Acne services offered in Mooresville, NC

It might not seem like it when you’re struggling with a breakout, but it is possible to control your acne — even in adulthood. At Sacred Heart Dermatology in Mooresville, North Carolina, board-certified dermatologist Blake Sanders, DO, FAAD, and his team combines evidence-based treatments to personalize your care and control your acne. Find out which acne treatments are right for you by scheduling an appointment over the phone or online today.

Acne Q&A

What is acne?

Acne is a skin condition that has to do with your skin’s oil production. Normally, oils from within your skin travel from your hair follicles to the surface of your skin. With extra oil production, your pores can become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. These blockages can attract bacteria, which leads to the inflammation you often see with acne.

If you have acne, a breakout might involve the appearance of pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads on your skin’s surface and possible acne cysts deep within your skin.

You can potentially develop acne scarring from the damage inflammation causes. While you can’t always avoid acne scars, especially if you’re prone to scarring, you can minimize your risk by resisting the urge to pick or pop your pimples and cysts.

What causes acne in adulthood?

Many people mistakenly believe that they’re immune to acne after puberty. The condition is prevalent among teenagers as they go through puberty, which involves major changes to their bodies due to hormone production.

Adult-onset acne is any acne that appears after age 25. There are many contributing factors that lead to acne flare-ups during adulthood, including:

• Pregnancy-related hormone changes
• Menstruation-related hormone changes
• Oily products and cosmetics
• Stress
• Birth control pills
• Certain dietary factors

At Sacred Heart Dermatology, Dr. Sanders explores the possible causes of your breakouts and can provide you guidance with one of their suitable treatments.

How can I control my acne?

Dr. Sanders finds that most cases of acne respond well to methods using two or more treatments in tandem. He takes a patient-centered, common sense approach to planning acne care and may recommend treatments and procedures, such as:

• Topicals like benzoyl peroxide or retinoids
• Antibiotics
• Oral medications
• Chemical peels
• Laser resurfacing
• Blue light therapy

You might need to try several treatments, or several treatment combinations before you find one that meets your needs and minimizes your acne. If you struggle with scarring after breakouts, Dr. Sanders considers this while planning your treatment and can direct you to procedures that promote skin healing.

Schedule a consultation over the phone or online for professional acne care at Sacred Heart Dermatology today.