Ah, acne — our biggest beauty woe that’s unfortunately a recurring problem no matter how old we are. Given that most of us live in a humid and stressful environment and are constantly exposed to harmful environmental pollutants, acne is something we definitely can’t avoid. Thus, it’s important to invest in the proper treatments. But, before purchasing your next anti-acne buy, you should know what sort of acne you have (yes, there are different kinds) as each require a different set of products to treat them effectively.
Dr. Lum Yang Xi of IDS Clinic shares that acne can be classified into inflammatory and anti-inflammatory acne, where each broad groups can be further subdivided. “Non-inflammatory acne include blackheads and whiteheads. Generally, these can be treated and
prevented with good skincare,” she said.
And by good skincare, she suggests looking for products that contain ingredients like tea tree oil,
clover flower and lilac extracts that can help to refine pores. However, if the acne persists, she recommends booking a facial appointment. While these are rather common, there are some severe cases where it gets really red, painful, pus-filled and huge.
Known as inflammatory acne, it which can be further broken down into multiple stages — ranging from mild to severe — known as papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. Each type is infected with different types of bacteria. Dr. Lum also advises that mild inflammatory acne can be treated as per usual with the inclusion of products that contain good antioxidants like vitamin C and probiotics to help calm the inflammation and the number of lesions. But when it comes to moderate and severe acne, she feels that using a combination of treatments with oral medications or, even some light/laser treatments are best.
Now that you’ve got the basic information, here are some products to consider.