“THEacne is back. Despite having just turned 40, for a few months I have noticed the presence of pimples, mainly located on the chin and neck. Having suffered from acne as a teenager I was alert. If living with pimples was already difficult as a child, now as a woman I look at this hypothesis with terror. I would like to understand the cause but above all the possible cure.”
Valentina
Professor Pucci Romano answers
Pucci Romano he is a doctor specialist in Dermatology and Venereology and teach theCatholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome. Member of national and international dermatological associations, he collaborates with national magazines and newspapers. He is president of Skinecoscientific association of ecomatology, and de The Found Bodyfor dermocosmetological care in cancer patients. She is the author of “Buddhist by chance” (Bompiani), “You don’t get old at the table” (Giunti), “A friend for your skin” (Giunti), “Beauty food: the beauty diet” (Sperling&Kupfer), “Questions of skin” (Sperling&Kupfer). He also recently published his first novel, “The Solution”. Through its social profiles it spreads knowledge on eco-dermocosmetics and beyond every day.
Acne, an inflammatory disease
Acne in adulthood, after the age of 30, it is not rare, in fact it affects 12% of women and 3% of men. These figures have been increasing in recent years, I fear due to pollution and cosmetic “mess”. Contrary to what we often hear, acne it is not a physiological condition, but a real inflammatory disease and as such it must be cared for and taken care of. It is multifactorial, that is, with many causes that can favor it, such as the hormonal storm in puberty. But other factors are also able to stress the sebaceous glands and inflame them. These include being overweight, the habit of eating too many refined carbohydrates (the insulin resistance that often results), intense sporting and competitive activity, smoking, hormonal disorders (ovarian, thyroid). Excessive exposure to the sun or artificial lamps, incorrect cosmetics that are not suitable for the skin type, and the intake of certain drugs, such as cortisone, can also favor it.
It should also be emphasized that acne leaves no immunity: it can return at any time if the conditions that determined it are recreated. When you have acne as a young person like Valentina, therefore, cosmetic surveillance is always necessary. Never let your guard down. The skin with this history can be affected in particular moments of life by the excitation of the sebaceous glands, and often incorrect skincare (too rich or too little hydrating, for example) triggers the acne problem again.
Therapeutic approach and dermocosmetological support
Being a pathology, you need to contact a dermatologistwithout being misled by other specialists or, even worse, by non-medical figures. Treatment for acne may include antibiotics, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid. This therapy risks forcing cell turnover too much, resulting in damage to the barrier and suffering of the microbiota, i.e. the set of microorganisms that inhabit our skin very important for its health and food for the hydrolipidic film. If you don’t proceed in parallel with targeted cosmetological supportacneic skin can become very sensitive, to the point of accentuating the inflammatory component. Paradoxically, there is a risk of prolonging recovery times. Not to mention the outcomes and possible scars, for which a prevention strategy must absolutely be set up. Therefore, the winning therapy is the one that creates a synergy between therapeutic approach and dermocosmetological support. It is very important to respect the phases of the disease: it is not at all advisable to do peeling or similar treatments if the pustular phase or in any case the inflammatory component is still active, it would be like buying furniture without yet having the house.
Acne: the correct skincare
The first step to combat acne and impure skin is correct cleansing aimed at keeping the skin clean, but without attacking it. It is important not to degrease the skin too much otherwise you risk a paradoxical effect, i.e. the “rebound effect”: in reaction the sebaceous glands become excited and produce even more sebum. My advice is the so-called “double cleansing”: first with a vegetable oil (which can also be the basis of a milk) and then with a soap rich in surfactantsalso of plant origin, which controls excess sebum gently, does not destroy the hydrolipidic film and does not mortify the microbiota. To complete correct cleaning, together with soap, you can also use a microfibre cloth. The next stage is ensure healthy hydrationalways altered by therapies. A good moisturizing cream with a light formulation should be applied to the clean face, preferably in emulsion or gel, which contains natural anti-inflammatory substances, such as extracts of burdock, chamomile, aloe, liquorice and hydrating principles, such as hyaluronic acid. This also forms a basis for make-up, which should absolutely not be demonized. What makes the difference is the quality of the cosmetics: eco-dermocompatible products cover pimples without damaging the skin.
The times of therapy
If cleansing and applying moisturizing cream are actions to be carried out dailymasks based on clay and astringent powders and scrubs can be included in the therapeutic alternation but in a soft way, without exaggerating. Why aggression doesn’t pay. As well as the rush. Isotretinoin, for example, is a drug derived from vitamin A, very good for treating acne. In addition to being prescribed under strict medical supervision, today we see it working well even at low doses, within 40 milligrams per day, perhaps for a longer time but with a significant reduction in side effects. Unfortunately, in fact, There is no set time for acne skin therapynor is there a single therapy and skincare that is always valid. Both must be modified and adapted depending on the moment in which acne appears. Finally, it is important that the patient approaches the therapies with trust and a lot of collaboration.