Acne Removal: What Really Works? | Acne Treatments & Clear Skin Plan

Acne Treatments & Clear Skin Plan

You’ve already tried everything—drugstore ointments, expensive creams, TikTok hacks, and even cucumber masks. Your breakouts seem to go away only to come right back. It feels like you're stuck in a never-ending cycle, where your skin is calling the shots. Stop.

Today we’re going to figure out what actually works when it comes to treating acne. I’ll give you a clear, step-by-step plan that will help you stabilize your skin and finally begin your journey to healthier, clearer skin.

To treat acne effectively, there are three key things you need to do: first, see a dermatologist to get the right medical treatment; second, work with an aesthetician to create a plan for supportive in-office treatments and personalized skincare; and third, eliminate the triggers that are fueling the inflammation. I talked in detail about acne causes and triggers in a previous video—if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you check it out.

Let’s start with the dermatologist visit. This is the first and absolutely essential step. The doctor will examine your skin, ask how long you’ve been struggling with acne, what products or medications you’ve tried, and may recommend further testing if needed. Treatment may include both topical and systemic medications.

Common topical treatments include:

— creams and gels with adapalene

— benzoyl peroxide

— azelaic acid

— retinoids

— salicylic acid.

They help reduce inflammation, unclog pores, and regulate sebum production. Keep in mind that results are not immediate—it typically takes 6 to 8 weeks to start seeing improvements.

Systemic treatments may involve oral antibiotics, hormone-regulating medications like birth control pills with anti-androgenic effects, or oral retinoids.

These medications must be prescribed by a dermatologist based on lab results, your overall health, and your specific type of acne. Self-medicating can actually make things worse or lead to antibiotic resistance.

The second step is working with an aesthetician. Why is this important? During medical treatment, your skin often becomes dehydrated, thin, and more sensitive. A skincare professional can support the skin’s healing process, accelerate recovery, and help prevent scarring or hyperpigmentation.

In this phase, treatments that provide deep hydration and repair are essential. These might include facials with amino acids, peptides, hyaluronic acid, enzymes, and LED therapy. The goal is to strengthen the skin barrier, reduce sensitivity, and prevent flaking or irritation.

There are also procedures that directly address acne and its aftermath. One of the most effective is a series of chemical peels—such as Jessner's peel, retinol peel, or PRX-T33. They offer gentle but deep exfoliation that removes excess sebum and dead skin cells, reduces clogged pores and inflammation, speeds up cell renewal, smooths skin texture, fades pigmentation and post-acne marks, boosts microcirculation, and improves overall skin quality. As a result, the skin looks smoother, brighter, and healthier. Peels work especially well for mild to moderate acne, during remission periods, or as a preventive treatment.

Another in-office treatment we use at Metodica Med Spa is IPL phototherapy. Intense Pulsed Light uses targeted bursts of broad-spectrum light that penetrate deep into the skin. The light is absorbed by hemoglobin and pigmentation, reducing inflammation, shrinking blood vessels that feed inflamed lesions, killing acne-causing bacteria (P. acnes), regulating oil production, and fading post-acne marks. As a result, skin tone becomes more even, and breakouts are visibly reduced. Some IPL protocols can even be used during active breakouts. A full course typically includes 3 to 5 sessions,  3–4 weeks apart for optimal and long-lasting results.

Your aesthetician will also create a customized home skincare routine for you, which is crucial because your skin  needs will change as treatment progresses. In the beginning, the focus will be on calming inflammation and cleansing, and later on, rebuilding the skin barrier and preventing scars or pigmentation.

Let’s break down the essential steps in an acne skincare routine.

Step one is gentle cleansing in the morning and evening. Use gel cleansers with a low pH to maintain your skin’s barrier. Look for ingredients like zinc, salicylic acid, or azelaic acid—they help gently cleanse, reduce oiliness, and calm inflammation.

Step two is toning. Toners restore the skin’s natural pH after washing, soften the skin, and prep it for active treatments. For acne-prone skin, look for toners with niacinamide (for inflammation and oil control), azelaic acid (for antibacterial and exfoliating effects), zinc (to regulate oil), salicylic acid (to unclog pores), and prebiotics (to support the skin microbiome). Avoid toners with high alcohol content—they can dry and irritate your skin.

Step three is applying a serum or cream with active ingredients like niacinamide, azelaic acid, zinc, salicylic acid, or retinol.

Step four is moisturizing cream. Use products with ceramides, squalane, allantoin, or panthenol to soothe and strengthen your skin barrier.

Step five, and absolutely non-negotiable: always apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher before going outside. In our last video, I explained how sun exposure can worsen acne and lead to dark spots.

You can also use spot treatments with sulfur, benzoyl peroxide, or zinc. Calming masks with centella asiatica, green tea, or calamine, and gentle enzyme exfoliants can also be helpful.

Each step has its own goal: cleansing removes dirt and excess oil, actives reduce inflammation and regulate sebum, moisturizers repair and hydrate, and SPF protects your skin from UV damage and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

The ingredients you use really matter. For acne-prone skin, some of the most beneficial ones include benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, niacinamide, zinc, retinol, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, probiotics, sulfur, bakuchiol, centella asiatica, panthenol, allantoin, and green tea extract.

In our next video, I’ll break down each of these ingredients—how they work, who they’re best for, and how to safely introduce them into your routine.

So don’t forget to subscribe if you want to finally understand your skincare and win the battle against acne. See you soon!