Why Does It Take So Long To Get Rid Of Acne - La Roche-Posay

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Every acne sufferer dreams of an acne treatment that will work overnight to get rid of acne. Unfortunately, realistically speaking, acne treatments take weeks rather than days to work. This is because acne is a genetic and hormonal condition with complex mechanisms at play.

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AN OVERNIGHT ACNE CURE?

Every acne sufferer dreams of an acne treatment that will work overnight to get rid of acne. Unfortunately, realistically speaking, acne treatments take weeks rather than days to work. Read on to find out why.

ACNE IS GENETIC

So you can blame your parents!

Acne is a condition that is partly genetic: In other words, it runs in families. This is because certain people have a genetic predisposition to producing lots of sebum (skin oil), which clogs pores creating a breeding ground for the bacteria that cause spots. No acne treatment can change your genes, so if you do have this genetic predisposition, acne treatments will take longer to get rid of acne. But don’t lose hope! If used regularly, the right expert care products can effectively treat acne. Click HERE to skip to our top recommendations.

Click HERE to learn all about oily skin and acne.

ACNE IS HORMONAL

Acne has many causes (diet, lifestyle, medications…), but the top cause is hormonal acne. That is why acne crops up at puberty, and why it often rears its not-so-pretty head in tandem with a woman’s cycle. Acne is über common: it affects 80% of teenagers and 40% of adults 1.

Hormones called androgens are produced by the testes in males and ovaries in females, and they stimulate the sebaceous glands in the skin to produce lots of spot-promoting oil. They also cause the top layer of skin cells to become thicker and stickier… making it more likely to clog pores, leading to spots.

Since hormonal acne is a complex process, getting rid of hormonal acne takes time. One effective hormonal acne treatment for females is the oral contraceptive pill (OCP). It rebalances your hormones in favour of clear skin, and should start to work after a few weeks. But if you’re a male or the OCP isn’t for you, there are expert solutions in the pharmacy that can effectively get rid of acne. The key to an effective acne treatment? Stick with it! Even the most comprehensive solutions take a few weeks to work.

Click HERE for an in-depth article on hormonal acne.

ACNE CAN BECOME CYSTIC

Cystic acne is the most severe form of acne, involving deep, tender, red and swollen spots called cysts. Because the lesions are intensely inflamed, treatment for cystic acne takes time to work. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics such as doxycycline to kill the bacteria responsible for the inflammation in cystic acne. In the most severe cases, your doctor will prescribe a strong medication called isotretinoin (Accutane) to stop the skin from producing so much oil, making it drier and less likely to form spots. Both of these strategies take time to work, but you should expect your skin to start clearing up after around a month. For faster results, combine these treatments with expert dermocosmetic solutions from the pharmacy which will enhance and amplify their effects.

For more information on prescription-only acne treatments, click HERE.

ACNE CAN AFFECT DRY SKIN TOO

Acne is generally thought of as an oily skin condition, but you can also get acne with dry skin. Although the skin is dry, the mechanisms of acne are essentially the same. Pores become clogged with dead cells and sebum, turning them into a breeding ground for a bacterium called P. acnes which multiplies in the clogged pore, causing inflammation (in other words, a spot). Acne with dry skin can take longer to treat because it is particularly important to take a softly-softly approach. Harsh products and strong peels will leave it feeling stripped and sensitive, leading to redness and flaking. As with other forms of acne, patience is the key to effective treatment.

HOW TO GET RID OF ACNE FAST

Acne is a chronic condition that can last many years, but with the right expert treatments, you can get it under control within a few weeks. The trick is to pick the right treatment and stick with it!

Getting rid of your acne fast also starts with proper cleansing. We recommend any product which gently cleanses skin of excess oil and dead cells without stripping its surface barrier.

THE BEST ACNE TREATMENT?

Once you’ve cleansed your skin, you’ll want to follow up with an effective acne treatment. Some dermo-cosmetic solutions combine a potent dermatological cocktail of active ingredients to unclog pores, calm inflammation and kill the bacteria responsible for spots, while rebalancing skin’s friendly bacteria.

You can’t wave a magic wand and make spots disappear overnight, but you can instantly soothe inflammation for a less red-faced look and progressively treat acne for clearer, brighter skin in a matter of weeks.

Click HERE to learn more about the causes of acne.

1 Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2010 Nov;137 Suppl 2:S49-51. doi: 10.1016/S0151-9638(10)70024-7. Recent data on epidemiology of acne. Dréno B.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT IS ACNE

THE FACTS ABOUTACNE-CAUSING FOODS Check it out HOW TO GET RID OF BLACKHEADS:THE SOLUTIONS TO TRUST AND THE PITFALLS TO AVOID Check it out HOW TO CLEANSE AND CARE FOR OILY, ACNE-PRONE SKIN Check it out ALL ABOUT ACNE AND OILY SKIN Check it out Acne stress and depression Check it out 3 SURPRISING CAUSES OF ACNE SG Test:STRESS, SUN AND POLLUTION Check it out

SEE ALL ARTICLES ABOUT ACNE-PRONE SKIN

ACNE IN TEENAGERS: SOLUTIONS AND TREATMENT READ MORE HOW TO PREVENT ACNEAND GET RID OF ACNE WITH A REGULAR CLEANSING REGIME READ MORE ALL ABOUT ACNE AND OILY SKIN READ MORE

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