June Marks Acne Awareness Month: Tips On How To Get Spot-Free Skin

It's June, and in addition to being Pride Month, it is also recognised as Acne Awareness Month. Acne is the outbreak of pimples on the skin which is commonly seen in teenagers and pubescents but it can occur to individuals of any age. This skin problem usually leaves behind scars that look unpleasant. Acne scars are a headache for young people and they always want to look for remedies to cure it. Here we give you tips and remedies to get rid of acne scars.

Acne is a skin condition that occurs not only in teenagers but in any person of any age group. The medical reason that triggers this skin condition is hormonal balance in the body. Hormonal balance can be disturbed by health conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome in females. At times, acne is caused by oil-based skin products and cosmetics, excessive sweating or friction.

Dr Jaishree Sharad, who has been a cosmetic dermatologist practising in Mumbai for more than 15 years, talks about the causes of skin eruptions and acne problems in a detailed video on the SheThePeople YouTube channel.

Sharad says, "Cosmetics and products which are oil-based can clog the pores and they can also result in acne......if you sweat too much.....or if there is oil application on the scalp and it trickles down or a lot friction......when you are sleeping on one side on a dirty pillow. Sometimes you have bagpacks which will cause friction and you get acne on the back."

How to get rid of acne scars?

When you try to squeeze acne out, it leaves scars behind. Even if you do not squeeze it, acne may leave marks on the skin. Dr. Jaishree Sharad says that creams contain Arbutin, Licorice, Kojic Acid, AHA, BHA, Vitamin C and Niacinamide.

We very commonly see people using home remedies and pastes to cure acne scars. These DIY masks and homemade pastes are not very effective and in some cases, can worsen the skin condition according to the dermatologist.

Dr Jaishree Sharad asks us to avoid using home remedies against acne scars. She says, "At most, you can use aloe vera, or sometimes you can use red lentil, that is masoor ki daal, make a paste out of it and apply it with honey on the spots. If it reduces, great, otherwise you will have to use these skin-lightening creams."

In cases when the skin condition becomes severe, chemical peels are used to treat it and in extremely severe cases, doctors suggest switch to Nd YAG laser treatment. However, for these, you are recommended to get professional doctor advise.

Sometimes acne leaves behind pits and depressions in the skin. Such scars don't usually go away with treatments or creams and remedies. Acne scars are of different types like ice-pick scars, rolling scars, and box scars. Dr Jaishree Sharad says that such scars usually require a combination of treatments to cure them. Treatments like a fractional laser, micro-needling, micro-needling radio frequency and platelet-rich plasma are used for curing acne scars. A combination of these treatments may provide some remedies taken under a doctor's supervision.

Acne scar treatment is not a quick process. Dr. Jaishree says, "The treatment is slow because you have to do a session every month for about 8 to 10 months, so actually see results over a period of one year." During the process you have to be really compliant and should not take stress. You protect your skin from sun exposure and do not try any squeezing and pinching on your own. Dr Jaishree also asks to avoid the use of products like lime, toothpaste, lemon or peels at home as it can worsen the situation.