Glossary
Acne
Acne is a common medical skin disorder which affects young people during puberty. It occurs as a result of an increase in the production of male hormones in girls and boys and hormonal changes related to pregnancy or menstrual periods.
These hormones stimulate the oil glands (sebaceous glands) to produce more sebum. Hair follicle pores become blocked with dead skin cells, trapping the sebum inside the pore. Bacteria naturally found in the skin (p. acnes) multiply in the pores, feeding on sebum and producing pus, causing a spot to appear on the skin, which often appears red and inflammed. Squeezing or picking spots can make then worse and possibly scar the skin, so it is advisable not to touch the area. A mild scrub should be used to remove dead skin cells. A mild wash and moisturiser/balm should be used daily to keep skin clean and unclogged, but make sure the moisturiser/balm is oil free.
Acne can be treated with over-the-counter medicines and your local pharmacist should be able to advise on a suitable product to use. These products must be used for several weeks to give them a chance to work as this won't happen straight away. If the problem does persist and there is no sign of improvement, then you should consult your doctor.
Acne/Spot scars
Once scars and brown spots have occurred as a result of spots or acne, it is extremely difficult to get rid of them. The best solution is to avoid getting them in the first place. If spots or the more severe acne are not treated early on, it can result in long term scaring, so whatever you do, make sure you do treat your spots at the earliest opportunity. Squeezing spots can also cause scaring, so try to avoid it.
If it is acne, use a daily face wash designed specially for spot prone skin to remove the dead skin and excess oil. Then use an acne treatment product like Benzoyl Peroxide, which will help dissolve the plug and kill the spot causing bacteria. Ideally after daily washing use balm which will moisturise your skin and help prevent spots and excess oil.
Bacteria
p. acnes (propionibacterium acnes) are the bacteria implicated as the predominant cause of the common inflammatory skin condition Acne vulgaris.
The bacteria digest excess skin oil in the pilosebaceous units (regions that contains the hair follicle and sebaceous gland) of adolescent and adult human skin. This results in the production of byproducts, like short-chain fatty acids, that induce an inflammatory response within the blocked pore to make the spot red and inflamed
Blackheads
Blackheads are formed when a pore is blocked by excessive oil and dead skin cells. The black appearance is due to the oxidising effect of air on the sebum (oil) and the melanin pigment from the dead skin cells. To remove blackheads, you should not try to extract them forcibly, which could damage the pores.
Use gentle cleansing products such as a scrub to remove dead skin cells and a face wash to keep skin clear and unclogged. Never use harsh products which would strip the skin of oil and dry it out.
Dermis
A layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue, and cushions the body from stress and strain.
It contains the hair follicles, sebaceous glands and blood vessels.
Epidermis
The outermost layer of the skin and forms the waterproof, protective wrap over the body's surface.
Epidermis is divided into the following 5 sublayers listed from the superficial to deep: stratum corneum, stratum lucidum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, stratum germinativum.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin which clings to the outer layers of the skin. If you have oily patches of skin, this combined with the dead skin can clog pores and may cause spots and acne.
It's important to regularly remove the dead skin cells and excess oil, to help prevent this happening. Care should be taken not to over exfoliate as it can cause damage to the hair follicle and can also dry the skin. Then follow up with a moisturiser or balm. By removing the dead skin, it can also allow treatment products to work more effectively.
If you are prone to spots, blackheads and oily skin, ensure you use a scrub or wash designed to tackle this.
Greasy Skin
Glands in our skin naturally produce oil to keep it looking healthy and in good condition. Sometimes the glands produce too much oil, usually due to hormone changes, which leaves the skin looking greasy and shiny. This often results in outbreaks of spots.
You must not use harsh products as they can strip the skin of oil and dry it out, which makes skin overreact and produce more oil to combat the dryness. A mild scrub should be used 2-3 times a week which will help to remove dead skin cells. A mild wash and moisturiser/balm should be used daily to keep skin clean and unclogged, but make sure the moisturiser/balm is oil free.
Hormones / testosterone
The hormones that are linked to acne are two androgens called testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). As a teen's body begins to mature and develop, hormones stimulate the sebaceous glands to make more sebum, and the glands may become overactive.
Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria (especially one called propionibacterium acnes) can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the development of spots.
Male Skin
Male skin is physiologically different to female skin. These differences start to become prevalent around the time of puberty, or during the teenage years. Due to the increased level of testosterone and more active sebaceous (oil) glands, male skin tends to be oilier which can lead to the increased likelihood of spots, blackheads and greasy skin.
Male skin is also 20% thicker than female skin, so it can often be beneficial for males to use products which are designed to work with this thicker skin. Dehydration can also be prevalent once males start to shave, so it is increasingly important for men to moisturise and maintain a balanced oil level on their skin. Contrary to popular belief, using a moisturiser will not lead to greasy skin!
Oily Skin
Glands in our skin naturally produce oil to keep it looking healthy and in good condition. Sometimes the glands produce too much oil, usually due to hormone changes, which leaves the skin looking oily and shiny. This often results in outbreaks of spots.
You must not use harsh products as they can strip the skin of oil and dry it out, which makes skin overreact and produce more oil to combat the dryness. A mild scrub should be used to remove dead skin cells. A mild wash and moisturiser/balm should be used daily to keep skin clean and unclogged, but make sure the moisturiser/balm is oil free.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives which are used in products to help prolong the shelf-life.
Parabens can sometimes be irritating to some people with sensitive skin, or skin prone to certain conditions.
Phycosaccharide
Is a complex mixture of an oligosaccharide - Hydrolysed Algin extracted from Brown Seaweed (a natural plant extract) and Zinc Sulfate.
Oligosaccharide – Highly effective anti-inflammatory agent to reduce the redness of spots
Zinc – Effective at inhibiting the production of sebum and has a good antibacterial effect against p. acnes, the spot causing bacteria.
Pimples
Pimples (or spots) start to appear from around the time of puberty, when hormones start to change in the body. The skin has glands which produce an oil to keep skin healthy, but during puberty, the glands produce more oil.
Pores on the skin can become blocked from dead skin cells not being thoroughly removed from the face. The oil is then trapped inside the pore where bacteria starts to grow and forms pus, causing a pimple to appear on the surface of the skin, which looks red and inflammed.
Pores Open & Blocked
The pores, or hair follicles, in your skin contain sebaceous glands (also called oil glands). These glands make sebum, which is oil that lubricates your hair and skin.
A pore which has become blocked with sebum (oil) and dead skin particles is described as a comedone. When the blockage causes the pore to bulge out from the skin, you're left with a whitehead. If a pore gets clogged up but stays open, the top surface can darken and you're left with a blackhead.
Sometimes the wall of the pore opens, allowing sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to make their way under the skin — and you're left with a small, red bump called a papule (sometimes pores have a pus-filled top from the body's reaction to the bacterial infected pustule). Clogged pores that open up very deep in the skin can cause nodules, which are infected lumps or cysts that are bigger than papules and can be painful.
Using a good wash, face scrub or cleansing wipe will unplug these blocked pores and allow the oil and bacteria to be removed preventing the development of spots.
Puberty
This is the time when a child's body makes the transition into adulthood. During this period the body goes through rapid growth and many changes. These changes are largely driven by the increased levels of hormones in the body. For girls the dominant hormone is estrogen and for boys, testosterone.
One of the effects of puberty, driven by the rise of these hormones, is increased secretion of oil (sebum) from the skin which can result in spots, blackheads or oily skin. This problem can be prevented or minimised by adopting a regular cleansing regime, including the use of cleansing products such as face washes, scrubs or wipes.
Sebum
Sebum is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect the skin and hair.
Over-production of sebum is one of the factors that lead to acne.
Shaving
Shaving with spots can be a nightmare. Before shaving, open up the pores with a clean hot steamy face cloth or shave after you come out of the shower. You can also use a scrub or exfoliating face wash for spot prone skin at this stage. It will help remove the dead skin, so your razor doesn’t have to. Use a thick easy glide shaving gel for spots - a clear one if you can, so you can see where you are heading with your blade.
Make sure your razor is clean and shave in the direction of the hair growth. Rinse blade in clean warm water between strokes. Rinse face thoroughly and use a moisturising balm or post shave balm, to help keep skin conditioned and free from spots.
Skin Irritation
Irritated skin can be red, flaky, dry or itchy or all of these. It can be caused by a number of external factors or irritants – anything from the weather to chemicals. Irritated skin can often be caused by the outer layer of the skin being damaged which lets irritants in and moisture out. It needs special care.
Use a daily wash and follow up with a moisturiser or balm. It's best to use a wash & moisture balm from the same range as they will work together. Remember – keep moisturising. It will help keep irritants out and moisture in.
Skincare
The process of looking after your skin to help maintain appearance or to minimise / prevent problems. Although important from childhood for hygiene reasons, good skincare starts to become increasingly important for both males and females, around the time of puberty when the skin has to deal with increased oil production. This oil production can result in increased levels of spots, blackheads and oily skin.
A facial skincare regime to help prevent or minimise such problems could involve regular cleansing (twice daily) with an appropriate wash or cleansing product followed by the use of a moisturiser. It is important to moisturise even oily skin as this will help to regulate oil levels in the skin. Although in most cases oil levels will regulate after puberty, in some cases the problem will continue throughout adulthood.
Spots
Spots (or pimples) are a common skin problem in both males and females, at any age, but especially during the teenage years. The skin contains sebaceous glands which produce sebum, to keep the skin healthy. A pore can become blocked with dead skin cells which traps the sebum inside the pore. Bacteria starts to multiply within the blocked pore which then fills with pus, which in turn causes spots which can feel red and inflammed.
Squeezing or picking spots can make then worse and possibly scar the skin, so it is advisable not to touch the area. A mild scrub should be used to remove dead skin cells. A mild wash and moisturiser/balm should be used daily to keep skin clean and unclogged, but make sure the moisturiser/balm is oil free.
Squeezing spots
Squeezing should be avoided as it can leave scars and brown patches on the skin! But if you just can't keep your fingers away, follow these guidelines.
Try not to squeeze or you may regret it. Wash face and hands thoroughly with a wash or scrub for spot prone skin and follow with a moisturising balm or treatment gel or cream for spots and acne. However if the spot is red and appears as a bump under the skin definitely don’t touch it. If you try squeezing, it might drive the infection deeper and cause long term scarring or even cysts.
Stratum Corneum
The outermost layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin).
It is composed mainly of dead cells that form a protective layer to help keep the skin hydrated by preventing water evaporation. As these dead cells slough off, they are continuously replaced by new cells from the lower layer of the epidermis.
Teenage Skin
Teenage skin is a term commonly used to describe skin that is prone to spots, blackheads or excess oil. During puberty (or the teenage years) both the male and female oil glands become more active as the hormone levels rise leading to increased oil secretions which can cause spots and oily skin.
This problem can be prevented or minimised by adopting a regular cleansing regime, including the use of cleansing products such as face washes, scrubs or wipes. Although in most cases, oil levels will regulate after puberty, in some cases the problem will continue throughout adulthood.
Whiteheads
(closed comedone) are small white pimples and are a combination of oil, and dead skin that form to produce firm to hard plugs within hair follicles. They are closed from the skin’s surface by cellular debris. Because they are not exposed to oxygen they don’t turn black like blackheads do. Sometimes it is drier than normal sebum which contributes to these hard plugs.
Efficient removal of excess oil and dead skin will help to ensure the pore doesn’t become clogged in the first place. The daily use of a wash or gentle exfoliator/scrub will help to keep removing the daily dead skin and prevent pores clogging.
It is important not to allow the skin to dry out as this can encourage more sebum production, so the use of a oil free moisturiser is advised. If the spot causing bacteria is at the base of the whitehead's plug, this could well cause acne. Products containing Benzoyl Peroxide should be used to help dissolve the keratin plug and help kill the spot causing bacteria.
Zits
Zits (or spots) start to appear from around the time of puberty, when hormones start to change in the body. The skin has glands which produce an oil to keep skin healthy, but during puberty, the glands produce more oil. Pores on the skin can become blocked from dead skin cells not being thoroughly removed from the face. The oil is then trapped inside the pore where bacteria starts to grow and forms pus, causing a zit to appear on the surface of the skin, which looks red and inflammed.
Squeezing or picking zits can make then worse and possibly scar the skin, so it is advisable not to touch the area. A mild scrub should be used to remove dead skin cells. A mild wash and moisturiser/balm should be used daily to keep skin clean and unclogged, but make sure the moisturiser/balm is oil free.
The Skin Specialist
