POPSUGAR Beauty: Types of Acne + Treatments

How Identifying Your Type of Acne Could Help You Treat It Once and For All

POPSUGAR’s latest skincare feature explores the different types of acne – mild, moderate and severe – and explains how the treatments should differ according to the nature of acne.

Following on from the previous feature – ‘All the Different Types of Spots You Can Get – and What to Do About Them‘ – Cosmedics Skin Clinics founder Dr Ross Perry was invited to give expert advice on the issues surrounding severity of acne.

The POPSUGAR feature explains:

“Anyone who has to deal with pimples on the regular tends to think that their skin is worse than it actually is. If I asked you to describe the kind of acne you have, you’d probably tell me that it’s quite severe; but in reality, most of us only have cases of mild to moderate acne.

“So, to finally identify the severity of your skin breakouts, we turned to Dr. Ross Perry, a top celebrity GP and skin doctor expert who specialises in cysts and acne — and once you put a name on your problem, finding a solution should be easier.”

Acne is generally classified as mild, moderate or severe and the severity of acne does influence the most appropriate choice of treatment from among a range of different treatment strategies.

Mild Acne

• Generally means fewer than 20 whiteheads or blackheads, fewer than 15 inflamed bumps, or fewer than 30 total lesions
• Treatment advice:
  

  “To treat mild acne, make sure to have a good skincare routine that allows you to deeply cleanse your skin, and invest in over-the-counter treatments. You could also benefit from professional treatments such as chemical peels.”

Moderate Acne

• 20 to 100 whiteheads or blackheads, 15 to 50 inflamed bumps, or 30 to 125 total lesions
• Treatment advice:
  

  “To treat moderate acne, start by trying over-the-counter treatments. If you find that nothing is working, book an appointment with your GP, who will be able to help you take the next steps.”

Severe Acne

• Multiple inflamed cysts and nodules
• The inflammation gives the skin an angry red or even purplish tone.
• Treatment advice:
  

  “If untreated, the outbreaks can leave permanent scarring, which is why it is very important to find effective treatment.
  “Treating severe acne can be quite difficult. Go to your GP or dermatologist, who might prescribe medication (such as Roaccutane) or injections of corticosteroids.”

More Information

• Read the article in full on POPSUGAR at How Identifying Your Type of Acne Could Help You Treat It Once and For All.
• Also check out POPSUGAR’s previous feature, All the Different Types of Spots You Can Get – and What to Do About Them.
• More expert advice from Dr Ross Perry at Netdoctor: Dr Ross Perry on ‘Bacne’.

Acne Treatments at Cosmedics

There are now professional skin treatments which can be used to improve acne and avoid the risk of long term acne scarring, such as Dermaroller Microneedling or iPixel YAG Laser Fractional Ablative Laser Skin Resurfacing.

DR ROSS PERRY

Dr Ross Perry regularly provides expert comment and advises the media on a range of skincare and health-related issues.

He has particular expertise in skin surgery mole removal, sun damage and melanoma; having removed thousands of moles in his career, both within the NHS and privately through Cosmedics Skin Clinics.

DR ROSS PERRY

COSMEDICS SKIN CLINICS

Cosmedics Skin Clinics was established in 2003 and has built up an excellent reputation for cosmetic and medical treatments, carried out by GMC Registered Doctors.  The company offer a full range of cosmetic treatments, including popular lip enhancement and wrinkle relaxing injections, dermal fillers; plus medical treatments including mole removal, thread vein treatment and excessive sweating injections.

Cosmedics Skin Clinics has a team of skin treatment doctors and surgeons in their 5 skin clinics across London and Bristol led by Dr Ross Perry.

Call 020 7386 0464 or email enquiries@cosmedics.co.uk for an appointment.