Priorities
Acne and breakouts
Active breakouts, congestion, and inflamed skin. We'll recommend the right place to start based on your acne type.
Acne can show up as blackheads across the nose, closed bumps along the jaw that never come to a head, or inflamed breakouts that return every few weeks. It’s common well into adulthood, and it often stops responding to over-the-counter cleansers.
Some acne responds well to med spa treatments, and some needs a prescription first. We’ll identify which type you have at the start of your consult.
What we'd want you to know
Active cystic acne is best seen by a dermatologist first
If you’re mostly dealing with congestion, blackheads, and small breakouts, we’d suggest starting with a HydraFacial MD with our medical esthetician. Vortex suction clears out your pores, a light glycolic and salicylic step exfoliates, and there’s no downtime. Sessions every four weeks for three to six months give the best results.
If breakouts keep coming back or leave marks, a VI Peel Purify series goes deeper, and Purify with Precision Plus adds a pigment step for the brown marks left behind. Expect three to five days of flaking after each session, and we’ll space the series with that in mind.
Choosing the right acne treatment
First, we’ll look closely at the type of breakouts you have. Blackheads, whiteheads, and small red bumps respond to a HydraFacial. Deep, painful cysts and nodules are a different condition that needs a different approach. The American Academy of Dermatology lists acne among the things a chemical peel treats, with the qualifier “some types,” per the AAD. Cystic acne isn’t one of them, so if that’s what you have, we’ll refer you to a dermatologist before booking any treatment.
It helps to know what a HydraFacial can and can’t do. A 2024 imaging study of eight volunteers found the outer skin layer thinner right after treatment, back to baseline by two weeks, and no change in collagen, per Skin Research and Technology. It’s a surface treatment that keeps pores clear, which is why we recommend it as regular maintenance rather than a cure.
Superficial peels work the same way, building over a series. The AAD’s guidance is 3 to 5 peels, every 2 to 5 weeks, with redness for 1 to 7 days and scaling for 3 to 7, per the AAD. Once your breakouts are under control, we’ll move on to the marks: brown spots with the peel, and pitted scars with microneedling. Individual results vary.
Your questions, answered
Should I get the HydraFacial before or after a workout?
After. Avoid sweating for 24 hours following treatment, while your pores are freshly cleared. Work out first, then come in for your 45-minute session and leave with only sunscreen on your skin.
Can a HydraFacial cause a breakout?
A few spots can surface in the first week as congested pores clear. This is part of the process rather than a flare. If your skin is inflamed on the day of your appointment, we’ll skip the peel step or reschedule.
How far ahead of a wedding do I stop peels?
Plan your last peel 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding. A HydraFacial can be done 2 to 5 days before, but we don’t recommend a first HydraFacial the week of the event. Our microneedling vs peel guide covers options for treating marks once breakouts have cleared.
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