Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point and causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that is hot or painful to touch. Around 95% of people aged between 11 and 30 will experience some form of acne.
Most acne is caused by fluctuations of the hormone testosterone that can lead to an increase of sebum in the oil glands. This excess sebum then blocks the skins pores which can encourage bacteria to grow, causing the skin to become inflamed or spotted.
Acne most commonly develops on the:
- Face – this affects almost everyone with acne
- Back – this affects more than half of all people with acne
- Chest – this affects about 15% of all people with acne
The type of spots you can get through acne vary, with the 6 main types of spots caused by acne being:
- Blackheads – these are small black or yellowish bumps that develop on the skin; the black colour does not indicate the presence of dirt, but it is because the inner lining of the hair follicle produces a black colour
- Whiteheads – they have a similar appearance to blackheads, but may be firmer and will not empty when squeezed
- Papules – these are small red bumps, usually less than a centimetre, that can be flat, or dome shaped and may feel tender or sore
- Pustules – similar to papules, but have a white tip in the centre, caused by a build-up of pus
- Nodules – large hard lumps that are over a centimetre in size and build up beneath the surface of the skin and can be painful
- Cysts – the most severe type of spot caused by acne; they are large pus-filled lumps that look similar to boils and carry the greatest risk of causing permanent scarring
How Beauty Barn Acne Treatment Can Help
We start, as always, with a free consultation and assessment to make sure we give the best advice to suit your own individual skin and needs.
We also offer an assessment booked alongside a 30-minute facial (£35) which will allow us a more in depth look at your skin and allow us to provide prescriptive treatments based on your skin needs.
We will use a combination of clinic based treatments and home care.
ACNE FAQS
Is acne hereditary?
While acne is most commonly caused by a combination of individual hormonal and lifestyle factors, it is also known to run in families, with research finding that if both of your parents have had acne then you are more likely to develop acne at a younger age.
There is also research finding that specifically adult acne can be passed on genetically, with the results revealing that if one or both of your parents had adult acne then you are more likely to experience it as well. So, if you have parents that have experienced some form of acne then it is likely that you will too.
Will avoiding makeup make my acne go away?
As acne is commonly brought on by hormonal factors, completely avoiding makeup altogether may not have an effect on the cause your acne. However, by not applying a product to your skin contributing to the blockage of your pores, you may experience some benefit.
You can also look for non-comedogenic makeup products if you have acne because they are formulated to not block pores, therefore reducing the chance of makeup affecting your acne.
Can men and women get acne?
While most may associate acne with teenagers, men and women can also experience acne.
Teenagers are more likely than adults to develop acne due to hormonal fluctuations, with teenage boys more likely to experience acne than teenage girls because of their increased levels of testosterone.
In adults though, women are more likely than men to experience acne. This is because women experience events that change their hormone levels such as periods and pregnancy.
Aside from these events, polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common cause of hormonal imbalance in women. Acne is often a symptom of this syndrome, alongside irregular periods and high levels of androgen which can trigger the growth of excess body hair.
Common female birth control medicines can also exacerbate acne in women. The progestogen-only pill and the contraceptive implant can cause an increased presence of male hormones which in turn make skin oilier and can as a result cause acne.
Does all acne leave scars?
Scarring from acne is most commonly a result of nodules and cysts bursting and damaging the skin. However, all spots can leave scars if they are picked or squeezed as this causes the development of fibrous tissue to heal the injury. As well as leading to scarring, picking or squeezing spots is not recommended due to the risk of infection.
Types of acne scars can vary and are most commonly one of either:
- Boxcar scars – these are round craters in the skin
- Ice pick scars – small holes that give the appearance your skin has been pierced by an ice pick or other sharp object
- Rolling scars – these scars form under the skin, resulting in the skin appearing uneven or rolling
Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point and causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that’s hot or painful to touch.
Acne most commonly develops on the:
- face – this affects almost everyone with acne
- back – this affects more than half of people with acne
- chest – this affects about 15% of people with acne
There are 6 main types of spot caused by acne:
- Blackheads – small black or yellowish bumps that develop on the skin; they’re not filled with dirt, but are black because the inner lining of the hair follicle produces colour
- Whiteheads – have a similar appearance to blackheads, but may be firmer and will not empty when squeezed
- Papules – small red bumps that may feel tender or sore
- Pustules – similar to papules, but have a white tip in the centre, caused by a build-up of pus
- Nodules – large hard lumps that build up beneath the surface of the skin and can be painful
- Cysts – the most severe type of spot caused by acne; they’re large pus-filled lumps that look similar to boils and carry the greatest risk of causing permanent scarring
Get Acne Treatment from Beauty Barn
We start, as always with a free consultation and assessment to make sure we give the best advice to suit your own individual skin and needs.
We also offer an assessment booked alongside a 30-minute facial (£35) which will allow us a more in depth look at your skin and allow us to provide prescriptive treatments based on your skin needs.
We’ll use a combination of clinic based treatments and home care.