What is Acne?
Acne is a term that describes "pimples" and "blackheads" that affect many young people and some adults. Acne will affect approximately 90% of all people at some point in their lives. It is most common during adolescence due to hormonal changes. Acne usually occurs on the face primarily, but may also occur on the neck, chest, upper arms, and back. Although acne is only a skin problem and will not affect one's general health, it can cause emotional and physical scarring if severe enough.
What causes acne?
 Acne usually occurs at puberty, and may continue for several years. Teenagers get acne as the body matures and hormones stimulate the sebaceous (oil producing) skin glands to make more sebum, or oil. Sebum is necessary for normal skin lubrication. Acne occurs when this oil does not reach the surface of the skin, and gets trapped in tiny pores or follicles. This "plugging" occurs when oil secretion occurs faster than the oil and skin cells can exit the pores. This plug may close off the pore and cause the follicle wall to bulge, creating a whitehead. If the pore remains open, the top surface to the plug becomes "oxidized" and darkens, causing a blackhead. Anytime there is plugging, a normal bacteria called P. acnes thrives on the sebum in the clogged follicle. The bacteria then multiply, and this causes inflammation. Under these circumstances, the wall of the pore may rupture, causing redness, swelling, and pus – hence, a pimple.
What are the treatments?
Although acne cannot be completely prevented, a careful skin care regimen can help to improve the severity and control the outbreaks of pimples.
Premiére Dermatology and Surgery and Aesthetic and Laser Boutique offer a variety of advanced in-office procedures and products that are available to be used with in conjunction with prescribed medications. These include:
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Chemical Peels use a chemical solution to gently peel away outer layers of dead skin cells. The solutions are available in several strengths, depending on the degree of peeling desired. Healing can take 3 to 7 days. A new, smoother layer of skin is formed. (Click here for more information on our chemical peels.)
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Micro-Dermabrasions can be described as a superficial "skin polishing" using crystal-free solutions and brushes over the skin's surface to remove damaged or dead skin cells. These gentle treatments can provide remarkable improvement to acne scars. The treatments are progressive, and are applied through a course of weekly or bi-weekly treatments. (Click here for more information on our micro-dermabrasions.)
- Laser Treatments that are non-ablative are also offered. These treatments in general do not require anesthesia, are not painful, and require no downtime. Most patients receive a series of five treatments. Improvement can be dramatic, depending on the type of acne scar. Scars continue to gradually and continually improve even months after the treatments stop. These treatments include such lasers as Genesis, Fraxel®, PhotoDynamic Therapy with IPL, and Pulse Dye Laser. (Click here for more information on our laser treatments for acne.)
- Products: We offer a full line of ACNE PRODUCTS including Skin Tx by Vivier, Clenziderm by Obagi, Nu Derm by Obagi, Retin-A, Bleaching creams and Citrix C Sunscreen SPF 30.
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Acne Rosacea
Rosacea is a common skin disease that causes redness, papules and swelling on the face. Often referred to as "adult acne," rosacea frequently begins as a tendency to flush or blush easily. It may progress to persistent redness in the center of the face that may gradually involve the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose. The eyes, ears, chest and back may also be involved. With time, small blood vessels and tiny pimples begin to appear on and around the reddened area; however, unlike acne, there are no blackheads.
 When rosacea first develops, the redness may come and go. Some people may flush or blush and never form pustules or papules. Small dilated vessels also may be present due to prolonged sun exposure. However, when the skin doesn't return to its normal color and when other symptoms such as pimples and enlarged blood vessels become visible, it's best to seek advice from a dermatologist. The condition may last for years, rarely reverse itself, and can become worse without treatment.
About 50% of people with rosacea have eye involvement (ocular rosacea). Some rosacea patients experience burning and grittiness of the eyes, a common condition known as conjunctivitis. If this condition is not treated, it can lead to more
serious eye complications.
What are the treatments?
The key to successful management of rosacea is early diagnosis and treatment. Identifying the disease is the first step to controlling it. If you suspect that you have rosacea, contact Premiére Dermatology and Surgery for a consultation.
Rosacea can be treated and controlled if medical advice is sought in the early stages. When left untreated, rosacea will get worse and may be more difficult to treat. It is important to follow all of our providers' instructions. They can often recommend a combination of treatments tailored to your individual needs. These treatments can stop the progress of rosacea and sometimes reverse it.
In addition to topical and oral medications, we offer a variety of in-office procedures. Newer therapies include the use of lasers such as:
We also offer in-office products, such as Redness Relief Kit by Vivier and Citrix C SPF 30 Sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection.
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