How to Get Rid of Inflamed Acne

Caring for mild comedonal acne is pretty easy. By the time you follow a structured routine with gentle skincare, a balanced diet and minimal lifestyle changes, voila, your skin is already cleared and back to its youthful radiance. But what about red, inflamed blemishes that do not seem to budge even after these primary strategies? These painful lesions, which are quite commonly known as inflammatory acne, require a much more detailed approach. Let’s understand the true inflammatory acne meaning and ways in which you can get rid of these pesky lesions over time.

Keynotes:

• Inflammatory acne is marked by painful, red bumps due to deep-set infected or clogged pores, unlike surface-level comedones.
• The causes of inflammatory acne involve hormonal imbalances, excessive sebum, bacteria, and lifestyle factors such as diet and stress.
• Effective primary treatment strategies for the concern span over over-the-counter and prescription solutions like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinoids, and oral medications.
• Apart from seeking professional advice, one should also avoid picking at their skin to ensure healing and reduce scarring.

Acne is inherently an inflammatory condition often brought on in the early stages of adolescence and adulthood. While many may simply experience seasonal acne, with a lack of lifestyle habits, changes in diet, hormonal acne fluctuations, etc., comes the troop of inflammatory acne.

When explored, anti-inflammatory acne’s meaning refers to red, swollen and painful bumps occurring on the skin due to deep-set infected or clogged pores. Unlike non-inflammatory acne, which presents itself as small comedones, commonly known as whiteheads and blackheads, these inflammatory lesions are more severe, containing a mix of bacteria, pus, dead skin cells and excess oil in your skin. Such an amalgamation triggers an immune response in the form of acne breakouts, turning them red and sensitive as a final inflammatory reaction.

1. Papules

   These are the mild form of inflammatory acne, manifesting as inflamed red bumps on the skin, which are tender to touch. These are characteristically smaller in size and do not contain a whitehead as opposed to the others.

2. Pustules

   These are what most people associate with a full-blown pimple. These are large, red and will have a white or skin-colored head containing pus.

3. Nodules

   As an acne lesion, nodules can be identified as large, tough bumps on the skin measuring more than 5 mm. These can be extremely painful and set deep into the dermis, taking weeks to heal with potential scarring.

4. Cyst

   Apart from nodules, cysts are one of the most severe types of lesions, identified by their large, pus-filled structures nestled beneath the skin surface. These need to be professionally treated with a dermatologist's guidance to prevent significant scarring and damage to the skin.
Due to the expanse of inflamed skin, acne types and their impact on skin and mental well-being, it is essential to recognize these differences for the right inflammatory acne treatment.

For an effective treatment or even practicing preventative measures, one must always know the primary causes that lead to inflamed skin acne, some of which include an imbalance in hormones, an overflux of sebum, bacteria and lifestyle factors:

Hormones, Bacteria, and Skin Triggers

There is no one specific reason that leads to acne sprouting on your face on a random Wednesday. It is but an interaction between several factors that triggers the inflammatory immune response in your skin.

Hormones play a key part in this process. Influences like genetic predisposition, underlying diseases, medications or more, can boost the production of hormones such as androgens in your body.

This subsequently initiates a cascade of sebum production in your skin, trapping in itself cells and oil with time. Such a blockage gives way to systematic bacterial growth like Cutibacterium acnes, which essentially thrives in sebum-rich environments.

These clogged hair follicles trigger an immune response to break down the follicular walls and curb the spread of this bacteria. This is when the characteristics of inflammatory acne, such as redness, swelling, and pain, become predominant.

Apart from these, lifestyle factors such as lack of a better diet, stress, harsh cosmetics and incessant touching or picking of the skin can further aggravate the acne.

So, how to cure inflammatory acne? Well, these types of severe acne breakouts are typically chronic in nature, which means they do not have a lasting cure, but the strategies listed below can make for a healthy regimen to reduce their occurrence over time.

OTC Products and Prescription Medication

Over-the-counter and prescription treatments are some of the most frequently adopted approaches in moderate types of inflammatory acne.

• Benzoyl peroxide: This is a staple for treating bacterial growth and acne-type lesions. It is seen in gel, lotion, and cream-based formulas.
• Salicylic acid: Another gold standard for treating inflammatory acne is the trusted BHA salicylic acid. It essentially exfoliates the dead skin cells on the skin and helps unclog oily pores.
• Azelaic acid: This is a topical solution, often used to treat acne and conditions like rosacea due to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Retinoids: Common retinoids used in OTC are retinol, retinal (retinaldehyde) and adapalene, which not only help in exfoliating the skin but also boost collagen production.

After a thorough diagnosis of your skin condition, your dermatologist may also prescribe you oral medications such as antibiotics like tetracycline, oral contraceptive pills or oral retinoids such as isotretinoin.

Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients

Individuals may also benefit from incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients into their skincare. For instance, the antioxidants in green tea and the anti-bacterial properties of licorice root extracts can boost your skin health and reduce inflammation. Oily skin types or people with oily T-zones may try weekly kaolin clay masks to reduce impurities and sebum from the skin.

Lifestyle and Dietary Adjustments

Following a healthy, balanced diet is essential to support youthful and even-toned skin. Individuals may benefit from reducing intake of over-processed products, high-glycemic foods, sugary treats and certain dairy products. Identifying and eliminating potential allergens in your diet can help decrease the severity of acne with time.

Your meal prep should include whole grains, a variety of vegetables, protein, antioxidant-rich fruits, probiotics and healthy fatty acids. All together, with adequate hydration, can boost wound healing, reduce inflammation and maintain skin barrier function.

Now that we are quite familiar with the nuances of inflamed skin acne, let's look at a few preventative tactics to reduce future recurrence of the condition:

• Tip 1: Do not pick at your skin; simply cover the pimple with a pimple patch to avoid spreading the bacteria to nearby skin when popped.
• Tip 2: Build a skincare routine with a gentle exfoliating cleanser that contains actives such as salicylic acid or lactic acid, much like DermoPurifyer Cleansing Gel.
• Tip 3: Try following a consistent hair care routine as well, ensuring to keep hair away from your face. This helps in preventing any product residue from transferring onto your sensitive skin.
• Tip 4: Add targeted solutions into your skincare routines in the form of treatment creams or serums. Products like the DermoPurifyer Triple Effect Serum contain Thiamidol, Salicylic Acid and licorice root extract to not only eliminate oil and treat acne but also reduce the acne scarring post-healing.
• Tip 5: Always complete your skincare routine, no matter the day, with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. You may easily look for high-performing sun protection with SPF 50+ prowess, like the Sun Face Hydro Protect Ultra-Light Fluid SPF50+, in the market.

• If you have been consistent in your skincare routine for over 2-3 months without any improvement in your condition, then your skin may warrant professional help.
• Do not wait for scarring to develop; however, if you do have significant post-breakout scarring, contact your dermatologist.
• If you notice larger-than-normal pimples on your skin that are painful to touch, then these may be severe types of lesions that demand professional treatment to prevent skin texture damage.
• If you experience recurrent breakouts and are confused about their cause, then seek a professional diagnosis.

Dealing with breakouts of any kind, especially moderate-severe inflammatory acne, is not easy. Along with it comes the pain, skin tone, textural changes and a significant impact on one’s mental well-being. The good news amongst this is that the strategies for inflammatory acne treatment listed above can help, starting from gentle skincare to professional interventions. Hence, choose dermatologically proven products to protect your skin health and foster a healthier lifestyle to support your skin from the inside out.

1. What is inflammatory acne and how is it different?

   Inflammatory acne refers to the presence of painful, red, and deep-rooted infections in the hair follicles, unlike the surface-level comedones of non-inflammatory blemishes. Commonly listed moderate to severe inflammatory acne includes papules, pustules, nodules and cysts.

2. What are the best treatments for inflamed acne?

   Some of the starter treatments for inflammatory acne start from topical solutions, such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, niacinamide or retinoids. For treating severe cases, oral antibiotics, oral retinoids and hormonal medications may be prescribed as well.

3. How to cure inflammatory acne without scarring?

   In the search for how to cure inflamed acne, one must always practice consistent skincare, avoid squeezing the pimples, and consult a dermatologist promptly to reduce or prevent the chances of scarring.

• nih.gov - Targeting Inflammation in Acne: Current Treatments and Future Prospects
• nih.gov - The Role of Inflammation in the Pathology of Acne
• nih.gov - Effects of Diet on Acne and Its Response to Treatment
• aad.org - Treating acne? Is it time to see a dermatologist?
• aad.org - Acne: Tips for managing
• Sciencedirect - Acne: Inflammation
• Jddonline - Inflammatory Acne Treatment: Review of Current and New Topical Therapeutic Options