What treatments are available?
Acne treatment can be broadly divided into:
• Topical medication
• Oral medication
• Light-based treatment
• Silk Peel
• Chemical Peel
• Injections of steroids (for very severe and
resistant cases only)
We usually like to combine severalVPL modalities for
optimal results. If you have mainly comedonal acne,
treatment with a drug like Adapalene or a PCA equivalent
can be very effective.
However most patients will have a combination of comedones
and inflammatory acne and using Adapalene by itself
may not be good enough. In such circumstances, our experience
is that a combination of a topical retinoid such as
Tretinoin (trans-retinoic acid; Vitamin A acid) together
with potent home care products containing a variety
of actives such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide
and Azelaic acid can show dramatic results. A course
of oral antibiotics may be added depending on the clinical
assessment.
However such a combination while being synergistic,
has the potential for side effects such as peeling,
flaking, irritation, itch and redness. The good news
is that theses unpleasant effects are easily controlled
by using these products tactically, specifically and
purposefully. Another manner in which we find very useful
to prevent such side effects is to use a really good
moisturizer. And when we say good, we mean really good
ones – not just any run of the mill “keep
moist cream”. In our experience, dermaheal’s
hydrobalance fluid and PCA’s moisturizers are
good enough to manage the discomfort from peeling.
VPL Light based treatment and
Silk Peel
This is an exciting treatment area that continues to
give impressive results regardless of acne type. VPL (Variable Pulsed Light, similar to IPL) works by using
heat and light of the correct wavelength to destroy
the bacteria proprionibacterium acnes which
is responsible for acne. Silk peel is an innovative
and revolutionary concept of microdermabrasion (which
we are all familiar with) combined with dermal-infusion.
Our experience has demonstrated that patients can get
good improvement of acne just by using VPL and Silk
Peel. When combined with the topical treatments highlighted
above, results can be further enhanced.
Chemical Peels
Using a modified Jessner’s preparation, chemical
peels are excellent tools in calming certain
types of acne.
We use PCA’s preparation of Lactic Acid 14%,
Salicylic acid 14%, Kojic acid 3% and Citric acid, which
is potent enough to penetrate to the lower epidermis
(and hence enough to cover the depth of most hair follicles)
to exert its anti-acne effect. The presence of Kojic
acid 3% also helps with pigmentary problems and PIH
that often accompany acne conditions. (Post-inflammatory
hyperpigmentation)
The chemical peel process is described in detail here.
Oral medication
Oral antibiotics and oral retinoids may sometimes be
prescribed in conjunction with our treatment. This will
vary from patient to patient.
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