Acne has a way of sticking around longer than anyone expects. For some people it starts in their teens and never fully leaves. For others, it shows up later in life, just when they thought they were done dealing with it.
Acne isn’t a reflection of hygiene, effort, or discipline. It’s a medical skin condition with many contributing factors, and managing it is about understanding what’s happening beneath the surface, not blaming the skin.
Chronic inflammatory skin condition
Teens and adults of all ages
Clearer, calmer skin with fewer breakouts
What Is Acne?
Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that occurs when pores become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and sometimes bacteria.
It can appear in many forms:
Common locations:
Acne can occur anywhere pores are present. The severity ranges from occasional breakouts to persistent, widespread acne that can lead to scarring.
Why Acne Develops
Acne develops due to a combination of factors, and more than one is usually involved.
Common contributors include:
Excess oil production: Sebaceous glands produce too much oil (sebum), which can clog pores.
Clogged pores: Dead skin cells don’t shed properly and combine with oil to block pores.
Bacteria: Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria can multiply in clogged pores, triggering inflammation.
Inflammation: The body’s immune response to clogged pores and bacteria causes redness and swelling.
Hormonal changes: Fluctuations in hormones — during puberty, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or due to conditions like PCOS — can increase oil production.
Genetics: If your parents had acne, you’re more likely to experience it too.
Adult acne: Adult acne is especially common and may be influenced by stress, hormonal fluctuations, diet, or skincare products that clog pores.
How Acne Can Affect Skin and Confidence
Acne affects more than just the surface of the skin.
Patients often describe:
These experiences are very common. Treating acne is usually about calming inflammation, preventing future breakouts, and protecting the skin from long-term damage like scarring and discoloration.
What to Expect During a Consultation
A consultation at Lazaderm is focused on education and realistic planning.
During your visit, your provider will:
You’ll leave with a plan designed to improve acne while protecting the long-term health of your skin.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Acne treatment takes time.
What to understand:
The goal is clearer, calmer skin and fewer breakouts over time — not overnight perfection.
There is no single acne treatment that works for everyone. The most effective approach depends on acne type, severity, skin sensitivity, and lifestyle factors. Many patients benefit from a combination of professional treatments and medical-grade skincare.
Medical-grade skincare often plays a key role in acne management and is the foundation of any treatment plan.
Key ingredients to look for:
Retinoids (Vitamin A derivatives): Tretinoin and retinol promote cell turnover, prevent clogged pores, and help clear existing comedones. These are among the most effective acne treatments available.
Salicylic acid: A beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that penetrates oil and helps unclog pores. Excellent for blackheads and whiteheads.
Benzoyl peroxide: Kills acne-causing bacteria and helps prevent antibiotic resistance when used with other treatments.
Niacinamide: Reduces inflammation and helps regulate oil production.
Our approach: We recommend medical-grade products that are more effective than drugstore alternatives. Your provider will create a regimen specific to your skin type and acne severity.
Important: Consistency matters more than intensity. Over-drying or over-treating acne-prone skin can actually make breakouts worse.
HydraFacial provides deep cleansing and extraction that can benefit acne-prone skin.
How it works: The HydraFacial uses patented vortex technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate skin. For acne-prone skin, it can help remove impurities from pores without harsh manual extractions.
Benefits for acne:
Best for:
Chemical peels can be very effective for acne by promoting cell turnover and unclogging pores.
How they work: Chemical solutions exfoliate the outer layers of skin, helping to clear clogged pores, reduce bacteria, and promote healthier skin cell production.
Types used for acne:
Benefits for acne:
Best for:
BBL can help treat acne through multiple mechanisms, including killing acne-causing bacteria and reducing inflammation.
How it works: Specific wavelengths of light target and destroy P. acnes bacteria in the skin. BBL also reduces inflammation and can help with post-inflammatory redness and discoloration.
Benefits for acne:
Best for:
Certain laser treatments can help manage active acne by targeting bacteria, oil glands, and inflammation.
How lasers help acne:
Best for:
Your provider will determine if laser treatment is appropriate based on your acne type and severity.
Acne can leave behind changes even after breakouts clear. These concerns can be addressed once active acne is controlled.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH): Dark marks left behind after breakouts heal. BBL, chemical peels, and brightening skincare can help fade these over time.
Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE): Red or pink marks from inflammation. BBL and time help these fade.
Acne scarring: Textural changes like pitted or raised scars require different treatments, including microneedling, fractional lasers, or resurfacing.
Important: It’s best to control active acne before aggressively treating scarring. Otherwise, new breakouts can create new scars.
Understanding what doesn’t help acne is as important as knowing what does.
Over-cleansing: Washing your face too often or using harsh cleansers strips the skin and can actually increase oil production.
Over-drying: Using too many drying products irritates the skin barrier, leading to more inflammation and breakouts.
Picking and squeezing: This spreads bacteria, worsens inflammation, and dramatically increases scarring risk.
Inconsistency: Jumping between products or stopping treatment too soon prevents results. Acne treatments need time to work.
Wrong products: Heavy moisturizers, comedogenic makeup, and irritating ingredients can worsen acne-prone skin.
Your provider will help you identify any habits or products that may be contributing to your breakouts.
Most patients achieve the best results by combining treatments and consistent skincare.
A comprehensive acne plan might include:
Why combination works: Acne has multiple contributing factors — oil, bacteria, clogged pores, and inflammation. Addressing all of these simultaneously provides better results than targeting just one.
If acne has been affecting your skin or confidence, a consultation can help you understand your options and create a plan that works for you. Stop guessing — get a personalized approach designed for your skin.
