What is active acne?
Acne is a condition in which the hair follicles on the face become clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, resulting in lesions. In Singapore, an estimated 88% of adolescents deal with acne. Of this, almost half tend to deal with acne well into adulthood. Additionally, a study has shown that in Singapore, adolescent acne is more common among men, while post-adolescent acne is prevalent among women.
Acne is the cause of insecurity and self-consciousness for many. Thankfully, acne is normalised in popular culture today, creating many online communities for support. However, acne is not a condition one has to live with forever. You can overcome acne and attain your dream of healthy skin with proper treatment.
There are many types of acne, including:
- Acne vulgaris: an inflammatory disorder of the skin caused by the bacteria propionibacterium acnes (p.acne). These may manifest as blackheads and whiteheads.
- Comodones: flesh-coloured bumps on the face that may develop into acne vulgaris.
- Papules: inflamed comedones that are comparatively large.
- Pustules: pustules are inflamed acne filled with yellow or white pus. When not treated appropriately, they typically cause pigmentation issues.
- Nodules: solid and firm bumps under the skin without any openings at the site. They can be particularly stubborn and persistent and are indicative of severe acne.
- Cysts: pus-filled lesions that are painful and large. These are typically indicative of patients struggling with severe acne.
- Fungal acne: acne infected by the fungus Malassezia. In its latent stages, it can turn into acne and pustules.
What causes active acne?
As mentioned earlier, acne results from clogged hair pores; excess sebum and dead skin formed at these hair follicles become breeding grounds for bacteria. While sebum production is often associated with oily skin, dry skin can also produce excessive amounts of sebum due to overcompensation for its dryness.
Apart from the mechanisms of how acne is formed, other causes of acne include:
- Hormone imbalance: drops in oestrogen levels and a rise in androgen levels can cause acne formation. This can also result from stress, poor sleep, and underlying hormonal disorders.
- Hygiene: while cleanliness does not directly impact acne, touching your skin with unclean hands, not washing your face sufficiently, and sleeping on old pillowcases can exacerbate acne.
- Diets: certain diets can exacerbate acne, such as refined and processed food, dairy, and sugary foods.
- Weather: Singapore’s humid weather can worsen acne, and this is mainly seen among expats who visit the country and deal with sudden acne outbreaks. In hindsight, returning from a country with a dry climate could have also initiated biological changes on your skin, causing acne outbreaks.
- Pollutants: an external environment that is significantly high in pollutants can trigger acne breakouts known as chloracne. You may be facing acne outbreaks, particularly during the hazy seasons in Singapore.
- Improper skin regimen: patients who dive into skincare at the sight of acne often face worsened outbreaks. Incorporating an improper skincare regimen can be worse for your skin and cause more harm than good.
What are the symptoms of active acne?
Below are some symptoms that may be indicative of an acne problem:
- Acne that spreads to other regions of the face, neck, and back
- Acne that persists for months
- Acne that is growing larger
- Scarring and pigmentation issues, which worsen your skin texture
- Facial pains from acne sites
- Persistent itching, which causes you to pick at your face
- Increased impact on self-esteem
Is active acne painful?
In more severe cases, patients have reported painful acne that significantly impacts their quality of life. This is most common among patients with cystic acne. The pain induced by acne results from inflammation of the skin. To reduce the sensation of pain, you may attempt to ice your face (known as ice facials) at home. It is important to note that icing your face does not treat acne but rather subsides inflammatory reactions on the face.
Who is at risk of active acne in Singapore?
Given the myriad of causes of acne, it is safe to say that acne does not discriminate. Acne can happen to virtually anyone at any time. Some factors that may increase the risk of acne are:
- Age: as mentioned above, adolescents (13-19) tend to face acne issues.
- Gender: women tend to face post-adolescence acne and are often triggered by hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause.
- Frequent travellers: abrupt changes in water quality, air quality, and humidity in the air can cause acne troubles for avid travellers.
- Underlying health conditions: patients with hormonal disorders and other health conditions may experience acne as a side effect of the condition itself or the medications used to treat them.
How is the presence of active acne identified?
At One Face Clinical Skincare, a consultation is necessary to evaluate your skin and acne physically. A certain acne pattern on your face may prompt us to advise you to have a further examination with a specialist.
What are the options for active acne in Singapore?
Depending on the cause of your acne, the type of acne and its severity, there are a variety of options offered here at One Face Clinical Skincare:
- Skincare regimen: we will evaluate your current skincare routine and recommend an appropriate skincare regimen to improve your condition.
- Clinical facials: facials may be advised to help improve acne and extract impurities from the skin.
Frequently asked questions
Acne scars result from picking, prodding, UV exposure, and skin irritation. Acne does not have to result in scarring. With appropriate guidelines and care, you can avoid the formation of scars.