Acne affects nearly all teenagers to some extent, whether it’s a few blocked pores or full on pimples, spots or cysts, and although it you won’t die from it, it’s one of the most distressing and upsetting conditions and it is not always age related – even people into their forties can be affected.

Acne can affect the face, neck, chest and back, and can sometimes cause severe, often permanent scarring. It should be treated as early as possible to prevent this. We have found that following our recommended simple skincare routines are often enough to control acne and prevent scarring, but sometimes mild medication may be required and/ or skin peels.

The most important thing to do with acne skin is to control and stop outbreaks, then once the outbreaks are under control, we can deal with any scarring or hyper pigmentation that you may have been left with. There are many treatments for acne and what works for one person may not work for another – rest assured that we always find a way to help and will find a treatment that works for you! Don’t forget that treatment will not work overnight and there’s no such thing as a quick fix for acne – the treatment is on-going and you will need to keep your skin under control. Try to think of it as you would a haircut or colour, one cut will not stop your hair growing ever again and if you colour your hair you will need to keep doing the roots or maintaining the colour. In the same way your skin will keep replacing itself, and you may still get outbreaks, but by using the recommended skincare or combined treatments it’s possible to keep even the most severe cases of acne of under control and make a dramatic difference to the appearance of your skin.

Often girls with acne are told not to wear make-up as it will clog their pores and make the spots worse. Of course, if you are a female with spots the first thing you will want to do is wear make-up to cover them! And why not? I for one would never leave the house without a full face on! Well, the truth is you can wear make-up, but choose the type you use with care. You need oil-free or non-comedogenic make-up, this means it will not block your pores – there is no point in buying products to clear your skin and then piling on make-up (or other products) that will block the pores, reverse your good work and waste hard earned cash (yours or your parents!). Mineral make-up is the answer because unlike conventional make-up, mineral make-up is actually good for the skin and contains only pure, natural ingredients with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties and thanks to the large molecules of the minerals, mineral make-up stays on the surface of the skin and is not absorbed. Because the mineral make-up stays on the skin’s surface it acts as a barrier and actually protects from pollution and environmental damage, providing a natural physical SPF 20 too. Furthermore, mineral make-up is inert, so doesn’t harbour bacteria, making it the ideal solution if you suffer with spots – providing excellent coverage that won’t make the problem worse. Be sure to buy a high quality brand of mineral make-up that is talc free. Some brands of mineral make-up contain talc which blocks the pores and will exacerbate the problem. We have developed our own brand of Harley Street Skin mineral make-up which contains only 100% natural minerals.

Remember too that when using hair products it’s important to protect your face so that the product does not get on your skin – this includes hair gels, styling products and spay. Likewise with perfume on your neck and chest – spray your arms, wrists, legs or even cloths….

We provide on-going support during and after treatment – there is always someone to talk to, and if you don’t live close to our clinic you can talk to us on Skype – it’s free too!