A blemish begins approximately 2-3 weeks before it appears on your skin's surface. It starts in your sebaceous hair follicles, the tiny holes commonly called pores. Here’s how it happens:
Pore
Deep within each follicle, your sebaceous glands are working to produce sebum, the oil that keeps your skin moist and pliable.
A blemish begins approximately 2-3 weeks before it appears on your skin's surface. It starts in your sebaceous hair follicles, the tiny holes commonly called pores. Here’s how it happens:
Clogged Pore
As your skin renews itself, the old cells die and slough off. When cells are shed unevenly, they clump together with natural skin oil to form a plug — much like a cork in a bottle.
A blemish begins approximately 2-3 weeks before it appears on your skin's surface. It starts in your sebaceous hair follicles, the tiny holes commonly called pores. Here’s how it happens:
The Birth of a Blemish
This plug, or comedo, traps oil and bacteria inside the follicle. As the skin continues to produce oil, the pore swells...and bacteria flourish.
The most important thing to remember about acne is: It's not your fault. Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by anything you're doing - what you eat, how often you wash your face or work out - but by a combination of factors at work far beneath the surface of your skin. The regularity with which you shed skin cells can change throughout your life. Your hormone balance affects the rate at which you produce oil. Research has also shown that genetics play a big part in the development and persistence of acne, so your family history is a valuable prediction tool as well.
You're not alone: About 90% of all teenagers develop acne. Acne is starting at even younger ages today as puberty begins earlier. Acne may also start as late as the 20's or 30's, especially in women whose hormones are constantly fluctuating. It's estimated that 1 in 4 adults between the ages of 25 and 44 experiences acne, and nearly half of all adult women experience mild to moderate acne.
There's still no cure for acne, with or without a prescription. The secret to controlling acne is PREVENTION - stopping the formation of acne before it becomes a visible pimple. To avoid the risk of permanent scars, it's important to treat acne as soon as the first signs appear. Even after blemishes disappear, you usually must continue to use an effective acne treatment to keep new blemishes from forming. Proactiv Solution is safe and effective for everyone, and it can help prevent blemishes from becoming a larger problem.
For most forms of acne, Drs. Rodan and Fields prefer topical medications. They may prescribe antibiotics for inflammatory nodular and cystic type acne, and Accutane for more severe cases. Oral antibiotics and Accutane don't cure acne - like topical medications, they gain control of the problem.
Please keep in mind that Accutane is the strongest oral medication available for acne and often can make a dramatic difference. But it may have severe side effects, including depression, liver damage and birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Patients must be under a dermatologist's supervision for the 5-month course of treatment.
Proactiv Solution can heal your existing acne, and help stop new blemishes from forming. Its mild formulations gently exfoliate your skin, remove excess oil, and deliver powerful acne-attacking medicine. Proactiv Solution works alone or; when following your doctor's advice, in combination with a dermatologist's prescription.
Acne can't be cured, with or without a prescription. Even after blemishes disappear, you must continue to use an effective acne treatment to keep new blemishes from forming. Our expert dermatologists have created a breakthrough way to treat acne safely and effectively. Combination Therapy® uses several different medicines in one system to heal the blemishes you have now and help keep new ones from forming.
Renewing Cleanser
Tiny, smooth grains unclog the pore and help remove dead skin cells. Benzoyl peroxide penetrates deep to attack bacteria.
Revitalizing Toner
A gentle alcohol-free formula helps to balance skin tone and remove dead skin cells, while preparing the pore for the Repairing Lotion.
Repairing Lotion
Finely milled benzoyl peroxide penetrates deep into the pore to attack bacteria, healing existing blemishes and preventing new ones from forming.
Proactiv Solution is a Combination Therapy® acne management system - it combines prescription-grade ingredients in a system that works together to heal and prevent acne. Developed by two Stanford-trained dermatologists, this unique acne fighting system combines finely milled benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, and our special formulation. These ingredients gently exfoliate your skin, unplug your pores, attack acne-causing bacteria, and soothe inflammation.
Many of the acne medications you buy at the store are "spot treatments," designed primarily to get rid of existing acne, one pimple at a time, with harsh creams that can cause redness or irritation. Gentle and effective, doctor-developed Proactiv Solution is designed to be used on the whole face (or acne-prone area) every day. It gets rid of existing acne - and proactively helps prevent future breakouts before they even surface on your skin. And since it's formulated with soothing botanicals like allantoin, panthenol, aloe and chamomile, it leaves your skin feeling healthy and hydrated... instead of dry and flaky.
Proactiv Solution's unique formulations work together to knock out acne in 3 easy steps:
Renewing Cleanser: gently exfoliates your pores and allows the benzoyl peroxide to penetrate.
Revitalizing Toner: helps unclog your pores and remove dead skin cells.
Repairing Lotion: allows delivery of benzoyl peroxide deep into your pores to attack acne-causing bacteria at the source.
Proactiv Solution also offers a Refining Mask that boosts the effects of your 3-Step System. This cool, soothing formula includes sulfur to refine pores and help heal existing acne more quickly. Work it into your skin care routine 2-3 times per week for even more acne-fighting power!
The most important thing to remember about acne is: It's not your fault. Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by anything you're doing - what you eat, how often you wash your face or work out - but by a combination of factors at work far beneath the surface of your skin. The regularity with which you shed skin cells can change throughout your life. Your hormone balance affects the rate at which you produce oil. Research has also shown that genetics play a big part in the development and persistence of acne, so your family history is a valuable prediction tool as well.
For most forms of acne, Drs. Rodan and Fields prefer topical medications. They may prescribe antibiotics for inflammatory nodular and cystic type acne, and Accutane for more severe cases. Oral antibiotics and Accutane don't cure acne - like topical medications, they gain control of the problem.
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