Everyone wants to present their best face to the world, a desire that is commonly thwarted by acne. Our New Jersey-based team explains that more than 85% of Americans suffer from this problem at some point in their lives—most of them during adolescence and young adulthood. Fortunately, there is no shortage of effective, noninvasive acne treatments offered by our experienced providers at Skin & Laser Center of NJ.
A common skin condition, acne develops when pores opening to hair follicles beneath the skin become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. The result can be whiteheads or blackheads. If inflammation develops, pimples and cysts may form. While these breakouts are most likely to occur on the face, they can also appear on other areas with large quantities of oil glands including the back, chest, and shoulders.
Despite the fact that acne is a common skin condition impacting up to 50 million Americans annually, many patients experience embarrassment and distress as a result of the condition. The skin-focused medical team at Skin & Laser Center of NJ is here to help, offering compassionate and effective treatment plans to clear those clogged pores, reducing your acne and allowing you to present your best face to the world.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
No two cases of acne are exactly the same, but the condition generally falls into two categories: inflammatory and non-inflammatory. As suggested by the name, the inflammatory type causes inflammation and swelling, resulting in papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. The non-inflammatory type does not cause inflammation and swelling, but does result in blackheads and whiteheads. Skin & Laser Center of NJ is equipped to treat every type, but the more you know about your particular problem, the better equipped you are to help prevent and treat it.
This is how some of the most common types of acne present:
Considered a mild form, whiteheads form when pores are blocked with sebum and dead skin cells. Unlike blackheads, the outer layer of the pore closes, trapping the debris inside, creating a white-colored “cap.”
Also known as comedones, blackheads resemble black dots on the skin. They form when pores become blocked with sebum and dead skin cells, but the pores remain open. The dark coloration is the result of the material reacting to the air. Blackheads are considered a relatively mild form.
More commonly known as pimples, papules develop as red bumps on your skin. This is caused by debris entering a hair follicle and is considered a moderate form.
Like papules, pustules are considered a moderate form. These particular blemishes develop a visibly white-colored tip that contains pus.
Considered a more severe form, nodules are large, inflamed, and painful lesions. Unlike most other forms of acne, these develop deeper beneath the surface, caused by sebum, debris, and bacteria entering these deeper layers due to a damaged hair follicle.
Considered one of the most severe forms, acne cysts materialize as large, fluid-filled bumps beneath the surface of the skin. These cysts are painful and are more likely to result in scarring.
There are a lot of myths about the causes of acne, but the truth is that the most common factor leading to its development is hormones, which is why so many teenagers suffer from this skin condition. Periods of significant hormonal shifts—such as puberty, pregnancy, or menopause—increase the odds of developing acne. Despite this, breakouts can occur at any age, impacting both women and men.
Another factor that might lead to patients developing acne is genetics. If you have a family history of acne, you are more likely to develop the condition. Certain medications that contain hormones—including steroids, birth control pills, and antidepressants—can also increase your chance of developing the condition.
Many people tend to attribute acne to a bad diet or failure to properly clean the affected area. The reality is that your diet doesn’t cause pimples, though it is possible that certain foods may exacerbate an existing breakout. Similarly, washing your face can help to clear away potentially pore-blocking skin cells and oil, but frequent washing or using harsh chemicals is more likely to irritate your skin, causing another breakout or exacerbating an existing breakout. Other contributing factors that don’t necessarily cause acne but might exacerbate the problem include stress, makeup, environmental irritants, excessive sweating, and tight-fitting clothing and undergarments.
It’s common for acne patients to try to resolve their skin concerns at home using over-the-counter acne medications before seeking the advice of a dermatologist. While many breakouts can be resolved at home, New Jersey-area women and men who aren’t getting the results they’re hoping for from non-prescription medication or who are concerned about the possibility of scarring can seek help from the providers at Skin & Laser Center of NJ.
While there are many types of acne, the good news is that Skin & Laser Center of NJ offers several different procedures and medications to target them. To determine which treatment option is best for you, a provider will meet with you to examine your skin, review your health and medical history, and develop a specialized plan.
Common and effective treatment options include:
Typically considered the first line of defense, topical acne medications include creams, gels, cleansers, and lotions that are applied to the skin. Generally, topical medications are more effective for mild cases. Some examples of popular topical medications include retinoids, antibiotics, azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and dapsone.
An excellent choice for moderate to severe cases, popular oral medications prescribed by Skin & Laser Center of NJ to treat acne include oral antibiotics, oral contraceptives, anti-androgen agents, and isotretinoin.
For some patients, oral and topical medications aren’t the most effective choice. Fortunately, there are a variety of alternative treatment options.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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