Acne: its various forms and effective treatment

 Life throws various challenges just as one steps into teenage. Just as career concerns and relationship issues are hard to grapple with, so are the physiological changes during puberty. Out of the issues, one that comes as a constant trouble is acne. Acne, medically known as Acne Vulgaris is so common that it is considered a normal part of growing into an adult. This primarily occurs when the sebaceous glands secrete excess oil and clog the pore or microscopic hair follicles, which in combination with sweat, dirt and dust allows bacteria and germs to boom.



There are various types of acne which are sometimes classified into grades. The broad categories under which acne can be classified are non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

Non-inflammatory acne

Whitehead: When the excess sebum or bacteria stay below the surface of the skin, a whitehead is formed which might be visible as tiny white spots.

Blackhead: Blackheads are formed when the pore gets exposed to the surface and the sebum,which contains the melanin, oxidizes and turns a brown or black in color.

Inflammatory acne

When the acne appears on the skin as swollen red patches, they are known as inflammatory acne. When the white blood cells clog the pore and becomes inflamed, it is called papule, whereas when the white blood cells rush to the surface of the skin it is known as pustule. Severe inflammatory reactions resulting in pus filled wounds are known as cysts or nodule.

Course of treatment

Excessive scrubbing, squeezing or popping the pimples is not recommended as it aggravates the problem and results in dark scars. Resorting to effective medication is the key to address the issue. While, various over the counter creams, gels and ointments are available, the ones containing mandelic and salicylic acid as the main ingredients are most recommended. Salicylic acid is a strong acne-fighting ingredient. It causes exfoliation of the skin and peeling, which can help the lesions to shrink. Meanwhile, Mandelic Acid, a form of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) absorbs the oils on the face and is particularly
effective in curbing repeated outbreaks of the acne.

Mandelic acid: a highly effective skin cure

Acne problems

Acne pimples has often been one of the main problems on every teenager mind. It is a traditional skin issue which has an effect on a person at the beginning of puberty and remains till maturity and is triggered by various reasons.

Factors causing acne

The root cause of this problem is too much secretion of oil (sebum) by sebaceous glands. Though, hormonal imbalances, stress and improper diet are a few of the factors that accentuate the problem. The surface of the skin is coated with tiny follicles of hair or pores and skin pores that get clogged as a result of excess oil (sebum) secretion. Dirt, sweat and bacteria causes inflammation and those red-colored areas are usually described as acne.

Acne breakout remedies

Everyone from a teenager to adult are on the lookout for the most effective anti acne treatment. With a plethora of lotions, creams, ointments and over the counter medications that you can buy, there is no lack of choices. The anti acne treatment that nearly everybody looks for is the one that will not only cures the condition but also stops its recurrence. No wonder mandelic acid products are the most popular treatments mainly because they have no side effects, are 100 % natural and also less expensive. Though, if the problem is grave, you need to seek advice from a skin doctor or try non-prescription anti acne treatments corresponding to their skin type.

Well-known remedies

Some of the advocated anti acne remedies in today’s world is a combination of Mandelic acid and Salicylic acid. People use mandelic acid for acne because its a milder form of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that offers a complete skin treatment solution. Its anti bacterial characteristics have the potential to eliminate acne and lessen its recurring outbreaks. Even chemical peeling, one of the favorite cures, involves the application of Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and Beta hydroxy acids (BHA) on the face post cleansing. Mandelic acid also reduces skin discoloration such as big freckles and brown spots, in addition to hyper pigmentation, spots and wrinkles. At the same time, Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (AHA) which is commonly used to take care of non-inflamed or comedonal acne such as whiteheads and blackheads, through the exfoliation approach.

How Does it Work?

epHiderm™ is the next generation in comprehensive skincare technology. We’ve gone ahead and combined the proven, FDA approved, blemish fi­ghting properties of salicylic acid, with the amazing, skin rejuvenating properties of mandelic acid, to bring you the most complete anti-acne system on the market today. 

Our groundbreaking formulation was developed by a team of dermatologists, cosmetologists, and expert skincare chemists, and is totally revolutionizing the way that acne is most effectively treated and prevented. Many of the heavily advertised products in today’s market utilize benzoyl peroxide, which can irritate the skin and potentially cause future breakouts. All of our products are 100% free of benzoyl peroxide.  By utilizing epHiderm™’s complete skincare system, you eliminate the need for multiple product lines, and save time and money by not having to spend endlessly on various treatments.

OUR PATENT PENDING 2-STEP SYSTEM IS A MULTI-PHASE APPROACH THAT ALLOWS THE SKIN TO HEAL NATURALLY:

STEP 1 - SPOT TREATMENT

Eliminates acne causing bacteria, clears acne pimples and blackheads quickly, and is gentle enough for everyday use. This powerful, yet non-irritating formulation not only treats acne breakouts, but prevents future breakouts from occurring.  Our inclusion of mandelic acid – an amazing, skin rejuvenating AHA that comes from almonds - brings this spot treatment to a whole new level.

STEP 2 - SYNERGYZER

This helps to correct the pH balance of the skin – restoring its natural glow. By enhancing antimicrobial efficacy and creating residual bacteria fi­ghting action, our Synergyzer enables the continuation of the acne clearing process for several hours after application. It also keeps skin feeling soft and smooth. 

The Science

Mandelic Acid

Mandelic acid is by far the strongest antimicrobial, amongst A.H.A.’s, that exists in nature (extracted from almonds).  It is more effective than glycolic acid, which is a commonly used A.H.A., found in the majority of OTC anti-acne products on the market today.  Mandelic acid also has scientific properties that give it a natural affinity to the skin, making it an ideal choice for incorporation into an effective skincare regiment.   

Since its discovery and acceptance into the skincare community, mandelic acid has been increasingly popular amongst high-end cosmetic lines, often utilized for anti-aging/anti-wrinkle benefits.  This is because of mandelic acid’s amazing keratolytic activity, which helps to remove the top layer of damaged skin, allowing it to rejuvenate and heal naturally.  This process also helps to create additional oxygen and stimulate blood flow to the affected region, which accelerates healing.

pH Balancing

The natural pH of your skin is usually somewhere around 5.5.  Most acne spot treatments on the market today are somewhere in the range of 3.0-3.5.  With the understanding that our skin’s ability to heal is directly linked to its pH, we have incorporated the Synergyzer (with a pH of ~8.2) to restore the skin to a physiologically acceptable level.  This drastically reduces healing time, and thus reduces the overall timeframe by which acne can be effectively controlled.  Additionally, by “neutralizing” the pH of the spot treatment after application, this allows the mandelic acid to remain active on the skin for a longer period of time – which maximizes antimicrobial efficacy.

Effective on a wide range of skin afflictions

Often times, patients come in to the dermatologist’s office suffering from bumpiness and irritation of the skin, and assume that they have acne.  In reality, these symptoms can be attributed to a wide range of skin conditions other than acne, such as: rosacea, folliculitis, and eczema.  Although epHiderm does not claim to treat any of these conditions directly, many patients have found it to be quite effective on a wide range of skin afflictions.

Destroys bacteria associated with inflammatory acne

Acne is initially caused by sebum, created by the sebaceous gland, which can clog pores and lead to the formation of acne pimples – whiteheads, blackheads, cysts, etc.  The presence of bacteria is what creates “inflammatory acne”, which can result in pain and discomfort amongst acne sufferers.  By effectively eliminating the bacteria, epHiderm is able to help control this cascade of events.  Our Synergyzer also utilizes allantoin, which is well-known for its skin-healing properties.