Acne and congestion
Dermal therapist led · Surry Hills, Sydney
Skin that breaks out, or never quite feels clear. Some of this responds beautifully to in-clinic treatment. Some of it needs medical management, and we will tell you which you are dealing with.
Book a complexion consultation
Deposit redeemable on your treatment · (02) 8074 1559
- 01Assessment before any treatment plan
- 02Qualified dermal therapists, in a doctor-led clinic
- 03A referral if that is genuinely what you need
Adult acne is not teenage acne
If you had clear skin at nineteen and are breaking out at thirty-four, this is not the same condition you would have been treated for at school, and the things that worked then can make it worse now.
Adult acne tends to sit lower on the face, along the jaw and chin. It is often deeper, more tender, slower to come up and slower to go. It also tends to leave marks, which is frequently what brings people in rather than the spots themselves.
Stripping it with harsh products is the usual instinct and usually backfires, because a damaged barrier inflames easily and inflammation is most of the problem.
What is actually going on
- 01
Congestion
Blackheads, whiteheads, a rough or bumpy feel across the forehead, nose and chin. Not especially inflamed, just never clear.
How it responds: usually the most satisfying to treat, and in-clinic work makes a visible difference reasonably quickly.
- 02
Inflammatory acne
Red, raised, sore spots. Sometimes a few, sometimes widespread, often leaving a mark long after the spot itself has gone.
How it responds: in-clinic treatment helps calm things, but moderate to severe cases usually need medical management alongside.
- 03
Hormonal patterns
Deeper, tender lumps along the jawline and chin that flare on a cycle and rarely come to a head.
How it responds: topicals and facials only go so far here. This is often a conversation to have with your GP or a dermatologist.
If we think what you need is prescription treatment rather than a course of facials, we will say so and help you get there. It is a worse outcome for everyone if you spend a year on the wrong thing.
What we look at
- The type and distribution of what you are getting
- Whether marks left behind are pigment or genuine scarring
- Your skin barrier, and whether current products are damaging it
- What you are using now, including anything from a chemist or online
- Cycle patterns, stress and any relevant medications
- Whether this needs a medical opinion rather than a treatment plan
You will get a straight answer about whether we are the right people for this. Where acne is moderate or severe, the most useful thing we can do is often to say so early.
Treatments we use
The aim is to reduce inflammation, clear congestion and protect the barrier, without stripping the skin.
- HydraFacial SyndeoDeep cleansing and congestion, with no downtime
- Healite II LEDCalming inflammation and supporting healing
- SkinCeuticals PeelSurface clearing and evenness
- ZO Skin Health PeelResurfacing for congestion and marks
- Pico LaserThe pigment left behind after breakouts
- SkinPen MicroneedlingUsed once acne is settled, for texture and scarring
More on the skin treatments we offer, or browse other skin concerns.
Microneedling and resurfacing are held back until active acne has calmed. Treating over inflamed skin tends to create new marks while you are trying to clear old ones.
How it usually unfolds
- Week 0Assessment and reset
Working out what type this is, simplifying your routine, and repairing the barrier before anything else.
- Weeks 2–8Getting it calm
A course of in-clinic treatment aimed at congestion and inflammation. Skin often looks worse briefly before it looks better.
- Months 2–4Clearing the aftermath
Once breakouts settle, attention turns to the marks and texture left behind, which is usually the longer job.
- OngoingKeeping it stable
Acne is managed rather than cured. Maintenance is mostly what you do at home, with occasional in-clinic support.
The routine matters more than the appointments
Nothing we do in the clinic will hold if the products going on your face twice a day are working against it. With acne that is truer than with almost anything else.
We will go through what you are using now — including the things you bought because someone online recommended them — and tell you honestly what is helping, what is doing nothing, and what is making it worse.
You leave with a written routine. Usually a shorter one than you arrived with.
Common questions
Will facials clear my acne?
They help a great deal with congestion and inflammation. They are not a substitute for medical treatment in moderate to severe acne, and we will tell you which situation you are in.
Why does my skin get worse before it gets better?
Clearing congestion can bring existing blockages to the surface. It usually settles within a few weeks, and we will warn you beforehand rather than let it surprise you.
Should I see a doctor instead?
Sometimes, yes. If your acne is deep, widespread or scarring, prescription treatment is likely to do more than any facial. We would rather point you there than take your money.
Can you treat the marks left behind?
Yes, though we generally wait until things have settled. Flat red or brown marks are pigment and respond well; genuine indentation is scarring and takes longer.
Do I need to stop my current products?
Possibly some of them. We will go through everything at your consultation rather than asking you to guess.
How long until my skin is clear?
That depends on type and severity, and anyone giving you a date without seeing your skin is guessing. You will get a realistic range at your consultation.
Start with a skin consultation
An honest assessment of what type of acne this is, and whether we are the right people to treat it.
Book a complexion consultation
240 Riley St, Surry Hills · (02) 8074 1559
