Forever Young UK

One of the commonest forms of acne is a result of hyper-seborrhea and hyper-keratinisation.

Hyper-seborrhea - a condition which excites the sebaceous glands in the skin to produce too much sebum (the oil in our skin).

Hyper-keratinisation - normally, cells detach from the skin lining at normal intervals every 21 days. The dead cells are forced out of the follicle primarily by the growing hair. However, in hyperkeratinisation, the dead skin cells do not leave the follicle because of an excess of keratin, a natural protein found in the skin. This excess of keratin results in an increased adherence of dead skin cells. This cohesion of cells will block the hair follicle or clog the sebaceous/oil duct.

These trapped skin cells combine with the excess oil to form a paste which builds up in the follicles. This thick paste provides a breeding ground for acne causing bacteria - Propionibacterium acnes Once enough bacteria are present in the follicle or duct then an inflammatory response is triggered – an acne break out.

The obvious remedy is to remove the congestion in the follicles/ducts and thus prevent a haven for the acne causing bacteria. One of the most effective products for de-congesting the skin is salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is an alcohol based exfoliator which easily penetrates the oily paste blocking the follicles. The chemical action of the alcohol based solution softening the oily gunk combined with the mechanical action of applying the solution on cotton pads or exfoliating pads allows the gunk to be gradually removed.

Not only is salicylic acid the ideal product for relieving congested skin, salicylic acid is also a highly effective bactericide and will kill the acne causing bacteria on application.

Although various strengths of salicylic acid are available a 10% strength salicylic acid solution is ideal. Once the skin is thoroughly decongested then it is essential to normalise sebum production and prevent hyper-keratinisation to prevent the problem re-occurring.

Forever Young Anti-acne Serum contains active ingredients which reduce the amount of oil produced by the skin by up to 40% and will also normalise keratin production so reducing the amount of dead skin cells trapped in the follicles.

10% salicylic acid and Epiclear anti-acne serum is a highly effective combination for controlling acne prone skin. The salicylic solution is applied twice weekly until the follicles are clear and then the serum is applied daily to prevent the skin becoming congested once again.