Kayla Young
Many of us have to deal with acne, from minor temporary breakouts to full-blown WWIII. Treatments can range from nothing to super-invasive. One relatively new technique is to use Botox to reduce acne flare-ups.
This article will discuss the question “Does Botox Help Acne?”. While most agree that botox probably isn’t the best solution to acne, it is an interesting one.
Throughout the article, we’ll give you tips on protecting your skin from further acne outbreaks.
By the end of the article, you’ll see how Botox works to combat acne (as well as acne scars!). This will give you the knowledge needed to tackle pesky acne issues
Contents
Does Botox Help Acne – Explained
Let’s explain how acne is formed. Acne is developed when dirt, oil, or bacteria obstructs your pores. That’s why routine skin and facial washing help keep your pores clear.
It’s important for people who sweat profusely or athletes because sweating can obstruct your pores and lead to outbreaks.
So how Does Botox Help Acne? After your Botox injection, the nevers that are connected to the sweat glands are deactiviated. This causes the overall amount of sweating in the area to decline.
This decline in sweating translates to less oil production in the area of the injection. And with less oil comes less acne.
This is particularly true for forehead acne, which is the easiest place for Botox to target.
While acne tends to occur in teenagers, your pores increase in size as you age. As a rule of thumb, the larger the pores, the more oil can be trapped inside of them.
Even if adults don’t have acne, blemishes and blackheads can develop in areas of excessive oil production.
Botox has been found to reduce acne breakouts and give you a youthful appearance.
As the Botox wears off over the following months, the nerves are reactivated, the sweat glands come back online, and the oil production resumes.
Often the acne comes back, too.
So Is Botox a Good Solution for Acne?
Not really, especially if you have a breakout all over your face. That would mean you’d need Botox injections everywhere, which would be costly and difficult to maintain.
If you have consistent breakouts in one area — say on the forehead — it may be worthwhile to try Botox as a way to tackle it. But most likely you’re better off going another direction.
Instead, it’s better to try other treatments for acne, such as changing your diet and your skincare routine, or perhaps trying chemical peels, light therapy, dermaplaning, prescription medication, etc.
What is Acne?
Acne is a skin condition where the hair follicles are mixed with dead skin cells and oil. Clogged pores can lead to blackheads, pimples, or whiteheads. In severe cases, acne can create large bumps underneath the skin, both as cystic lesions and nodules.
Acne appears on the face, back, shoulders, and neck, with glands that produce oil. The cysts and bumps from acne will lead to scarring, from minor depressions to a deep “ice pick scar.” If you have acne, you should speak to your dermatologists to reduce the intensity of the outbreak.
Once the acne flare-ups are under control, you can seek out various cosmetic treatments to smoothen your skin. Your dermatologist will help you determine the best treatments for the type of scarring you have.
Acne Symptoms
Acne is pretty common, and can frequently be dealt with using over the counter acne medication and potentially a change in diet and exercise routine.
But sometimes it can get out of hand.
If you discover acne on your skin, it will have either a black or white appearance. Both whiteheads and blackheads are known as comedones. Blackheads appear on the skin’s surface and have a black appearance.
While whiteheads and blackheads are the most common, other symptoms can occur. Here are some of the common symptoms:
- Pustules are red pimples with pus on the tips.
- Papules are bumps that are made by infected hair follicles
- Cysts are large bumps found underneath the skin and contain pus.
How to Protect Yourself From Acne?
Here are some methods that can protect your skin from acne scarring:
Over the Counter Acne Treatments
You can use over-the-counter acne treatments to tackle basic acne. Often these treatments contain Benzoyl Peroxide or a similar ingredient designed to rid the face of unsightly breakouts.
OTC treatments can cause irritation, dryness, and redness with overuse, so follow your manufacturer’s instructions.
If you don’t know what OTC acne product is best for your skin goals or best for your skin, you may find it worth a visit to your local dermatologist to get expert analysis of your skin.
Your dermatologist will provide a recommendation for the product to use.
For instance, using retinol and beta hydroxy acid can lead to excessive dryness and redness. So it’s best not to mix these ingredients with skincare products.
See also:
- How Long Do The “Retinol Uglies” Last?
- Should You Use Retinol Before Or After Serum?
- What To Use After The Ordinary Peeling Solution
Prescription Acne Treatments
If the OTC medications aren’t working, you could dive into prescription-grade medicine. Medicines like Tetracycline, Azithromycin, Isotretinoins like Accutane, tretinoin, etc.
There are many, and certain medications will work particularly well on certain types of acne. A conversation with your dermatologist will go a long way here!
Skin Resurfacing
Resurfacing is a technique used to reduce deep acne scars. There are multiple methods of resurfacing, such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and laser therapy.
In each of these methods, the skin’s top layer is removed, which stimulates growth and evens out your skin’s texture.
Microdermabrasion uses a tool to sand away the skin’s surface. These techniques help reduce scarring, but they also help with removing whiteheads and blackheads.
See also:
- Is Microdermabrasion Good for Blackheads?
- Best Microdermabrasion Machine
- Trophy Skin Reviews MicrodermMD Microdermabrasion Machine
Laser surgery uses either non-ablative or ablative high-frequency lasers to aid collagen production, improving your skin tone and texture. Ablative lasers remove the top layer of the skin and make a significant improvement in scars and wrinkles.
Non-ablative lasers help the skin by stimulating collagen production. While ablative lasers require more time to heal than other methods, you don’t need to schedule multiple treatment appointments to get the best results.
There is also light therapy, which uses specific frequencies of light to target acne. The Foreo Espada is an excellent example of this technology, which we reviewed here.
Microneedling
Microneedling (aka dermarolling) is a process where a handheld device filled with small needles is rolled around the skin. You’ll increase collagen production by puncturing the skin, which firms up the skin to reduce the number of pores, scars, and acne around your body.
They are particularly good for acne scars.
Of course, there are home products and medical-grade products. The medical-grade ones have longer needles, are more painful, and require a doctor’s visit.
But they work better.
Once the micro-needling procedure is completed, the skin irritation and redness will go away in a few days.
See also:
- When Can I Exfoliate After Microneedling?
- Can I Wash My Face After Microneedling?
- How to Remove Dead Skin After Microneedling
Surgery
If you have deeper acne scars or ice pick scars, dermatologists can perform open surgery to remove the scar. For instance, in punch excision surgery, the doctor removes the scars and repairs them with skin grafts or stitches.
Another surgery tactic is to heal your skin subcision. Through subcision, the doctor places needles underneath the acne scars, which raises the skin under them. Frequently, skin surgical operations are mixed with other treatments to achieve the best results.
How to Prevent Acne?
Even with Botox injections, acne can occur in other parts of your body.
Here are some ways to prevent it from causing a severe skin reaction:
Understand Your Skin Type
Knowing your skin type is important because it helps you determine what products to avoid. Dry skin occurs when your skin feels light and flaky. If you have oily skin, your skin will be shiny throughout the day.
But, if you have sensitive skin, you’re more likely to experience redness. Generally, oily skin is more prone to acne. Understanding your skin type will help you find a skincare plan that works best for you.
Wash Your Skin
To prevent the growth of acne, make sure to remove oil, dirt, and dead skin cells daily. However, overwashing your face can make matters worse.
Micellar Water can be a great solution to face cleaning. It is an excellent makeup remover for acne-prone skin, and is a great cleanser.
For many people, it should be your first stop for makeup removal and cleansing.
Use Makeup Sparingly
While it’s tempting to use a lot of makeup, particularly if you’re in the midst of an active breakout, you’ll just clog up pores.
If you plan on using these products, make sure you use a concealer or foundation that’s fragrance-free and non-comedogenic.
That way, your skin doesn’t get irritated by needless perfumes.
Make sure to wash off any makeup when you’re done wearing it. In addition to limiting makeup, be aware of other products you’re placing near your face.
Shampoo, texturizers can get in contact with your skin and cause outbreaks.
Look for non-comedogenic options to keep your skin safe.
Reduce Sun Exposure
The sun contains UV rays that are harmful to your skin. While the sun rays can dry your pimples in the short term, it creates further issues in the long run. Too much sun exposure dehydrates the skin, blocking pores and producing more oil.
That’s why it’s important to wear sunscreen throughout the year. However, too much sunscreen can lead to oily skin. For skin and sun protection, opt for an oil-free sunscreen.
Use Skin Moisturizer
Moisturizers keep your skin hydrated. If you have acne, a moisturizer is necessary because if your skin becomes too dry, it will create oil to counterbalance it.
An excessive amount of oil will make pimples.
However, moisturizers have synthetic fragrance, oil, or additional ingredients that causes pimples or irritate your skin. Make sure to check the ingredient list before buying a moisturizer and get one that’s non-comedogenic and fragrance-free.
When it comes to those with sensitive skin, the less fragrant, the better.
When To Seek Medical Assistance?
Everyone has a different line to cross when it comes to seeking medical treatments. Generally, minor breakouts can be handled with OTC medicines. But continuous, endless breakouts need professional help.
And don’t discount the role diet plays in your skin. Are you drinking enough water? How much sugar are you eating?
Be thoughtful with everything you put on, and in, your body!
Conclusion
Botox treatments can calm acne breakouts, and can successfully treat acne for some time. However, it’s not a great permanent solution. When the Botox wears off, the acne will come back.
And if you’ve got breakouts in multiple locations, you’ll need Botox everywhere.
Instead, focus on acne treatments and lifestyle changes to fix your acne.
Save the Botox for those wrinkles!
See also:
