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Acne occurs when the pores become plugged. Blackheads, whiteheads,
pimples, and deeper lumps (cysts or nodules), occur on the face, neck,
chest, back, shoulders, and even the upper arms. Acne is experienced
by both teenagers and adults all the way through their 40’s.
Untreated acne can leave scars, which can be treated by Dr. Pilest.
Although acne can be upsetting and disfiguring, break outs can also
lead to serious and permanent scarring.
Hormones found in both males and females rise during adolescence (puberty)
and stimulate and enlarge the oil (sebaceous) glands of the skin.
These glands are found in the face, upper back, and chest. Rarely,
acne can be due to a hormonal imbalance. The oil glands are connected
to a hair-containing canal called a follicle. The sebaceous glands
make an oily substance called sebum, which reaches the skin surface
by emptying through the skin surface opening of the follicle. The
hair follicle opening is sometimes called the pore. The oil (sebum)
causes the cells from the follicular lining to shed more rapidly and
stick together, forming a plug at the hair follicle opening. Bacteria
grow and stimulate inflammation, which causes the wall of the follicle
to break. The skin cells spill into the skin causing redness, swelling,
and pus.
Acne is not caused by the foods you eat. Dermatologists have differing
opinions on the importance of your diet in the management of acne.
One can conclude that a strict diet by itself will not clear your
skin, but if certain foods seem to make your acne worse (Soda, chocolate,
or fried foods), then try to avoid them. It is always important to
obtain a well balanced diet. Drinking a good amount of water helps
hydrate the skin.
A tan can temporarily mask your acne. Sunlight ages the skin and can
cause skin cancer, therefore, you should not sunburn, “bake
in the sun,” or use sunlamps. Choose a sunscreen that is oil-free,
such as a gel or light lotion.
If you wear a liquid foundation or use a moisturizer, look for ones
that are oil-free and not just water-based. Choose products that are
“non-comedogenic” (should not cause whiteheads or blackheads
or “non-acnegenic” (should not cause acne).
We recommend Colorescience Mineral Makeup because  of the absence of potentially pore-clogging filler ingredients. These are
products are available at Total Dermatology. Be sure to thoroughly
remove your cosmetics every night with an oil-free cleanser and water.
A flesh-tinted acne lotion containing Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic
Acid, or Sulfur can safely hide blemishes. Also, shield your face when applying
hairsprays, perfumes/colognes and gels.
Control of acne is an ongoing process. Acne treatments work by preventing
new acne. Treatment takes time. If your acne has not improved after
6 to 8 weeks, you may need a change in your treatment. The treatment
Dr. Pilest recommends will vary according to your type of acne. Occasionally,
an acne-like rash can be caused by makeup, lotions, or from an oral
medication. It is important to help Dr. Pilest by providing a history
of what you are using on your skin or taking internally. Dr. Pilest
can then choose the best way to cure your acne. The following are
a list of options available at Total Dermatology to assist you in
clearing up your acne.
• Many non-prescription or over the counter acne lotions and
creams help milder cases of acne. However, many these products may
dry out your skin if used too often. When using these products, follow
instructions carefully.
• Dr. Pilest may prescribe topical creams, gels or lotions with
Vitamin A acid or Benzoyl Peroxide to help unblock the pores and reduce
bacteria. These products may cause some drying and peeling but are
highly effective. Dr. Pilest will advise you on the correct use and
how to handle side effects.
• Along with creams, antibiotics, such as Cleocin, can also
be applied to the skin. These are used in less severe cases of acne.
• In severe cases of large red bumps or cyst break-outs, Dr.
Pilest may inject Cortisione directly into the bumps to help them
go away.
• Dr. Pilest or his licensed Aesthetician may open pimples or
remove blackheads and whiteheads. Don’t be tempted to pick,
scratch, pop, or squeeze pimples yourself. When the pimples are picked
at, more redness, swelling, inflammation, and scarring may occur.
• Antibiotics, such as Tetracycline, Doxycyline, Minocycline,
or Erythromycin, may be taken orally. Medication is often prescribed
for moderate or severe cases, especially when acne is seen on the
back or chest. Antibiotics reduce the bacteria in the follicle and
my also decrease the skin’s redness directly. Women may develop
vaginal yeast infections when taking antibiotics. If this occurs,
discontinue medications and contact Dr. Pilest immediately for treatment
of the yeast. Check with Dr. Pilest about taking antibiotics if you
are pregnant or nursing, or if you are trying to get pregnant.
• Birth Control pills have a significant improvement on acne.
Oral antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.
Women who are taking birth control pills may notice a significant
improvement in their acne.
• Other drugs may be used to help with severe acne. These include
female hormones or medications that decrease the effects of male hormones.
Another oral medication, Isotretinoin is sometimes used when acne
does not respond well to other treatments. Patients must understand
the side effect to Isotretinoin. Frequent follow-up visits are necessary
to monitor side effects. These drugs can cause severe birth defects
if taken during pregnancy.
• Smoothbeam is a non-invasive laser treatment that targets
acne with absolutely no downtime and a low risk of side effects. A
treatment takes between 10 to 30 minutes allowing you to return back
to work directly afterwards. The number of treatments and interval
of treatments vary depending on the severity of the condition and
the extent of the improvement desired. Dr. Pilest uses a small hand
piece that touches your skin to deliver the laser light.
You will feel a quick spray of coolant onto your skin during each
laser pulse. Results from Smoothbeam may vary depending on anatomical
location and the extent of desired results. Several treatments may
be required before these results can be seen. Precautions should be
taken before and after treatment. One must avoid sun exposure for
4-6 weeks before treatment, and again after treatment. An appointment
with Dr. Pilest should be made to discuss the best treatment plan
for your skin.
• Fraxel has become the most effective scar reduction treatment
available. Fraxel laser treats the skin by way of thousands of microscopic-sized laser beams.
Fractional technology makes this procedure a fast-healing skin resurfacing, planing down the ridges of
scar tissue and encouraging new collagen formation to improve skin texture and integrity on a more global basis.
Fraxel is not a panacea for everyone, and some skin types must be treated very carefully to prevent post-inflammatory pigmentation.
Dr. Pilest and our dedicated Laser RN have vast experience in safely treating ethnic skins which tend to be prone to hyperpigmenation.
Fraxel Re:pair CO2 Laser is the latest procedure for acne scarring. For shortened treatment options for improving the appearance of your acne scars, Fraxel's CO2 laser may be your best option. A skin evaluation with Dr. Pilest will determine which laser will give you the best response.
• Vbeam has recently been used for treatment of acne and red acne
scars. Vascular Beam Pulsed Dye Laser delivers an intense but gentle
burst of laser light to the skin. The laser light is specifically
absorbed by the blood vessels on the vascular lesion. These vessels
are gently heated and coagulated. The laser has a unique ability to
selectively target the blood vessels of a vascular lesion and lessons
the redness of the skin. The skin is protected during laser treatment
by a dynamic cooling device, which sprays a cool liquid onto the skin
before each laser pulse, cooling the upper layers of the skin and
providing patients with an increased comfort. It is safe, painless,
and effective for acne reduction and lessoning of redness from acne
or acne scars.
• ClearLight system is a therapeutic light
that treats moderate inflammatory acne quickly, easily, and painlessly.
ClearLight destroys the most common bacteria that cause acne within
the skin. Results may be seen in 4 weeks. This drug-free treatment
is one of the safest acne treatments available. With ClearLight, there
are no side effects. The treatment takes about 45 minutes and should
be done twice a week for 4 weeks. During a primary consultation, Dr.
Pilest will determine the best treatment plan for you.
• Photodynamic Acne Treatment
is a new procedure used to treat resistant acne as well as older acne scars
leaving skin smoother. This process begins with an agent, Levulan,
applied to the skin, then activated with specific wavelengths of light.
The procedure takes 45 minutes. The Levulan agent targets all acne
glands, acne rosacea (redness), and benign bumps on the skin. This
treatment decreases skin oiliness, and the appearance of pores is
minimized. The all over skin texture improves. Redness and skin peeling
may occur during the first two days and you must avoid sun exposure
the following day. 3-4 treatments are recommended at 2-3 week intervals
to obtain optimal results. There are no side effects.
2008 © Total Dermatology is one of Southern California's top laser dermatology centers offering
laser treatments for
sundamage,
pigmentation,
acne and acne scars
and
Fraxel CO2 laser for 3 in 1 skin rejuvenation. A Nonsurgical Nose Job is possible with simple injections of Radiesse.
Dr. Pilest, a Board Certified dermatologist and one of Orange County's most
popular cosmetic dermatology specialists, offers patients in Orange County a wide variety of
wrinkle fillers such as
Restylane,
Juvederm,
Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast,
Radiesse (also known as Radiance), and
Sculptra. Dr. Pilest treats patients from the Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills,
Tustin, Mission Viejo and Orange County area as well as cities throughout California, the United States and abroad.
He is recognized as a master level injection specialist and is a national
teaching faculty member for Bioform Medical. Dr. Pilest is well known for his
expert treatments in managing
Rosacea,
acne, and
hyperpigmentation.
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