Area Of special Attention: Acne On The Back And Décolleté

A low-cut dress and open back tops can be a big problem when unattractive breakouts often appear on the chest and back. We asked Natalia Grigorieva, an anti-age medicine specialist, General Director of the Premium Aesthetics clinic, to talk about the reason for such aesthetic problems and how to get rid of them.

Let's start with the most important thing: the reasons for the appearance of pimples (acne) on the face and body are the same. How can one explain that with clean face skin, rashes are localized on the body?

Most likely, there are some predisposing factors for this: for example, clothes that increase perspiration and sebum secretion, as well as improper care (or its complete absence) for the skin in the décolleté and back area.

It is believed that the localization of inflammation in certain areas of the body indicates internal problems of the body. This statement came to us from oriental medicine, where skin diagnostics are extremely popular. For this, the so-called map of the human body is used, in the areas of which it is indicated what changes in the skin are associated with (including the appearance of acne) in certain areas.

But even the Chinese doctors themselves say that it is impossible to make a 100% diagnosis based on such cards. Hypothetically, it is possible to assume the presence of troubles in a certain area, but nothing more. From a professional and scientifically based point of view, acne is a chronic disease that worsens depending on external and internal factors. So, let's try to understand the main and most common causes of inflammation ─ both on the face and on the body.

Any diseases. If you are experiencing acne problems, you should not exclude the presence of a serious intrinsic factor. Conditionally, the physiological norm is the appearance of acne in adolescence from 12 to 19 years. If acne continues to bother even after 25 years, then there is an obvious hormonal imbalance (do not forget that acne refers to hormone-dependent diseases). Chronic inflammation can also be caused by problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as changes in the intestinal microflora (dysbiosis).

"Special" microbe P. Acnes. It provokes the most common type of acne, Acne Vulgaris. On the skin of some people, the microorganism takes root perfectly, but on the skin of others it does not. This is due to the composition of sebum (by the way, it is modified precisely because of hormonal disorders - in particular, an increase in the level of the hormone testosterone). It is it that serves as an excellent environment for nutrition and reproduction of the causative agent of the disease.

Active production of sebum. Sometimes acne is explained by a genetic predisposition: the activity of the sebaceous glands depends on heredity, and if parents encountered this disease in their youth, then upon reaching puberty, it can also appear in children.

The influence of external factors. This type of acne is called contact or cosmetic. It can be provoked by improper care, dietary habits and even climate change.

Simple tricks

Diet changes

Eat too much fatty or sweet? Do not be surprised that inflammation may appear on the body. This often happens in cases where a woman usually limits herself to such food, but at one point arranges a "belly party". In this case, the body cannot independently remove fat breakdown products through the digestive tract.

The skin, as an organ of excretion, takes on some of these functions. As a result, the secretion of the sebaceous glands increases, and inflammation begins in their ducts. The same thing happens in the case of the abuse of simple carbohydrates against the background of a violation of the microbiota of the small intestine.

What to do: Adjust the fat balance in your diet. Reduce simple sugars to a minimum - you can afford about 150 g of simple sugars per day (this norm also includes fruits). Refined sugar and foods with its content from the diet must be completely excluded. If the appearance of acne is associated with nutrition, the intake of enterosorbents will accelerate recovery twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.

Improper care

Acne is often experienced by women who have a reduced rate of cell division. In this case, horny scales slough off worse from the surface of the skin and clog the ducts of the sebaceous glands, thereby provoking inflammation. And if in most cases we treat the skin of the face with great reverence, then we often completely forget about the skin of the body. If the skin is prone to pimples in the decollete area and on the back, to care for these areas, you need to use products similar in composition to facial cosmetics.

What to do:

First, pick up the care products in tandem with a beautician. Often, women equate oily skin with acne-prone skin. But in fact, this is not true! Believe me, rashes can also appear on dry skin. And since the advertised "anti-acne" cosmetics is usually aimed at caring for oily skin, the owners of dry, taking it into service, will only aggravate their problems (see also: "Theory and practice: care for oily and dry skin with acne").
Secondly, carefully study the labels of the products. If you have a tendency to excess sebum secretion, give up heavy cosmetics with gummy components: petroleum jelly, lanolin, silicones, some oils (cocoa butter, coconut, wheat germ). Opt for light fluids and lotions. Avoid using SPFs containing titanium or zinc oxides - these compounds can also clog pores. For acne-prone skin, products with anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as herbs such as chamomile or sage, are well suited.
Third, cleanse your skin properly. For daily care, choose a gel-based product. Use a mild acid or enzyme peel every two weeks. What should not be done in any case is to use scrubs and brush brushes to cleanse the skin and squeeze out acne. As in the case of inflammation on the face, these manipulations cause seeding of the skin, and as a result, instead of one element, a whole brood of acne appears on the skin.

It can be useful:

Clinique iD Moisturizing System: Moisturizing Base, Skin Tone Concentrate, Skin Soothing Concentrate, Oil Control Oil

A photo:

Changing of the climate

High humidity and high temperatures can exacerbate acne. This, by the way, needs to be taken into account by everyone who is going to warm regions in the summer, and stock up on the necessary means for proper care.

What to do: Don't go overboard with sunburn ─ too much sun can reduce local skin immunity, increase sebum secretion, dry out the upper stratum corneum and, as a result, exacerbate acne. By the way, a similar mechanism is typical not only for sunbathing on the beach, but also in a solarium. But a moderate exposure to UV will benefit the skin - it will slightly dry and disinfect it. One thing is important - do not forget to use SPF products.

Why go to the doctor (and do you need to do it)

Consistency is important in the fight against breakouts. And if pimples on the chest, with full compliance with all of the above safety measures, continue to multiply, it is time to go to a beautician (a competent specialist, by the way, should work closely with other doctors ─ endocrinologist, gynecologist, gastroenterologist). First, the doctor identifies the root cause of acne. This may require very extensive diagnostics. For example, a culture is often taken from the skin to determine the strain of bacteria that inhabit the epidermis, and to select suitable antibiotics for treatment. Be sure to conduct hormonal studies, for which blood tests are taken for the so-called reproductive status. An ultrasound of the thyroid gland and / or pelvic organs may be required. In severe forms of acne, an immunogram, and sometimes a skin biopsy, is not excluded.

How is it treated

In acne treatment, it is important to eliminate the disease that provokes and constantly exacerbates inflammation. To do this, the doctor may prescribe drug therapy (including the use of retinoids, hormonal drugs, antibiotics) or use drugs for external use (with mild rashes). In the clinic, the most popular and effective acne treatment method is light therapy - phototherapy. Depending on the severity of the problem, it may take from 5 to 10 sessions (once every 7-10 days).

The procedure can be prescribed both at the beginning of acne treatment and in its final phase. Laser treatments are useful: fractional laser enhances local skin immunity, reduces sebum production and tightens pores. For a pronounced effect, at least three procedures are required. With its help, you can remove the scars that remain at the site of inflammation (the so-called post-acne). In the USA I use radio wave lifting (thermage) to solve the problem of acne. As a result of this procedure, part of the sebaceous glands is destroyed and the production of sebum is reduced.