wash your hands throughout the day? Is your hair touching your face during your workouts? Are you constantly using your phone? Throughout the day we are exposed to bacteria from a number of sources, and unknowingly transport these bacteria to our skin from our hands or direct contact. Our phone alone contains 18 times more bacteria than a public toilet, yet we’re pressing it to our cheeks for phone calls and having it on our pillow as we sleep.

Clean surfaces regularly and avoid any surface coming into direct contact with your skin.

2. Use effective skincare products

 An ideal skincare routine for acne-prone skin involves the double cleansing method, toner, moisturizer and in more serious cases an acne treatment like benzoyl peroxide or tea tree oil as a natural alternative. A proper skincare routine assists with the breakdown of blackheads and whiteheads, works to reduce bacterial growth. Your skincare products should be non-comedogenic, meaning they don’t block the pores, and dermatology-grade to ensure they are effective and don’t contain nasty chemicals. 

 3. Exfoliate regularly 

As mentioned, acne is caused when pores are clogged. This happens when bacteria is not effectively removed from the skin regularly, causing acne, oily skin, blackheads and dead skin cells on the top layer giving the skin a dull, dry appearance. Exfoliating with Blanche Beauty’s microdermabrasion at home kit works to remove the grime on the skin surface to prevent future breakouts and remove clogged pores. A study conducted on microdermabrasion for acne found that 96 percent of participants noticed an improvement in their acne after consistently integrating microdermabrasion into their skincare routine. Microdermabrasion helps the skin to appear brighter, smoother and glowing, stopping acne in its tracks.

You don’t have to be crippled by your acne, follow these three tips to get rid of acne for good.