Over the next 4 blogs I will be going over the 3 different levels of acne & how to treat it.

Let’s talk about what acne really is and what causes it. Once you understand how acne is formed, it’s much easier to treat.

Acne is a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of the skin glands and hair follicles. Since it forms under the skin, washing away surface oils doesn’t do much to prevent or cure it.

A hair follicle (pore) branches to glands that produce sebum (oil). These sebaceous glands produce a small amount of oil to help keep the skin hydrated and healthy. This oil stimulates the follicle to shed cells within the follicle for healthy natural exfoliating. When oxygen enters the hair follicle, it kills the “p” bacteria that tend to hide within the follicle. This oil, along with the dead cells, flows to the top of the follicle and is secreted on the skin’s surface. Regular cleansing of the face will then wash it all away.

But for some people, the sebaceous glands are producing too much oil (sebum).

This can be caused by:

• hormones
• stress
• trauma
• environmental factors
• … & several other reasons

This excess oil will stimulate the follicle to shed cells more rapidly. These cells & oil cannot make it to the surface of the skin fast enough so they start to stick together, forming a plug. This plug traps the sebum & prevents the oxygen from entering the follicle and killing the “p” bacteria.

So how do you treat acne?

All you need to do is:

• slow down the sebaceous glands
• keep the pore open
• kill the acne “p” bacteria

Then voila...NO more acne. Even though this seems simple, the hard part is that the ingredients needed to keep the pore open & clean are often times drying and irritating to the skin. So treating acne becomes a balancing act. You need to use specific acids to keep the pore open, but also need to incorporate ingredients to keep the skin hydrated and healthy.

Derma MD Wasabi products do just this.  We use Micro-Encapsulated Salicylic Acid, which means it is time released into the skin and therefore not as harsh as straight glycolic or salicylic acid. PLUS the salicylic acid helps to slow down the sebaceous glands. We also use natural, gentle Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) which reduces inflammation and “p” bacteria, all while keeping the skin healthy and hydrated.

One more key ingredient that is unique to the Derma MD Wasabi line is Hyaluronic Acid. This is an excellent ingredient to maintain the hydration in your skin. This is the step that is missed by most acne treatments on the market.

Ingredients with latest technology to treat acne include:

• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) 4% or more
• Comparable to 1% Clindamycin (a prescription antibiotic)
• Increases moisture retention
• Helps fight bacteria
• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Reduces Acne “P” bacteria
• Micro-Encapsulated Salicylic Acid
• Nano-Technology delivers superior results
• Superior penetration for better control of sebum
• No irritation
• Non-drying
• Timed release
• Wasabi Extracts
• Anti-bacterial Agent
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Hydrating

Next week we’ll be discussing the different types of acne, and the specific treatments for each.