Let’s Talk Skin: Acne and blackheads – causes, diagnosis and treatments

Acne (acne vulgaris) is an inflammatory dermatosis of the skin that can come in a variety of stages from mild to severe (see info on the left) and presents with pimples on the face (99%), the back (60%) and the chest (15%). In severe forms of acne, the skin damage can be permanent and leads to hyper-pigmentation and presence of scars. Acne vulgaris is different from rosacea acne and erythematosa acne. Unlike acne vulgaris that appears mainly in teenagers and young adults between 12 and 30 years, rosacea acne occurs in adults between 30 and 50 years old, especially in women.

Your oil producing glands (Sebaceous glands) are attached to your hair follicle, which are small holes in the skin that an individual hair grows out of. The Sebaceous glands lubricate the hair and the skin to stop it drying out. They do this by producing an oily substance called sebum. In acne, the glands begin to produce too much sebum; this the excess sebum mixes with dead skin cells and both substances form a plug in the follicle.

• “Acne is caused by poor diet” – So far research has not found any foods that cause acne. Eating a health balanced diet is recommended because is good for your heart and health in general.
• “Acne is caused by having dirty skin and poor hygiene”. – Most of the biological reactions that trigger acne occur beneath the skin, not on the surface. So, the cleanliness of your skin will have no effect on your acne.
• “Squeezing blackheads, whiteheads and spots is the best way to get rid of Acne” – This could actually make symptoms worse and leave you with scarring.
• “Sunbathing, sun beds and sunlamps help improve the symptoms of Acne”. – There is no conclusive evidence that prolonged exposure to sunlight or using sun beds or sunlamps can improve Acne.
• “Acne is infectious” – You cannot pass Acne onto other people.

At Vie Aesthetics, we offer a complete programme to treat and prevent acne with tailor made facials that including LED Facial courses, stimulator peel facial courses, Red carpet facials Mesotherapy the new revolutionary Mini Botox treatment for Acne, Laser treatments, the deeper ZO 3-step Peel, and the world-class home care products and protocols.

For more advice on managing your acne, ask our ZO Medical certified skin specialists, who can recommend the right Acne Solutions for you.

We offer a wide range of products designed to remove oil, normalise pore size, help smooth skin’s surface, and reduce inflammation and irritation, suited to treat all types of acne for women and men of all ages, from blackheads to acne. offers a wide range of products designed to remove oil, normalise pore size, help smooth skin’s surface, and reduce inflammation and irritation.

Sometimes, regardless of diligently sticking to your routine, pimples can still pop up. This could be due to hormones, medication or some other factor out of your control. So, below we expand on a skincare routine formulated by Dr Obagi for both acne prevention and maintenance, just in case you get that odd pesky breakout.

We offer a number of non-invasive advanced medical aesthetics procedures for improving the skin tone and appearance and to treat active acne, scars, skin discolouration and pigmentation. The main treatments are: Derma courses with medical skin product; Advanced Peels and Medical Facials; Laser; Mesotherapy;  PlexR® Soft Surgery, Micro-needling, and Platelet-Rich- Plasma (PRP) Therapy, Super Skin Rejuvenation (SSR) Laser and IPL treatment.

We offer a complete range of effective, medical-grade products, which have been expertly formulated in order to treat clogged pores, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts. These high performance products can also be used as a preventative treatment for acne and breakouts.

Targeting the causes and symptoms of acne, ZO Medical Acne products work to exfoliate dead skin cells, helping to repair surface damage, tighten pores, and improve the overall tone and texture of the skin.

All of our Medical Ageing products have been expertly developed using powerful, pharmaceutical ingredients, including glutathione, soy isoflavones, Aknebright, encapsulated salicylic acid, micronized benzoyl peroxide, glycerine, green tea extract, and pinebark extract.

Due to the powerful ingredients and prescription pharmaceuticals contained in ZO Medical Acne products, they are only available on a consultation basis, ensuring everyone receives the correct product for their skin type and skincare goals. An ally in treating teenage acne flareups is the Offects Sulfur Masque:

This simple regimen is for those who have started to experience increased oiliness, blackheads, and comedones. It controls oiliness by slowing sebum activity and breaking down surface sebum. It will also exfoliate dead skin cells helps to repair surface damage, decrease clogged pores and tighten them, to overall improve your skin’s texture.

Acne is a common skin concern for people of all ages.

We offer a complete range of effective, medical-grade products, which have been expertly formulated in order to treat clogged pores, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts. These high performance products can also be used as a preventative treatment for acne and breakouts.

Targeting the causes and symptoms of acne, ZO Medical Acne products work to exfoliate dead skin cells, helping to repair surface damage, tighten pores, and improve the overall tone and texture of the skin.

All of our Medical Ageing products have been expertly developed using powerful, pharmaceutical ingredients, including glutathione, soy isoflavones, Aknebright, encapsulated salicylic acid, micronized benzoyl peroxide, glycerine, green tea extract, and pinebark extract.

Due to the powerful ingredients and prescription pharmaceuticals contained in ZO Medical Acne products, they are only available on a consultation basis, ensuring everyone receives the correct product for their skin type and skincare goals.

If acne is a concern for you, then why not get in touch and speak to one of our skin specialists today? You can call us on 07899673578 or CONTACT US here. Alternatively, you can use the BOOK CONSULTATION button at the top-right of this page.

Kind regards
Vicky Grammatikopoulou
CEO, Vie Aesthetics