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Oily skin and acne

I am 18 years old, and used to have clear beautiful skin. Recently, my skin has become oily and I have acne on my cheeks that are red in colour. I didn’t change my facial cleanser during this time, but I did change to another facial cleanser that was recommended by my friends, after seeing that my acne wasn’t clearing up. My skin cleared a little bit, but now I’m faced with the problem of scars, and my cheeks are always bright red. Am I using the wrong products?
K.B.

Dear K.B.,
BeforeBeforeAfterAfterUsing the wrong products can sometimes worsen acne. For acne-prone skin, I would suggest a gentle facial cleanser that can remove the excess sebum on your face. You should seek treatment from a dermatologist for your acne problem. You may need a course of isotretinoin if the acne is severe. Acne scars can be treated with cosmetic lasers such as Fractional CO2, Erbium, Nd:YAG or Cooltouch.

A pulsed dye laser can also be used to treat inflamed red acne. A sudden outbreak of acne can have many causes, for example, a change in hormone levels during puberty, using the wrong products, and stress, to name a few.

Answered by Dr. Ko Chung Beng | Sun, 2008/03/30 - 8:10pm
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