Acne. It’s a frustrating condition that relentlessly follows many people into adulthood. Even after trying countless over-the-counter remedies, whiteheads, blackheads, and pustules can persist. At Orchidia Medical Group in Naples, FL, we recommend you stop the expensive and ineffective acne treatments and choose from one of our effective options. We have the skill and knowledge to rejuvenate your face and finally stop the breakouts and scars.
What Actually Works for Acne Treatment?
The first acne treatment that deserves discussion is microneedling, a tried and true therapy that appears deceptively simple. We use tiny, sterilized needles to create micro-sized holes in the surface of your skin. Don’t worry – a topical anesthetic is also used to ensure a relaxing treatment. Sessions can be quickly completed, and the ensuing facial holes are not visible. Meanwhile, various rejuvenating effects begin happening as soon as we prick your skin.
A cosmetic treatment focused on needles might seem counterintuitive for treating acne, but we can assure you it works. The small wounds we make prompt the body to enter a natural state of healing. Part of this process involves amplified production of collagen and elastin. These two proteins are widely recognized for giving skin its structure and elasticity.
Reduces Inflammation and Promotes Healing
But research suggests that higher levels of collagen may counter inflammation in the body. Inflammation is now recognized as a culprit in every stage of acne, from beginning to end. Tamping down inflammation can effectively keep breakouts at bay and contribute to a smoother, brighter complexion.
Collagen and elastin are also integral to healing. Ramping up levels of both may help the skin quickly recover from acne flare-ups. And as a side note, microneedling benefits the skin in other ways, too, including:
- Reducing dark spots
- Erasing fine lines and wrinkles
- Correcting stretch marks
- Fading scars, including those caused by acne
Enlighten RX
This innovative, medical-grade face mask gets applied directly to the skin like a chemical peel. Generally speaking, peels work by encouraging skin cells to turn over more quickly. The exfoliation they provide helps to shrink pores, soften and tighten skin, and even whisk away sun damage. Enlighten RX also works to block your body’s pigmentation production so no additional dark spots surface during the treatment cycle.
You might be wondering how these effects serve as acne treatments. The answer can be found in cellular turnover. A faster skin cell cycle makes it easy for the face to rid itself of dead cells and prevent the development of wrinkles. An efficient cycle can also correct and prevent acne by keeping dead skin cells off your facial surface.
The Fallible Nature of Skin
Skin is designed to renew itself and commonly does so every 28 to 32 days. But this cycle occasionally needs a little help, especially when dead cells stick to your face rather than freely slough off. Those dead cells can clog pores and contribute to a dull, congested complexion – and plenty of breakouts. And no amount of scrubbing or exfoliating at home is likely to unclog your pores once they acquire debris.
Into this foray comes the Enlighten RX treatment. It’s safe for any skin color or type and is completely pain-free. We simply paint on the mask in our office. In about a week, you’ll start to notice smoother skin texture and a more even complexion. Full effects usually take a month to develop. Benefits of the Enlighten RX system include:
- Reduction and/or elimination of acne blemishes
- Smaller pores
- Increased skin luminosity
- Fewer lines and wrinkles
- Correction of scars
- A more youthful appearance
The Details You Need
The Enlighten RX is lauded because it requires no downtime. Your appointment can be completed in about 30 minutes, and the results are highly dependable. Equally important, this treatment is right for nearly any patient who has acne, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, melasma, and an uneven complexion. We’ll assess your skincare needs at your consultation, and if we determine Enlighten RX is the right acne treatment for you, we’ll move forward.
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Acne is a concern in and of itself, but it can also yield a secondary concern: acne scars. These happen when the acne pore swells and the wall of the pore sustains a breakdown. Some acne blemishes are small and create shallow scars that quickly heal. Other times, however, the contents of the blemishes dribble onto surrounding tissues and cause deeper scars.
These scars can be frustrating to treat. Most topical ointments fail to work because they don’t reach the tissues underneath, where real healing occurs. Fortunately, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is gaining traction as a viable acne scar treatment. It is, after all, a therapy that makes sense in more ways than one.
A Physiology That Works
For starters, platelets serve as first responders when the skin sustains a wound. They also help ignite a healing cascade that includes blood clotting and the release of many different proteins and chemicals. Those proteins heal skin from within to remodel tissues, improve blood flow, and promote cell regeneration. In short, PRP can build skin plumper and firmer to diminish the appearance of scars.
Every time we administer PRP therapy, we’re simply jumpstarting the body’s natural wound-healing mechanics. And these effects can be very long-lasting. When the skin sustains a cut, the body continues working until that spot is recovered. This same tenacity can be applied to acne scars and other skin blemishes, including wrinkles, lines, and hyperpigmentation.
Reap the Benefits
PRP is filled with benefits beyond those that directly improve your skin’s health. It is completely natural – we derive the treatment by painlessly drawing a sample of blood from your arm. We then place the sample into a centrifuge to separate the red blood cells from the plasma. A numbing cream is applied to your face to ensure the treatment is comfortable, and we begin first with microneedling. This means you essentially receive two treatments in one.
Once we’re finished with microneedling, we inject the plasma into your skin and follow that with a collagen mask. Full results develop in about one month and include soft, glowing skin with improved texture and a reduced appearance of scars.
NovaThreads Facelift
Have you ever thought about a facelift only to immediately think twice because you’re not ready for surgery? We have an alternative you might want to consider – one that can restore a more youthful appearance and help treat a wide range of acne scars.
NovaThreads are extremely fine and colorless and can be twisted, smooth, or barbed for different applications. They’re made from an organic material – polydioxanone (PDO) – that, with time, simply dissolves. We use these threads to precisely lift, contour, and volumize the skin. The result is a natural-looking rejuvenation that includes a smoother, tauter appearance free of pesky scars.
How They Work
NovaThreads require a degree of skill and artistry to obtain great results. Our staff has been trained in how to place and pull the threads so they don’t pinch or overlap. We also use the right number of threads for your needs to, again, achieve natural results. Nobody will ever know you’ve had “work done.” They’ll simply recognize your face looks fresher and more youthful.
While NovaThreads provide immediate results, they also work below the skin’s surface to stimulate increased collagen production. Results may therefore last for nearly two years. But you don’t need to worry about an abundance of collagen production. We place baby threads in key places to plump and build the protein where you need it most.
Ideal for Acne Scarring
NovaThreads fashioned from a very fine, thread-like material are ideal for correcting acne scars. We use an application technique to create a crosshatched “scaffold” just underneath your facial surface. This supports skin as collagen production ramps up. Then, as the threads dissolve, skin remains firmer and tauter thanks to the rich, healthy layer of collagen that’s grown in underlying tissues. Skin texture, meanwhile, is vastly improved and scars whisked away.
The threading process is quick, painless, and safe even for people with sensitive skin. It’s also effective for every skin tone. We will be both meticulous and thorough when developing your unique treatment plan. We’ll assess your facial structure, skin type, and cosmetic concerns to ensure an optimal outcome.
Solutions to Your Acne Concerns
Finding an effective acne treatment might seem like an uphill battle, but you can rest assured we have options that are right for you. Microneedling and Enlighten RX both work to give the glowing complexion you want, while PRP and NovaThreads can erase scars and improve your skin’s overall health. Each of these treatments comes with additional benefits as well. Schedule your consultation today by contacting Orchidia Medical Group in Naples, FL.