FAQ – Acne

All your Acne related Questions answered! We have put together a series of FAQs-Acne which are commonly asked. If you have a query which you cannot find the answer of, please write to us at info@drrashmishetty.com

Please check if you have dandruff first. Keep your scalp clean and you can use azelaic acid 20% on the back for relief. Do watch this video for more details.

I think the reason for breakouts is just travel and change of water like you said you are a photographer so it could be because of change of water as well or accumulation of dandruff and scalp being not so clean during traveling. It could also be a hormonal change. So, I would ideally recommend you to meet a doctor or you are most welcome to come and see us. In the meantime, you can use a sunscreen called La Shield (review in the video below) or UVdoux, both of them are nice and they will protect you well. The other tip I would like to give is – make sure you wash your face every 3 to 4 hours so that wherever you are out in the wind, or you are driving through the Sand and Dirt roads it shouldn’t just be a lot of dust accumulating on your face that could also help in clog the pores. So, take a look at keeping your face super clean and that’s your thing also at night however tired wash your face and apply a night cream and keep your scalp clean. Do follow my Instagram series on acne and breakouts called #ZipThatZit for more updates.

Yes, it is safe to use these three ingredients that you have said. But you must be careful that all of them cause extra redness, dryness and sensitivity to the skin. So, it is best to consult a doctor to see which of these you need and in what order you need to use them.

Defence is basically an anti-inflammatory supplement. It calms down and reduces the inflammation that you have while you are having acne. Having said that, it cannot be a treatment for acne. You have to meet your dermatologist to take a proper medication, especially since you have cystic acne.

Hello, yes of course this needs attention and medication. However, this is not something that I would be able to tell you online. We must meet for a consultation for me to really get to the depth of what’s happening.

Red pimples mean that it is inflamed and infected. You will have to meet your doctor to get yourself a course of antibiotics first. Your doctor will help diagnose the cause of your acne and treat it accordingly. For now, please use ice, clean your scalp, use a very mild face wash to face your face, keep icing your face to calm the inflammation down and you can use an antibiotic ointment on the face. And you have to meet the doctor there after.

Isotroin is not harmful. It’s a vitamin A precursor but if you are pregnant or planning to conceive then it’s definitely a contraindication. However your doctor must have given it to you for the right reasons. Do not take this medicine without a prescription. Also, your liver function should be constantly checked while you are on Isotroin so it has to be taken under medical guidance.

No. We don’t think doing an Ultherapy for acne scar makes sense. Where Ultherapy works is at a 3.5 or 4.5 mm depth which is deep into the SMAS and probably fat areas of your face while your acne scar is at the skin level so you may not need that much of depth. But yes, in principle, an ultrasound and a focused ultrasound can work in collagen regeneration and therefore acne scar as well. So probes with 1.5-2.5mm depth do work. At Ra, we have sygmalift which works best because we can work on 1.5 and 2.5 mm depth easily with this equipment.

It is not that you are putting in the skin anything like a Botox or a Filler that the effect lasts till the drug wears out. In this case, you are stimulating the collagen and tightening your own SMAS. So once it is tightened, it stays there for good. But that does not mean that your aging process stops. You start aging from the new starting point ( the point where your skin is in a better place post-treatment). To keep your skin maintained, collagen stimulated and SMAS tightened, you may have to repeat ultrasound or Ultherapy every year. This is only to enhance the collagen and keep the skin tightened and not because the effect has worn out.

It is best to avoid junk food or anything that comes from outside and eat home-cooked food. You also need to avoid sugar and dairy in your diet. These are the two things that cause more inflammation in the body. Since one of the main reasons for acne becoming red and angry is inflammation itself, it is best to cut down on sugar and dairy products for acne-prone skin.

Jawline and neck acne is mostly hormone-driven acne which usually is accompanied by excessive hair on that area, hair fall, pigmentation on the neck and weight gain. It is better not to do a quick fix for the acne, rather visit your doctor and examine your blood investigations to figure out which hormone is triggering the concerns mentioned. Your doctor will be able to best guide you about the treatments you can opt to control this acne. Some general measures are as follows:
-Do not touch that area
-Use a benzoyl peroxide cream at night
-Anti-inflammatory supplements like Ra Defence and Cell repairing supplements like Ra Anagen can be taken

Of course, you can use a moisturiser. Acne can take place on dry skin and the treatment of acne often leads to dryness and irritation of acne. You can look for a hydrating moisturiser than an oil giving moisturiser with AHAs, BHAs or simply hyaluronic acid hydrants which gives your skin the water, nourishment and the repair that it needs. One must remember that a well-hydrated skin repairs itself. You can also use supplements like Ra Primerose+, Ra Skin Hydrate and Ra Anagen.

Acne spots are best treated at your doctor’s office. Spots or PIH (Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation) can be treated to a certain extent at home with some remedies and creams. You can use some DIY masks with honey, sandalwood paste and enzymes like papaya. You can also apply creams with Azelaic acid, Kojic acid and glycolic acid. Vitamins like Vitamin C and Niacinamide also help to lighten the skin.

Tretinoin works for both acne and aging concerns. It works exactly like Retin A which is a gold standard for anti-aging but without the irritation that Retin A gave. Therefore tretinoin is a fantastic molecule to use as a topical agent and works for both the concerns mentioned by you.

For dry skin and acne, firstly use a good hydrating moisturizer. Oily sticky acne might stimulate acne for you. Non-comedogenic is the term that you look for in the bottles. The ingredients that you can look for are Hyaluronic acid, BHA, vitamin driven things like B3 and B6. You can also take Ra Primerose+ capsules which help acne which is dry. It hydrates the skin and plus take care of the acne. And of course, get your acne treated from your doctor. And while you treat your acne, don’t use Benzoyl Peroxide or Adapelene which are commonly used for acne because if you already have dry skin then it might irritate your skin further. So first get the hydration back to normal and then see how you may want to treat those acne spots.