Concerns We Treat
Active Acne
Breakouts as they happen, the clogged and inflamed skin that comes before any scar.
Breakouts as they happen, the clogged and inflamed skin that comes before any scar.
Active acne is the inflammatory condition itself: the clogged pores, the inflamed pimples, the cystic lesions that arrive in waves and resolve over days or weeks. It is a medical condition with hormonal, microbial, and inflammatory drivers, and meeting it well is the work of a dermatologist rather than of an aesthetic practice.
This is not the same as the marks acne leaves behind. The brown or pink discoloration that lingers after a breakout has cleared, and the textural scars that some patients develop, are the work that follows once active disease is under control. We treat that later work readily. The active disease itself we refer out, and we will say so plainly.
If you carry active acne and are not yet under the care of a dermatologist, we would rather refer you to one than treat what we should not. The work of bringing breakouts under control is best done by a physician trained for it, and the outcome is better for everyone, the practice that referred you and the patient who is well met.
If you are already under dermatological care, we are glad to support that plan with medical-grade skincare and, when the active disease has settled, with the textural and pigment work that addresses what acne leaves behind.
The principal drivers of acne are inflammatory, microbial, and hormonal, working together rather than separately. Pores become clogged with dead skin cells and sebum. Bacteria that ordinarily live on the skin proliferate within the clogged pore. The immune system responds with inflammation, and the lesion that results is the visible front of all three forces meeting.
Hormones drive much of the pattern. Androgens influence sebum production, which is why acne so often arrives with puberty, deepens around menstruation, and changes with hormonal medication or stress. Genetics decides predisposition. Some skin is prone to acne for decades; other skin clears once the adolescent years have passed and rarely returns.
You may notice:
The arc of acne varies widely. For many patients it begins in adolescence, peaks in the late teens or early twenties, and resolves by the late twenties or thirties. For others it persists, sometimes mildly and sometimes severely, into the forties and beyond. Adult-onset acne is real, often hormonal in nature, and not unusual.
What does not change is that the active disease asks for medical management rather than aesthetic treatment. The longer inflammation continues unaddressed, the more likely it is to leave scarring behind, which is why prompt and appropriate care matters. We say so plainly when we see patients trying to manage active acne with cosmetic skincare alone.
LOVE this place!! Everyone is very friendly and down to earth and the services are out of this world! I see Amanda for all my services and she is absolutely amazing. Highly recommend!! Do yourself a favor and get quality over quantity! The prices are actually super fair though and they have a great membership plan that gives you discounts!
Sarah is so naturally kind and knows her profession very good. She keeps you so calm by asking how you are doing and having good conversation with you while doing procedures. I absolutely love her sweet personality. I had laser done on my legs from years of sun damage and it went so smooth. Thanks Sarah! The whole team is so professional and nice.
I’ve been seeing Sarah Safa for over 10 years. Sarah and her team provide the best quality and service in the industry. I highly recommend Refined Aesthetics!
