Virtually no one goes through life without experiencing acne at some point. And while acne has a teenager reputation, over 50% of women and 40% of men age 26 or older develop it, too, according to one study.
Regardless of your age, seeing a dermatologist may make all of the difference, especially if your symptoms are severe or long-lasting.
At Northstar Dermatology in Fort Worth, Texas, our board-certified dermatologists provide effective acne treatments to reduce symptoms of all types and severities. Read on to learn more about this common skin condition, including ways we can help.
What lies beneath your symptoms
The bumps, blackheads, and pimples of acne usually appear on areas of your body that have the most oil glands, including your face, chest, shoulders, or upper back.
These glands are connected to hair follicles, which can bulge outward, resulting in a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged with oil and bacteria, you’re likely to develop a blackhead. Pimples form when blocked follicles become infected or inflamed.
All of these factors can fuel acne symptoms:
- Bacterial buildup
- Clogged hair follicles
- Inflammation of your skin
- Too much oil production
- Hormonal changes that affect your oil glands
- Certain medications, such as corticosteroids, lithium, and testosterone
While stress and starchy foods aren’t known to cause acne, they may make your existing symptoms worse.
When (and why) to seek professional help
In some cases, acne flare-ups stay pretty mild and diminish on their own. In others, over-the-counter solutions or improved skin hygiene habits help keep symptoms at bay.
If your acne keeps coming back, stays around endlessly, or becomes painfully severe, you should see a dermatologist — both to alleviate your symptoms and to prevent complications, such as scarring and pigmentation changes.
At Northstar Dermatology, we find that getting the care you need for your acne can not only ease your physical symptoms, but bring a great deal of emotional ease as well.
Depending on the specifics of your condition, we may recommend one or more of the following treatments:
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Hormonal treatments
- Isotretinoin
- Oral and topical antibiotics
- Salicylic acid
- Tretinoin
We help determine your personal acne triggers, so that you can lower your risk of future outbreaks, and we make lifestyle recommendations that may help.
To learn more about acne or get the treatment you need, call our Fort Worth, Texas, office or request an appointment through our website. We would love to help you get back to a complexion you feel confident about.
