So what is acne really and how does acne form?
Acne is a genetic condition of the pore. And if you are someone who is acne-prone, your dead skin cells are shedding at a faster rate than the average person. (The average person sheds about one layer of dead skin while someone who is acne-prone sheds about five layers of dead skin.) To put it simply, someone with who is acne-prone, their skin is shedding so fast their skin can't keep up with it.
Think of it like a little kid going down a slide. In a person who is not acne prone, the dead skin cells are able to shed naturally and exit the pore. The kid (dead skin) slides down the slides and gets off.
Now, this is what happens in someone who is acne-prone. The little kid (again, the dead skin cells) goes down the slide and decides to sit at the very bottom of the slide after. Then, the next kid goes down and gets stuck. Then, the next kid goes down and gets stuck. Then, the next kid goes down and gets stuck.
The dead skin cells begin to stick together and build up, and then this is what then creates a clogged pore.
So no you have a clogged pore, and then you have oil. The oil can't go through because we have that blockage, so now the oil gets stuck underneath that clogged pore, then bacteria begins to grow and multiply underneath that.
This is then when the immune system responds, and white blood cells come which creates that inflammation, redness, breakouts and pustules, you'll see on the skin.
So if you are someone who has acne, no. It is not because your skin is "dirty". Your pore is genetically programmed to shed dead skin cells differently than someone who isn't acne-prone.
When it comes to treating acne, the goal isn't to dry out the skin, but to make sure your skin hydrated and supported, and on on the right ingredients with the right percentages.
This is also why in person treatments alone cannot "fix" or "cure" your acne, and why consistency with home care is so important. Acne is an ongoing process, and home care is what is going to help manage and keep that acne at bay.
If you are someone who is struggling with acne, I would love to help you and support you in understanding your skin. I offer both virtual and in person care and click here to start your skin journey.
Until next time,
Stay Barefaced
Providing customized facial treatments for acne, pigmentation, anti-aging, and bridal skin prep facials designed to deeply clean, clarify, decongest pores, reduce inflammation, and support healthier, more radiant looking skin throughout the throughout the Framingham, MA community and surrounding affluent neighborhoods like Nobscot, Saxonville, South Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Wayland, and Sherborn.
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