Men's Skincare Week: Male Acne

Last year, we saw a huge rise in male clients coming to our clinic. It seems that stigma of male skincare and grooming is fading away and men are now fully embracing their skin. In honour of this, this week is men's skincare week on the blog.

Acne effects around 80% of us at some point in our lives, with the increased statistics on adult acne being widely investigated. Statistically, acne affects more women than men with the most common age for diagnosis between the ages of 14-17. However, male acne is not to be overlooked. In fact, men are more likely to suffer from severe cystic facial acne and more commonly the body. Acne poses no severe risk to health, which can make finding help on the NHS difficult. Women are generally more open to seeking private medical help for cosmetic issues, with men shying away because of embarrassment or lack of understanding.Acne is caused as a result of a hormone imbalance in the skin effecting the sebaceous glands and hair roots. The male sex hormone, testosterone, has a large part to play in the development of acne. This would explain the severe form of body acne that can develop in both boys and men due to circulating hormones at different stages in male development.

Acne and puberty

The average age for puberty in boys is around 12. Puberty is onset with a surge of testosterone. This is what results in the development of male facial hair, changes to bone structure, deepening of the voice and growth of body hair. After puberty, male testosterone levels take another hit around middle age, which affects changes to the skin and hair once again. Men generally develop more body hair as they increase with age.These series of changes in the body is what causes the onset of acne. The hormone changes cause inflammation in the skin, which are met by a build up of dead skin cells plugging the hair follicle due to incorrect shedding of the skin's surface. Bacteria then forms in the hair follicles and when sebum (the skin's natural oil) is produced, it becomes congested in the follicle.All this results in a massive stress on the body. Acne is a combination of improper functions within the body and is not solely down to one individual factor.

Acne treatments

Choosing the right treatment for your acne can be difficult. There are so many options available but each case should be treated individually. The choice of treatment should depend on several things including; the severity of the condition, the lifestyle of the patient and the area affected.Danne Montague King Acnelan

Managing your acne

Clinical intervention is almost always required in acne treatment to ensure the condition can be cleared quickly, effectively and successfully. It is also important that the condition is treated correctly to limit the damage on the skin's structure once the acne itself has been cleared. Scarring is a major issue on post acne skins and can be difficult to treat. However if the skin is nurtured correctly whilst the condition is present there is a much greater chance of reducing the after effects.Diet has a large role to play in the management of acne. Sugar levels should be kept to a minimum, opting for a natural, fresh diet high in Omega 3. This clean approach to food will provide your body with a normal balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to keep inflammation low and avoid cortisol spikes. Water is important to keep hydration levels high, this will help reduce stress, tiredness and keep a high metabolism function.

To find the correct treatment plan for you, we recommend you call into clinic for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 0113 282 3300 to book your appointment.