June is Acne Awareness month so I thought, why not share some not so well-known facts about treating acne: ACNE HAS NO CURE!
Acne is a chronic (long term) skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells, it usually appears on the face, chest, upper back and shoulders.
In Nigeria, Acne affects 35 – 90.7% of the population, so you’re not alone and it’s no wonder that our skincare industry is rife with dozens of acne treatments, most of which do more harm than good to the skin… but that’s a story for another day.
You’ve probably seen an ad for a product which claims to cure acne forever and rushed to buy because the race for glass skin is real and no one wants to be left behind.
Being an acne warrior myself, I understand the emotional toll it takes on a person and why most people are so desperate for a cure that they fall for these deceptive ads without bothering to figure out exactly what is in the so-called cure and how it is supposed to help them fix their skin.
One thing you haven’t realized if you still fall for these ads is that ACNE HAS NO CURE!
Acne is a chronic skin condition; this means it lasts more than one year and requires ongoing medical treatment as life goes on. This is why expecting a certain product to clear your acne is quite unrealistic.
Instead, it is better to seek out treatments, products and lifestyle changes that can help improve it. But always keep in mind there is always still a chance that the breakouts may return.
Knowing this changes the way you approach your skin with acne, at least it did for me. I stopped fighting my skin, started caring for my skin and then I started to see improvements
In the next few paragraphs, I will be sharing the 3 categories of ingredients that I used and currently still use to keep my acne-prone skin in check.
1. Skin Identical Ingredients
This category of ingredients usually wouldn’t make it to these type of lists because they are not as popular in the acne world but for me, they are the bedrock of an effective acne treatment protocol and here’s why; one of the triggers of acne, especially adult acne is a compromised lipid barrier and these skin-identical ingredients are the ones that help to repair this barrier, strengthen the skin and provide an ideal surface for acne-fighting ingredients to work without irritating the skin
Examples of these ingredients are: cholesterol, Ceramides 1 2 & 3, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, amino acids, glycerine, glycerol, sodium hyaluronate, lactic acid and so on
The two products I use are Dr Jart Ceramidin Liquid and Biossance Squalene + Omega Repair cream
2. Skin Exfoliating Ingredients
These are ingredients that gently get rid of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Exfoliation is an essential part of an acne-fighting routine but it has to be done right for you to get the results that you need.
When treating acne, there are two main acids that I lean towards:
a. Salicylic Acid: This works by penetrating clogged pores and cleaning them from the inside out. This is important for acne-prone skin (with blackheads and whiteheads) because clogged pores are a major factor that contributes to the formation of acne.
Here we have my personal favourite PC 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
b. Lactic Acid: This is one of the skin-identical ingredients that doubles as an exfoliant that is very helpful especially for skin with inflamed/cystic acne.
The Ordinary 10% lactic acid + HA got the job done perfectly for me.
3. Acne Treatment Ingredients
There are many ingredients under this category and sadly there is no rule of thumb as to how to choose a product that will DEFINITELY work for you, for most people with acne they have to go through the different products one after the other to find one that works. This is why you need a professional to hold your hands through this journey and its important to know that these products need to be used for up to 12 weeks before you evaluate their effectiveness. Its skincare, not magic!
Here I did a lot of trial and error before I learnt properly about skincare but, I wouldn’t bore you with all those details. Here are the ones that finally gave me the results I sought back then:
a. Epiduo Gel Forte
b. A 20% Azelaic Acid Gel (I got from my dermatologist).
c. Retinoic Acid
Remember that no matter what treatment you choose, using a good sunscreen is non – negotiable!
I still struggle with breakouts till date but they don’t bother me as much so I can say my acne battle is won!
If you still struggle with acne, remember that a lot of the process is trial and error and this goes for even medical treatments sometimes so don’t give up just because your first round of treatment didn’t work, you will find your holy grail if you keep at it and remember to be patient.
Now tell me, what products have you tried in your quest for acne treatments & did you have success with it? Let us chat in the comments!
Chiko is a Clinical Nutritionist whose love for skincare led her to also become a cosmetic scientist.
When she is not working at the clinic, she is sharing science based skincare tips on Instagram @theskintelligentchic You can find her on twitter @lifewithchiko.
