More women dealing with acne problems

Metro Detroit dermatologist advises how to handle anything from few pimples to regular breakouts

DETROIT – Jackie Arsenault decided to check in with her dermatologist as soon as she started developing acne.

"I didn't want it to get really bad and because I'm in that menopause stage, I started noticing more of it," Arsenault said. "You only get one face, it might as well be well cared-for," Arsenault said.

Arsenault, 54, sees Dr. Steven Grekin, a dermatologist and founder of the Grekin Skin Institute.

Grekin said Arsenault is a typical patient with adult acne, and that more and more women are dealing with acne.

"It's multi-factorial. It's from excess sun damage, which makes our skin vulnerable to excess problems. "It's the hormones that circulate through their body, and it's the hormones that we're exposed to in our daily living," said Grekin.

Grekin said hormones come naturally from the body and also through foods.

"Women make testosterone and it's not so much that they're making too much or too little, it's that their hormone receptors in this area where I get a beard, fortunately they don't grow beards too often, but they're getting acne in this beard area," Grekin said.

"I think that the older we get, the more stress we get in our lives and I think it's a combination between that and probably our hormones, being in the middle age of our life," Arsenault said.

If someone is weighing whether to see a professional about their acne, Grekin wants them to consider the following:
"The Grekin rule No. 1 is if you have one or two pimples, I wouldn't worry about it. If you have less than 10 pimples, I would try an over the counter cleanser for acne and a topical spot treatment. Greater than 10 pimples, and this happening on more than one month in a row, I absolutely think you need to see a dermatologist," Grekin said.

There are three steps to clearing up acne:
1. Dry up the oil
2. Kill the bacteria
3. Unplug the pores.

"I think that we want to feel good and feel healthy and when your face starts to break out, you just don't feel so healthy, so it's kind of good to go and see somebody," Arsenault said.

Grekin gave Arsenault a regimen that he said will have her seeing results within three months.

"Jackie's using a medication that blocks the hormone receptors. So what it does is, it puts up a physical block so that testosteral molecule can't get in and bind to the receptor. That shuts down the oil gland, that doesn't make the dead skin cells slippery anymore, they can't trap bacteria, and her acne goes away," Grekin said.

Arsenault is also using a cleaner, toner and moisturizer formulated for adult women to avoid skin irritation.  To spot treat active pimples, she has a prescription with an antibiotic and benzoyl peroxide.

"I'm looking forward to seeing good results," said Arsenault.

For those looking for something over the counter, Grekin said "The over the counter products that are available today are salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. They're both highly affective at treating acne. however they're also both very irritating to the skin, so you need to find a formulation that doesn't irritate your skin, but dries up the pimples."

He said for spot treatment, it's OK but if the product is being smearing all over the chin, hairline, neck .. etc., it could cause a problem if skin is sensitive.

Grekin cautions certain make up can make acne worse anything you do that plugs up the pores makes your acne a bigger problem.

For more information on the Grekin Skin Institute, click here.