Acne can be uncomfortable, painful, and cause insecurity. That said, advances in medical technology and skin care has made it possible to treat your breakouts and, by extension, help you regain your confidence.

At Baywood Laser & Cosmetic Clinic, we offer treatments like laser acne scar removal services to reduce your symptoms, and any scarring that may have occurred due to breakouts.

If you are interested in our Toronto acne laser clinic services, learn more about the variety of conditions we are able to treat using our state of the art lasers, ranging from varicose veins to rosacea. All of our laser treatments are performed by our board certified cosmetic doctors on staff who are committed to making procedures as comfortable and efficient as possible.

Our doctors are ready to help you say goodbye to your pesky pimples. That said, everyone experiences acne differently. Before seeking treatment, it’s important to understand what type of acne you are dealing with:

Understanding the Different Types of Acne:

What type of acne do you have? Acne can appear as a combination of any of these pimples:

Whiteheads: A whitehead is a clogged pore that appears on the skin as a bump with a white top; this white top is typically full of pus.

Blackheads: A Blackhead is a plugged pore that is darkened due to oxidation. Blackheads appear as, quite literally, little blackheads.

Papules: Papules are solid pimples that don’t produce whiteheads. This acne occurs due to inflammation and typically appears as more of a rash.

Pustules: Unlike papules, pustules are full of pus. These pimples are blister-like and are typically surrounded by redness due to inflammation.

Cysts: Cysts are an inside pimple that appear as a large bump under the skin. Medical News Today describes cysts as full of “liquid, semisolid or gaseous material.” Acne cysts contain fluid, pus or gas, and can appear about anywhere. That said, other types of cysts can form internally on ovaries or in kidneys; these typically need to be drained.

The Most Common Acne Causes

Mayo Clinic defines acne as “a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells.”

That said, various factors can contribute to over-active oil production and irritated hair follicles:

Excess Oil: Your skin naturally produces oil, but overactive oil production can trigger breakouts. Oils cause your skin to be greasy, and also clog your pores.

Blackheads and whiteheads are both caused by clogged pores. The difference is that whiteheads occur when pores are closed, and blackheads signify plugged pores.

Hormones: Hormonal acne occurs in response to an increase in hormones like testosterone. This increase in hormones tends to result in more frequent production of sebum. This is what inflames the skin and results in hair follicles getting inhabited by bacteria.

Shaving: Shaving can irritate your skin (especially if you’re sensitive) and tends to open your pores. These get clogged with oils and other bacteria, especially if you are already battling acne.

When you shave, you drag your razor; this tends to result in your dead skin cells getting collected and brought into your newly opened pores.

If you use a double-bladed razor, your chances of triggering a break out is that much higher as these razors damage your skin. When the skin grows back, it can clog the follicle that much more.

Which Acne Treatments Will Work for You?

How to treat your acne is dependent on the type you have. After all, what may help you get rid of whiteheads may not be effective in helping you rid your face of painful cysts.

Blackheads & Whiteheads: Adapalene

Leave the pimple popping to Dr. Pimple Popper; popping your pimples just results in irritation and infection.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the best way to get rid of your blackheads is to use a retinoid.  The retinoid available over the counter is adapalene, a gel with properties that decrease swelling, inflammation, and cell growth.

Benzoyl peroxide wash can also help reduce breakout, as it can remove any extra bacteria on your skin.

Papules & Pimples with Excess Puss: Use a Facewash

Papules are red and inflamed and can be incredibly uncomfortable. To treat papules, wash your face twice a day with a face wash that is specifically geared towards reducing acne. Find a wash that contains either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Nodules & Cysts: Professional Treatment

Nodular or cystic acne is severe and appears as large and inflamed breakouts. This acne is a collection of larger pimples that lie deeper in the skin than the average pimple. This can appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly appears on the face or back.

The thing about nodular acne is that it takes a lot longer to subside than other breakouts. It is also highly genetic, so if your parents experienced nodular breakouts, the chances are high that you will too.

Due to the fact that this is a more severe skin condition, it typically requires professional treatment like antibiotics to subside. That said, you can also opt for a laser treatment to reduce this acne.

Laser Acne Treatment

At Baywood Clinic, we offer laser acne treatment to help prevent acne growth, treat existing breakouts. and also reduce any present scarring that may have occurred from past flare-ups.

We use our SmoothBeam laser to treat both adult and adolescent acne. The laser’s gentle pulses are directed at the area to heat up the glands that produce the oil that triggers breakouts, which will help reduce oil production. The laser also stimulates collagen production in your skin’s deeper layers which help to treat scarring.

Rest easy knowing that the FDA approves laser treatment for active acne. It doesn’t even call for recovery time! Our state-of-the-art laser is safe, effective and operated by professionals. The treatment is a non-invasive way to reduce your symptoms and makes it a lot easier to manage your acne.

Get in touch today to book your consultation to find out if laser acne treatment is right for you!