Acne is a very common skin condition which causes the appearance of spots of various sizes to form on the skin of your face and even sometimes your back, shoulder and chest can be affected too.
Many believe that acne is only present in teenagers but acne can affect adults at any age even if you may not have previously suffered in your teenage years.
Acne occurs when hair follicles in your skin become blocked with dead skin cells sebum which is an oil naturally produced by the body. An increase in the production of sebum is often a result of hormonal changes.
How can I get rid of acne?
There are so many products out there that claim to help reduce and clear spots and although using these may work for some people, others with more severe types of acne may find them to have no effect. There are also a range of prescription products that your GP may prescribe for you but often as soon as you stop taking or using them, the problem comes back.
Here at The Private Clinic we pride ourselves on being able to offer specialist advice for treatment of acne and how to look after acne prone skin. Here are our top 5 treatment picks;
1. N-Lite Laser
Our most popular acne laser treatment is our N-Lite laser. This procedure is non-invasive and suitable for all skin types making it ideal for anyone who is suffering from acne. The N-Lite acne laser works to firstly kill the bacteria that is causing the acne before then stimulating new collagen and reducing inflammation to make the appearance of current acne reduce significantly.
Each N-Lite treatment takes 30 minutes and although your skin may appear a little red immediately after, there is no downtime. We recommend that you have a course of 5 treatments but this will depend on the severity of your skin. Often n-lite treatments are combined with other treatments such as skin peels and many patients return every 3-6 months for a quick top up treatment to help maintain their results.
2. Chemical Skin Peel
Chemical skin peels are a great way to help treat acne and we have a range of different types available for all skin types including DermaFrost, Blue Peel Radiance and Oxygen Rx treatment for those with darker skin a MandeliClear Peel may be recommended. Chemical skin peel treatments are great at helping to reduce and control the redness and inflammation of acne whilst regulating your oil production.
Certain chemical skin peels can cause a little bit of downtime, there will be some redness after treatment and if you had a particularly high strength peel then you may notice your skin peeling or feeling dry a few days after treatment. Chemical skin peels take around 30 minutes to perform and we recommend that you have a course of 3-4 peels scheduled 3 to 4 weeks apart depending on the severity of your acne.
3. Obagi
Our Obagi skin treatment systems are a great way to target specific areas of concern. The Obagi Clenziderm M.D System is a prescription-strength adult acne acne treatment that has been specifically formulated for normal to oily skin. The system contains 3 products that you should use every morning and evening which have been formulated to help both clear up active acne but also prevent future breakouts too. The treatment system is designed to be used over the course of 9-12 weeks, but many start to see results from 4 weeks of usage. The oil production of the skin should have decreased and acne breakouts should be less frequent. Your practitioner may suggest having a course of Obagi Blue Radiance Peel’s to help boost the results.
See more Obagi before and after results
4. Microdermabrasion
A medical microdermabrasion is another great treatment for helping to clear up the skin and reduce the potential for future acne breakouts. The treatment involves medical grade crystals being passed over the skin to exfoliate and remove the top layer of dry dead skin cells. All of the debris removed from the skin is sucked away leaving your skin looking clearer and brighter. The procedure increases your lymphatic drainage which means that there will be reduced amount of debris building up on the skin which can result in blackheads and spots.
Microdermabrasion does not have any downtime and usually takes 20-30 minutes to perform. The procedure should not be carried out on areas of active acne as it could make acne worse but it is a great treatment to try during the recovery stages. We recommend a course of 3 to 6 treatments every 4 weeks for maximum results.
5. Advanced Nutrition Programme
Our advanced nutrition programmes are a great way to help your skin, often alongside having regular treatments too. The Skin Accumax programme is a skincare supplement specifically designed for those with acne prone skin. It works to nourish the layers of the skin and feeds every cell in the body which aids to support all areas of affected skin, such as the face, chest, back and shoulders. Skin should feel calm and relived of redness and because no harsh chemicals are being used your skin should not feel dry or flaky.
The Skin Accumax programme can be taken alone, but we do often recommend that you have some treatments alongside to help resolve any current acne.
The supplements are taken in a capsule pill format and we recommend 1 or 2 capsules twice a day for at least 2 weeks before reducing down to 1 capsule a day – but these instructions are variable and your practitioner may suggest trying the higher dosage for 1-2 months for those with more severe acne.
The Private Clinic
We are the UK’s leading non-invasive cosmetic group and have some of the most experienced skin specialists working with us. We treat thousands of patients every year and pride ourselves on our knowledge and expertise. All of our Clinics are registered with the Care Quality Commission and The Independent Healthcare Advisory Services.
Dermatologists at The Private Clinic
Our Consultant Dermatologist; Dr Rishika Sinha, MA(Cantab), MB BChir, MRCP(Derm). GMC Number: 6092256 is able to consult on the condition at our London Harley Street clinic, while our skin specialists are available at all of our clinics in UK – Birmingham, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton
- See more acne treatment before and after photos
- Hear from past acne treatment patients
- Read our extensive FAQs
- Find out more acne treatment information in our acne blogs
Find out more about our acne treatments by calling 0333 920 9135 or use our online acne treatment contact form.
