Why do acne on the face not go away for a long time?

Pimples are peculiar formations on the skin, the nature of which is very difficult to determine at home. Inflammations caused by normal climate change may be practically no different in appearance and sensation from those that indicate the development of a serious pathology in the body. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about why acne doesn’t go away if you start struggling with it.

It often happens that after being examined by a doctor, a patient follows the instructions received for a long time, but receives absolutely no results. This is not normal, so you need to find answers to the questions in order to understand whether it is worth continuing the course of treatment at all.

Much also depends on the degree of development of the disease. If acne covers the entire face, then it cannot even physically go away in one week. You can find out the approximate duration of the course directly from your doctor.

The most common reasons why acne does not go away for a long time

1. Frequent use of cosmetics during treatment

If you are using special medications to eliminate skin defects, applying any cosmetics is not recommended at all. It covers the skin with an additional layer, which may slightly, but still, impede the flow of oxygen. That is, the skin is not sufficiently nourished naturally.

Before using such products, be sure to consult your doctor. There are often cases when doctors still allow you to decorate your face a little. But in this case, you need to be very careful when choosing the cosmetics themselves.

The products you used before may not be suitable for you now. During treatment, the skin changes its properties significantly. To avoid a negative reaction of the skin and additional inflammation, be sure to re-select cosmetics that are exactly right for you. To do this, you can consult a cosmetologist. You will receive specific names of the products, which in most cases can be purchased locally. In addition, we recommend taking a short test that will allow you to determine how well you understand cosmetics.

2. Poor nutrition

If you eat a lot of fatty, sweet, salty and fried foods, you may not even think about why acne does not go away. This is the main reason. And even more so if you like to treat yourself to fast food or processed foods from time to time. All these substances, one way or another, leave waste and toxins in the body.

Harmful substances that pollute the intestines disrupt the functioning of the entire tract, which in turn affects the excretory system. The sebaceous glands become more active, causing additional problems to appear. Pimples not only remain on the skin for a long time, but also grow. Old formations increase in size, and more and more new acne appears on the skin. Here I would like to recommend that you not only change your diet, but also take medications such as Lactofiltrum.

3. Insufficient skin cleansing

The use of drugs for external and external use to eradicate the disease is correct and good, since you need to influence the source of the problem itself. But this is not enough to quickly eliminate skin defects themselves. In this case, acne will go away when there is no trace of the disease left in the body.

But you need to understand that additional skin cleansing can significantly speed up the process. If acne does not go away for several months, then such procedures must be started, which your doctor will most likely tell you about.

At least twice a week you need to get rid of new keratinized epithelial cells in order to:

1. Allow the skin to “breathe” and improve oxygen penetration.
2. Get rid of the acne itself, or at least its top layer.

For cleaning, you can use both professional and non-traditional products. It all depends on your skin type and other characteristics of your body.

The most effective procedure is peeling using special scrubs. It is carried out in special clinical conditions, since in the absence of skills and experience the skin can be damaged. However, peeling at home is also possible, and using it, you can get ahead of events and get rid of acne while other medications are fighting the root of the pathology.

4. Neglecting additional skin hydration

For some reason, society has formed a stereotype that oily problem skin is sufficiently moisturized on its own. This is a false opinion. Moreover, it is precisely because of the lack of hydration that acne on the face does not go away for a long time. You need to understand that the large amount of sebum that the inflamed glands secrete practically does not fulfill its function. Fat simply accumulates on the skin and in the pores and does not penetrate into the right areas.

Today, there are many additional products that help to properly moisturize oily skin, including such as protein masks for blackheads. Be sure to use them according to the instructions to speed up the process of getting rid of acne.

5. Poor hygiene

When treating acne, this should be treated with the utmost care. Although doctors talk about this very rarely. Of course, special attention should be paid to the skin of the face. It is not recommended to use additional aggressive agents.

Watch the video below to understand what proper personal hygiene means to prevent acne:

If you are wondering why acne does not go away, pay attention to these points. If none of them suit your case, you may need to change your acne treatment methods.

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1. Diana 04/16/2018

Very informative article, thank you. On my own behalf, I’ll add that Elon ointment helps a lot when acne already exists. My daughter is now 14, and acne almost certainly appears after eating sweets. We apply it right away and it goes away before our eyes.

Waiting for a “miraculous cure” for any facial rash is a futile exercise. You will probably have to admit that acne on the face does not go away; on the contrary, it takes up new “springheads”. The reason may be inside the body, because the skin is an indicator of everything that happens to the body. For a multifactorial problem, we need to look for different solutions. Let's start with topical products - ointments, gels, creams.

Do acne on your face not go away or does acne “for all ages”?

According to Western and Russian dermatologists, 85–90% of teenagers suffer from acne, when the appearance of acne is caused by the process of growing up. Few of the 12-18 year old teenagers, as well as boys and girls, would agree to simply wait until the endocrine system is reorganized and puberty is completed. Everyone wants to be beautiful “here and now”, and not in the ghostly “tomorrow”.

The trouble is that you can wait 10–30 years, observing different elements of the rash on your face. Doctors and cosmetologists note an increase in the number of 40 and even 50-year-old people suffering from acne. According to experts at the Skin Light training center, every fifth adult is susceptible to active forms of acne.

Nodules and blisters on the face can appear due to malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, problems with the endocrine system, genital area, immunity - all this increases the vulnerability of the skin. What to do if acne on the face does not go away for a long time, and others appear to replace one? Most often, there are several causes, which means that treatment will need to be selected to eliminate each one.

The key to solving the problem of acne is treatment of diseases of the internal organs plus the use of topical medications

The body shell cannot cope with cleansing bacteria, dirt, excess sebum and horny scales. Against the background of hormonal changes, dietary errors, and infection with parasites, inflammation occurs in the canals of the hair follicles. Comprehensive treatment should include the selection of suitable hygiene cosmetics and medicinal preparations. This is a good reason to visit a dermatologist and cosmetologist.

If acne on your face does not go away, what should you do?

Topical products for treating problem areas of the skin (table)

Our review is dedicated to discussing the advantages and disadvantages of various medications used for the external treatment of acne. Most of them can be bought at pharmacies without prescriptions. Personal hygiene is mandatory; The following ointments and creams should be used only after cleansing the facial skin.

Local treatment of acne on the face

Acne remedies

pros

Minuses

Why: acne on the face does not go away: “hormonal storms” plus fast food - how to avoid misfortunes?

Human skin is exposed to many factors, most of them “unfriendly”. ,

Air, water, food, saturated with chemicals, begin the list of agents that change very important processes in the dermis. As a result, the activity of the sebaceous glands and cells that produce keratin increases.

There is also a hereditary predisposition to just such a skin reaction to adverse effects.

Undoubtedly, only local treatment does not cancel the influence of “hormonal surges,” environmental pollution, and other negative factors. By properly caring for the skin and using modern topical products, we thereby alleviate the condition of the skin and its immediate function - protecting the body.

Amina Pirmanova / article author

Acne or acne vulgaris is a polymorphic disease of the sebaceous glands. Acne is one of the most frequently recurrent dermatoses.

And, despite the evolution of treatment methods, it is one of the most common: 90-100% at the age of 14-17 years, and 60-75% at the age of 25 years.

Causes

Acne is a multifactorial disease. The mechanism of acne formation has been studied in detail, but environmental or behavioral factors that trigger the inflammatory process still require study.

Most Western dermatologists and evidence-based medicine doctors speak in favor of the hormonal theory of the origin of acne.

The mechanism of formation of hormonal acne is as follows:

1. the natural mechanism of hormonal synthesis is disrupted, testosterone production by the adrenal glands and ovaries increases;
2. The skin is an important target organ for sex hormones. Androgen and estrogen receptors are located in the dermal structures. These receptors respond to the production of testosterone and the decrease in estrogen, which plays a key role in maintaining the skin's water balance;
3. to prevent critical moisture loss, androgynous-estrogenic receptors stimulate follicles to actively synthesize sebum;
4. the skin becomes oily, shiny and textured if the thickness of the stratum corneum is normal;
5. if the renewal mechanism in the epidermis is disrupted and the layer of dead cells is thicker, then sebum does not come out, but remains in the pores, forming closed comedones, white or blackheads;
6. Bacteria begin to develop in the oily environment of clogged pores. The addition of pathogenic flora turns the sebaceous plug into an inflamed pimple - a papule.

The following facts support the hormonal theory of acne:

1. acne occurs in 43-55% of women after stopping oral contraceptives;
2. According to statistics, more than 90% of women with hyperadrogenism have oily skin and acne;
3. the first acne occurs in 95% of adolescents during the period of hormonal changes;
4. acne recurs during the climatic period in response to a reduction in estrogen synthesis;
5. Bodybuilders experience acne during cycles of anabolic steroids.

External factors for the appearance of acne include poor diet and bad habits, insufficient hygiene and mechanical damage to the skin.

Poor nutrition

The relationship between diet and acne is still being actively researched. WHO, based on data from American researchers, recommends that patients with acne adhere to their usual balanced diet and avoid individual allergens.

The correlation between intestinal flora and acne has not been proven and has even been partially refuted. No reputable dermatologist speaks positively about the benefits of gut bacteria and probiotics for the skin.

However, it has been proven that the degree of acne correlates with the amount of quickly digestible carbohydrates consumed. The mechanism of the relationship is as follows: insulin is released to break down glucose, with its participation free testosterone is converted into the active form dihydrotestosterone, to which skin receptors react by secreting sebum.

Mechanical impact

Microtraumas of the skin epithelium disrupt the local immunity of the skin and can cause relapses of acne.

Squeezing pimples is a common psychosomatic reaction to acne. A person feels an urgent need to act, to do something to get rid of a pimple.

And the most understandable subconscious reaction is to squeeze out the pus, mechanically remove the defect. But, squeezing pimples leads to damage and subsequent scarring of the epidermis.

It is possible to squeeze out mature purulent papules, but this must be done carefully, using a special sterile spoon or spatula.

The skin must be disinfected before and after the procedure with alcohol-free antiseptics: miramistine or chlorhexidine.

Insufficient hygiene

The skin has a special bacterial flora. The sebaceous ducts of each person are permanently colonized by different groups of microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites.

They cause inflammation only when comfortable conditions for reproduction arise. The fatty environment of the follicle under plugs of dead cells is a very favorable environment.

The leading role in the formation of cysts and papules is played by the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes, staphylococci and streptococci. For complex acne therapy, it is necessary to minimize the possibility of bacteria entering the skin from the external environment.

Hygiene rules that must be followed by people with acne:

1. change bed linen regularly, especially pillowcases (at least once every 5 days), since the skin is in contact with the surface of the pillow for a long time;
2. use only a separate face towel or disposable paper towels;
3. do not touch your face with dirty hands;
4. wipe the case and screen of the mobile phone with alcohol or antiseptic;
5. remove dirty hair from your face. Not only particles of dirt, but also remnants of styling products can cause clogging of pores;
6. maintain hygiene when applying makeup, wash brushes, use disposable applicators for applying cosmetics;
7. monitor the cleanliness of scarves, hats, masks, collars and other wardrobe items that come into contact with problem skin.

What to do and what to anoint

The method of treatment depends on the degree of acne and the extent of the spread of inflammatory elements.

Degrees of acne:

1. enlarged pores, “blackheads”, closed comedones, up to 10 inflamed elements on the face;
2. 2 to 20 pimples on the face, single acne on the back, chest, shoulders;
3. 20-30 pimples on the face, cystic acne, problem skin on the chest and back.
4. more than 40 inflammatory elements on the face, internal acne, acne conglobata, cysts, problematic body skin.

Skin care

To avoid additional clogging of pores and the formation of comedones, it is necessary to use cosmetics without comedogenic components.

Cosmetics ingredients that cause additional acne:

1. talc;
2. oils: coconut, cocoa, castor, burdock, wheat germ, rapeseed;
3. lanolin;
4. petrolatum;
5. alcohol denatured alcohol;
6. paraffin.

Parabens and sulfate salts also have a high threshold of comedogenicity, but they are acceptable in products that do not contact the skin surface for a long time: washes, masks.

The following components have a positive effect on the condition of problem skin:

1. glycolic, citric, lactic, salicylic, azelaic, tartaric acids;
2. enzymes or enzymes: papain, bromelain;
3. aloe;
4. kaolin;
5. panthenol;
6. allantoin;
7. snail extract;
8. extracts of cintella, spirulina, chlorella;
9. essential oils of tea tree, rosemary, bay, peppermint, lavender;
10. minerals: zinc, mica, jezdu clay or Amazonian clay.

Diet for acne

Diet plays a secondary role in acne treatment, but sometimes, without adjusting the diet, it is impossible to completely cure acne.

In Europe and the USA, patients with hyperandrogyny are recommended to consume foods with a low glycemic index.

It is permissible to replace white sugar with sweeteners of natural origin that do not cause fluctuations in insulin levels: stevia or erythritol.

Allergic reactions are sometimes disguised as acne. To confirm or refute the histamine (allergic) nature of the rash, it is necessary to do skin tests.

According to the International Commission on Food Safety (a body of the World Health Organization WHO), severe food hypersensitivity is caused by familiar foods, which for most are part of a balanced diet.

Products that cause the most severe allergic reactions (including acne):

1. gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, oats);
2. milk and derivatives;
3. eggs;
4. peanuts and tree nuts;
5. mollusks, crustaceans, sea fish;
6. soybeans

The severity of allergic reactions depends on the individual characteristics of the body and the amount of allergens consumed.

Video: Causes of rashes

Acne masks

Masks help to further cleanse the skin, delicately renew and moisturize.

Clay masks are considered universal for problem skin. Clay removes toxins, tightens pores, mattifies the skin, and removes sebum residues from the surface.

Kaolin masks are an understandable remedy with an explainable mechanism of action. Almost every cosmetic brand produces such products. But, a clay mask can be prepared at home.

For problem skin, green or blue clay is optimal.

Recipe for a mask to tighten pores

Green clay 1 tbsp. l. + mineral water 1 tbsp + a few drops of rosemary or peppermint essential oil.

This mask, in addition to the detox effect, disinfects the skin, tightens pores, and stimulates blood circulation in the upper layers of the dermis.

Mask recipe for exfoliation, renewal

0.5 tsp salicylic alcohol + 0.25 l. citric acid + 3 tbsp. l. water or green tea + 2-3 tbsp. l. blue clay.

The mask provides an antibacterial effect, renews the skin, stimulates the regeneration process, dries out inflammation, and cleanses pores.

Apply clay masks to dry, clean facial skin, avoiding the area around the eyes. Keep until completely dry. Rinse off gently with warm water.

After the procedure, the skin should be well moisturized with cream with avocado oil, grape seed oil, hyaluronic acid, aloe gel or snail extract.

Drugs

The abundance of medications and tinctures for acne in every local pharmacy is amazing. But, most remedies provide a weak or short-term effect.

It is not always possible to select the right drug from a dermatologist, due to the specifics of the work and the doctor’s qualifications.

If acne significantly reduces the quality of life, its treatment must be addressed competently and actively. First of all, study the list of drugs approved by WHO for the treatment of acne.

The use of drugs gives the most pronounced effect in the treatment of acne. If, despite proper care and nutrition, acne on the face does not go away, then it is advisable to use specialized products.

But, they have contraindications and side effects. It is necessary to carefully follow the instructions for use to minimize the likelihood of adverse reactions.

How to remove redness from acne? More details here.

AHA and BHA acids

AHA and BHA acids act effectively in several directions:

1. stimulate the process of skin renewal, delicately remove the layer of dead cells, freeing the sebaceous ducts;
2. dissolve sebaceous plugs and comedones;
3. act on microorganisms; in an acidic environment, bacteria, viruses and even mites cannot reproduce.
4. tighten pores, even out skin texture, remove acne spots.

For problem skin, salicylic and azelaic acid are optimal.

An alcohol solution of salicylic acid 2% can be purchased at your nearest pharmacy. This drug is only suitable for precise application to problem areas. When applied to large areas, it can cause burns, peeling and dry skin.

Azelaic acid is an effective anti-acne substance. It forms the basis of the popular drug Skinoren and its analogues: Azik-derm, Azogel.

The use of drugs with azelaic acid is indicated for stages 1–3 of acne. At stage 4, it is effective only in combination with antibiotics.

Benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide has a keratolytic effect and a moderate antibacterial effect, speeds up regeneration, and accelerates the process of epidermal renewal. For stage 3-4 acne, it is used in combination with local and systemic antibiotics.

Preparations based on benzoyl peroxide: Baziron, Duak, Eclaran, Ugresol.

Antibiotics

Considering the active role of microorganisms in the formation of acne, the use of antibiotics to treat inflammation is considered appropriate. External acne therapy is carried out with monocomponent antibiotics (Tetracyclines, Macrolides, Lincosamides).

Local preparations with antibiotics: Syntomycin ointment, Erythromycin liniment, Levomekol, Zinerit.

In severe cases, with an active inflammatory process, which is accompanied by suppuration, cystic clusters, etc. antibiotics are prescribed for internal use (clindamycin, levomycin).

The disadvantage of antibiotics is that they act only on microorganisms, do not affect “blackheads” and comedones, give only a temporary effect, and cause bacterial resistance (most of all erythromycin).

Tretinoin

The most effective preparations for skin treatment are produced based on retinoic acid or tretinoin. If acne on the face does not go away with traditional methods of treatment or with antibiotics, then with a 95% probability they will go away with tretinoin.

Retinoic acid is the active form of vitamin A. It provides a unique therapeutic effect aimed at eliminating a number of skin defects.

Positive effects of tretinoin:

1. many times, better than other drugs, it accelerates skin regeneration and renews the stratum corneum;
2. due to the powerful keratolytic effect, it removes acne themselves, scars and spots after acne, fine wrinkles, and even scars or stretch marks;
3. compacts the base layer – the dermis, which makes it indispensable in anti-aging cosmetics;
4. reduces the sensitivity of skin receptors to androgens;
5. gives a prolonged effect.

Preparations based on tretinoin are the “gold standard” for the treatment of acne in a number of progressive countries.

In Russia, preparations with retinoic acid are not certified, which means they are not sold in pharmacy chains. Cautious dermatologists are in no hurry to recommend them to patients even with severe acne.

As a way out, you can consult with a specialist, discuss the nuances of using this drug and purchase it abroad, in online pharmacies or on international websites.

The original tretinoin preparation is Retin A. Its generics: Tretin A, Retino, Acnelyse, Airol, A-Ret, Renova.

If ointments and gels with tretinoin do not help, it is the turn of isotretinoin preparations for internal use (Roacutane, Acnecutane). They have a long list of side effects, but can cure even stage 4 acne with pimples all over the body.

Why don't acne on my face go away?

You can only hope for regression of acne if you are under the age of 18, and only with stage 1 acne. If acne is not teenage and there are more than 10 inflammatory elements on the face, they cannot go away without specific treatment.

It is necessary to take into account that it is advisable to take cosmetic products only for the care of problem skin, not for the treatment of acne.

Cleansing foams with calendula, tonics with zinc, and aloe creams are excellent for maintenance therapy. But only drugs with azelaic acid, tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide provide a pronounced and stable effect.

If it is not possible to visit a competent dermatologist who will prescribe the correct drug, you can contact a cosmetologist. Acid peels, laser cleansing, yellow peeling with retinol provide a positive therapeutic effect.