Acne: Causes & How to Treat It

There are a few different types of acne, each falling into one of two categories: comedogenic, which includes whiteheads and blackheads, and inflammatory: red, swollen bumps. There are four main causes of acne on the skin level, including increased oil production, bacteria, decreased cell turnover and inflammation. Acne treatments target one of more of these causes and are chosen based on acne type and individual patient.

There are several key ingredients used for treating acne. Our favorite just might be retinol due to its powerhouse ingredient status. Not only do retinoids help treat acne through increased cell turnover, but they also help with general anti-aging, reducing the appearance of pores, and treating hyperpigmentation and melasma. Our team of retinol serums, available in both 5x and 10x formulations depending on your tolerance and skin type, are the perfect addition to nearly everyone’s skincare regimen.

AHAs and BHAs are active ingredients that also help with cell turnover and congested pores. Our AHA/BHA cleanser has both and can be used weekly to every other night, and helps with pesky hyperpigmentation that acne can leave behind. To treat bacteria and inflammation directly, benzoyl peroxide is an ingredient loved by dermatology providers for decades. For oily skin and red bumps and pustules, we recommend our Acne Fighting Cleanser, in which it’s the star ingredient. Pro tip: this one is great for breakouts on the body, too!

So now you have your home regimen down—let’s move on to how we can help you in person. Both light and deep peels help treat existing acne lesions deep into the skin where they start, and help to treat post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from healed blemishes. Your peel will be carefully selected by our medical providers to best suit your skin condition and preferences for downtime.

Our IPL blue light treatment is advanced technology used to treat and prevent breakouts. A blue light is applied to the skin to help painlessly eliminate the bacteria causing your breakouts. It’s a zero downtime procedure that instantly flattens inflammation, and you’ll walk out with smooth, glowing skin. Depending on the severity of your breakouts, this treatment can be purchased in a package and performed up to twice per week to get your skin back on track.

If acne scarring is more of your concern, microneedling with PRP is the gold standard to treat it. Tiny, sterile microneedles are used all over the skin to stimulate the body’s natural collagen healing process, rebuilding and retexturizing the skin.