Acne

What is acne?

You get acne when the tiny hair follicles in your skin get clogged with dirt, grime, oil, or dead skin cells. The trapped oil causes bacteria to build up and multiply until an inflamed lesion forms on the surface of your skin, usually on your face, back, shoulders, chest, upper arms, or neck.

Acne shows up on your skin in a number of different ways, including:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Whiteheads
• Blackheads
• Pimples
• Hepatitis 
• Cysts

Acne is a common skin problem with symptoms that can come and go, and vary in severity.

What causes acne to flare up?

While the general cause of acne is clogged follicles, several things may cause your condition to worsen:

• An unbalanced diet high in processed foods
• Certain medications, like corticosteroids
• Hormonal changes, like pregnancy, puberty, or menstruation
• Acute or chronic stress

Despite the myths, not washing your face or using certain cosmetics or face creams do not cause or worsen acne.

How is acne treated?

Dr. Kapoor meets with you to examine your skin and evaluate your health history. She reviews your self-care routine and advises you if you can improve your at-home skin regimen.

Depending on how severe your acne is and how it is affecting your confidence and quality of life, she guides you and helps you understand the benefits and risks of each type of treatment.

Dr. Kapoor uses a combination of methods to help reduce your inflammation and keep your pores open so that you’re prone to fewer outbreaks.

Some of the treatment options available to you at ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine include oral and topical medications, creams, ointments, gels, and skin revitalization treatments. Dr. Kapoor can also help diminish the appearance of acne scarring.

Don’t let acne steal your confidence or keep you from being social. Call ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine to learn more about acne treatments for teens and adults or request an appointment online today.