ACTIVE ACNE PROGRAMME
Acne is a common condition that has affected most of us at some point in our lives. It is most common among adolescents but can also affect those well into their adulthood. Acne is caused by an inflammation of the oil and sweat glands, and usually affects the face, shoulders, chest or back. It is also contributed by the P.Acnes bacteria that usually lives on our skin.
Certain factors can worsen acne. This includes hormonal imbalance, certain drugs, humid environment, stress and poor sleep. Some research has also found that dairy and sugar intake can worsen acne control. For most people, acne control improves with age.
Acne comes in the form of a few types.
COMEDONAL
These are early acne. They come in the form of closed comedones (whiteheads) or open comedones (blackheads)
INFLAMMATORY
These occur when comedones get inflamed, resulting in red bumps that may contain pus
NODULOCYSTIC
These are large, painful nodules or cysts. There is a good chance these might leave a scar after recovery.
The severity of acne can be graded based on the number of lesions on the face.
Mild acne consists of less than 20 comedones, less than 15 inflammatory lesions or less than 30 lesions in total.
Moderate acne consists of 20-100 comedones, 15-50 inflammatory lesions or a total lesion count of 30-125.
Severe acne consists of more than 5 cystic lesions, total comedone count of more than 100, total inflammatory lesion count of more than 50 or a total lesion count of more than 125.
Treatment Options
Mild acne is generally treated with topicals. Creams containing retinoids, antibiotics, benzyl peroxide or a combination of ingredients may be used to good effect. Chemical peels, lasers and light-based therapies can also speed up resolution.
Moderate acne may require an addition of an oral antibiotic or oral contraceptive pills in addition to the above treatment options for mild acne.
Severe acne may require a course of isotretinoin.
STEP 1 - HYDRAFACIAL / MILK PEEL
Patients start with a Hydrafacial or a Milk Peel to exfoliate the skin, unclog pores and remove excess oil and dirt. The Hydrafacial cleanses, exfoliates and hydrates the skin, removing clogged pores in the process. At the same time, serums containing ingredients like salicylic acid are infused, effectively combating acne. The milk peel is effective in treating acne by exfoliating dead skin cells, reducing inflammation and removing substances that clog up sweat and oil glands.
Doing this prior to laser treatments prior will also allow the skin to better absorb light energy during the subsequent steps. We will alternate Hydrafacials and Milk Peels every month.
HYDRAFACIAL - SGD$ 840
MILK PEEL- SGD$ 900
STEP 2 - LASER TREATMENTS
This is followed by laser treatment. We start off with a long pulsed NDYag laser. A long pulsed NDYag laser heats up the skin gently and shrinks oil glands responsible for acne. It also decreases inflammation and redness by targeting tiny blood vessels in the skin, helping red and inflamed areas recover faster.
This is followed by a Picosecond laser to treat post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the dark spots left on the skin after an inflamed acne lesion recovers. This laser breaks up pigments into smaller particles so that the skin can get rid of them more quickly.
The right settings need to be used to prevent the skin from becoming irritated and causing further breakouts.
SGD$ 2,700
STEP 3 - LED TREATMENT
The session will conclude with Blue LED Light. Blue LED light therapy controls acne by targeting Porphyrin, a substance produced by the P.Acnes bacteria. When exposed to blue light, Porphyrin readily absorbs the light energy, killing the bacteria in the process.
Treatments are done once a month.
SGD$ 600
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