Top 6 Most Common Skin Concerns and How to Address Them

The Best Treatments for Every Common Adult Skin Concern

Regardless of age or gender, we all want to put our best face forward every day as we take on the world. But sometimes, due to circumstances beyond our control, we find ourselves facing various skin concerns.

Whether you are experiencing acne, sun damage, wrinkles, or skin discolouration, achieving perfect skin can sometimes feel out of reach.

The good news is, having a beautiful complexion isn’t actually unattainable. With the right products and treatments, and a little tender loving care, you can easily overcome some of the most common skin concerns.

To help better understand your skin and how to best take care of it, here are the most common skin concerns faced by adults, along with some solutions and preventative measures.

Acne

While having acne at any stage in life can feel embarrassing and isolating, it’s important to understand that it is actually more common than you think. In fact, acne is the #1 most common skin care issue people experience.

What Is Acne and What Causes It?

Acne is a blanket term used to describe various blemishes such as blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts. These spots usually show up on the face and neck, but can also appear on the shoulders, back and upper arms.

Acne occurs when pores are clogged by dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, due to a variety of factors, such as:

By the Numbers

Despite being commonly associated with one’s teenage years, acne can occur at any stage of life and pop up well into your 30s and 40s. In fact, acne during adulthood is currently on the rise and is estimated to affect 15 percent of all women.

Across all age groups, 20% of Canadians are currently living with acne, according to the Canadian Dermatology Association.

How to Prevent It

In most cases, acne is preventable by following these tips:

How to Treat It

Despite your best efforts, acne can appear without warning at the most inconvenient times. Thankfully, most cases of acne can be easily treated by washing your skin every day with a mild cleanser and applying topical creams containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

But for more stubborn acne that is difficult to get rid of, here are some treatment options available at SKINS:

Skincare products containing ingredients like Salicylic Acid and Vitamin A are also incredibly effective at treating acne. Here are some of our recommendations for skincare products containing these ingredients that are available at SKINS:

Melasma

What is Melasma and What Causes It?

Melasma is a condition affecting skin pigmentation that results in brown or gray patches on the skin, usually on the face.

The most common areas for melasma to appear include:

An official cause of Melasma remains unknown, however, there are some potential triggers for the condition that have been identified, such as:

By the Numbers

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melasma is most common amongst women, as only 10 percent of all cases occur in men. In particular, pregnant women with darker complexions have a higher risk of developing melasma.

How to Prevent It

Since Melasma can be triggered by sun exposure and irritating skin products, the best way to prevent it from occurring is to use only gentle skincare products, and always wear SPF and a wide brim hat to keep your skin protected against harmful rays when spending time outdoors.

How to Treat It

Melasma is difficult to treat, however, laser treatments such as PicoSure or the ICON Non-Ablative Fractional Laser can be an effective way to reduce the appearance of Melasma.

Rosacea

What is Rosacea, and What Causes It?

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that results in severe redness and blushing on the face. The condition mainly affects the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead, but can sometimes appear on the eyes as well.

Symptoms of rosacea include:

Stats

Rosacea is estimated to affect over 3 million Canadians, and is most common among adults between the ages of 30 and 50. The condition also affects both men and women, but is slightly more common among women.

How to Prevent It

While there is no cure or known way to prevent rosacea from occurring, avoiding the following can help prevent the condition from flaring up:

How to Treat It

Left untreated, rosacea can worsen over time. Therefore, it’s important to see a dermatologist to get expert advice on how to treat the condition.

Some popular ways to treat rosacea include laser therapy and Intense Pulse Light (IPL) treatments such as the IPL Icon or Limelight Photofacial. These treatments can be great ways to help reduce the appearance of visible red blood vessels and redness caused by rosacea that does not respond to other types of treatment.

Hyperpigmentation

What is Hyperpigmentation and What Causes It?

Hyperpigmentation is a skin condition that occurs when you have extra pigment in certain parts of the skin, resulting in patches of skin that are darker than other areas of the face. These patches can range in size and appear anywhere on the body but are most common on the face.

Hyperpigmentation occurs when your skin produces more melanin – the pigment that gives your skin its colour.

The main risk factors for developing hyperpigmentation are sun exposure and inflammation. However, some other potential causes include:

How to Prevent It

In many cases, hyperpigmentation can be prevented by avoiding excessive sun exposure and wearing an SPF of 30 or higher.

How to Treat It

Topical prescription medication can help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, however, other treatments that are highly effective ways to achieve a more even complexion include:

Sunspots

What Are Sunspots and What Causes Them?

Sunspots are flat brown spots on the skin that develop due to excess sun exposure.

The reason they occur is that UV radiation causes pigmented skin cells called melanocytes to multiply.

Sunspots can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and will show up on areas of the body that have received the most sun exposure. This includes the face, shoulders, forearms, and backs of your hands.

How to Prevent Them

The only way to prevent sunspots is to avoid excessive sun exposure and wearing an SPF plus a wide brim hat when spending any time outdoors.

How to Treat Them

The best way to rid yourself of sunspots is to speak with a skin care specialist about trying the following treatment options:

Signs of Aging

What Are the Most Common Signs of Aging and Why Do They Occur?

As we start to age, most of us will experience at some point:

These are all normal symptoms of getting older, but can appear earlier than expected due to environment, smoking, sun exposure, and genetics.

When Do They Typically Appear?

Most people will start to see some early signs of aging by the age of 25, which become more prevalent over time.

How to Prevent Visible Signs of Aging

While premature signs of aging can often be attributed to genetics, you can still help prevent things like lines, wrinkles and age spots from occurring by:

How to Improve the Signs of Aging

Injectables such as Botox and Dysport along with dermal fillers like Juvederm, and Restylane can help to freeze or fill in lines and wrinkles. But if you’d prefer to avoid the injectable route, here are some other treatment options for achieving a more youthful glow:

Whether it’s acne, discolouration, or wrinkles, skin issues are incredibly common in adults and are nothing to be ashamed about. But if you find that the condition of your skin is affecting your self confidence, pay a visit to SKINS Derma Care and talk to one of our skin care experts about what options are available to help you look and feel your best.