If creams and serums have not worked, the most likely reason is not the products. Nobody has looked closely at what is actually driving the breakouts.

The first step to the proper acne treatment is to find out exactly what is causing the problem. Menstrual changes, surplus sebum, incorrect bacteria, blocked follicles, or a broken barrier that presents itself as an oily complexion. They all require a varying strategy. Riding a roller coaster through products without knowing which one you are handling is how individuals waste two years managing what would have been controlled in two months.

Dr. Karishma Singh at The Skin Firm starts with a proper assessment before recommending anything. What type of acne? What is triggering it? What has already been tried. The plan comes after that conversation, not before.

Major Causes of Acne

Acne forms when hair follicles clog with oil and dead skin cells. When bacteria colonise those clogged follicles, the result ranges from surface blackheads to deep, painful cysts.

Hormonal acne does not act in the same way as others. It is agglomerated on the lower face, jaw, and chin. It is more prone to flare following a predictable pattern, which is usually during the week before a period. It is not very responsive to topical interventions alone, as the trigger is internal. Washing it using a salicylic acid cleanser is similar to dusting around a bursting pipe.

Stress, omissions of the SPF, excessive exfoliation, and hard cleansers are all known to worsen acne instead of improving it. The consultation is an overview of the whole picture and not what meets the eye.