Priorities
Acne and breakouts
Active breakouts, congestion, and inflamed skin. We'll recommend the right place to start based on your acne type.
Treatments from $199
The short version
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.
Why it happens
Where breakouts begin
Every breakout starts in a pore. Hormones called androgens make oil glands bigger and more active, and when that extra oil mixes with dead skin cells, the pore clogs. What happens next decides whether it's a blackhead, a red bump or a deep cyst.
A clog forms
Oil and dead cells block the pore. Open at the surface it's a blackhead, closed over it's a whitehead.
Inflammation sets in
When the clog irritates the skin around it, the pore swells into a red, tender bump or a pustule.
Deep cysts need a dermatologist
Cysts and nodules sit well below the surface. They need prescription treatment and are the most likely to scar.
Sources: AAD, what causes acne
Your options
How we'd approach it
-
Step 1We'd start with
HydraFacial
From $199
About HydraFacialIf 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.
-
Step 2If you need a little more
A VI Peel series
From $200
About A VI Peel seriesIf 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.
Side by side
Your options side by side
For congestion and small breakouts, here's how our options compare. Cystic acne starts with a dermatologist.
We'd start with
HydraFacial MD
From $199
- Best for
- Congestion, blackheads and small breakouts
- Appointment
- 30 to 45 minutes, no numbing
- Downtime
- None, pink for an hour at most
- First results
- Immediately
- Sessions
- Single, or monthly for 3 to 6 months then quarterly
If you need a little more
VI Peel Purify series
From $200
- Best for
- Breakouts that keep returning, and the marks they leave
- Appointment
- 20 to 45 minutes, no numbing for light peels
- Downtime
- Light peel: pink that evening, flaking days 3 to 7. Medium peel: 7 to 14 days
- First results
- Brighter skin once the flaking stops, about a week out
- Sessions
- Light peels: 3 to 5, every 2 to 5 weeks. Medium: one, repeated no sooner than 3 to 6 months
Microneedling
From $347
- Best for
- Pitted scars, once breakouts have settled
- Appointment
- 45 to 60 minutes including numbing
- Downtime
- Pink for 24 to 48 hours, dry and tight for 2 to 3 days
- First results
- Hydration and glow within days
- Sessions
- 1 for glow, 3 to 6 for lines and marks, 4 weeks apart
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
What to expect with a HydraFacial series
Skin looks clearer and brighter the same day, and congestion improves over monthly sessions.
Same day
Hydrated and matte, with pores visibly clearer. Pink for an hour at most.
Day 1 to 7
Skin stays bright and makeup sits better. This is the best window before an event.
Week 2 to 4
The surface returns to baseline, and congestion starts to rebuild, which is normal.
Month 1
Time for your next session on a monthly cadence.
Month 3 to 6
Series effects on lines, pores, and tone show up in photos.
Timeline for HydraFacial, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
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.
Why am I breaking out in my 30s?
Adult acne is very common, and hormones are usually behind it. Androgens drive oil production, and shifts around your cycle, stress and some skin or hair products can tip pores into clogging. Deep or painful breakouts are worth a dermatologist's visit first.
Can I squeeze a pimple before my appointment?
Please leave it. Squeezing drives inflammation deeper and makes marks and scars more likely. Come in as you are, and we'll clear congestion gently during your treatment.
Also used for this
From the clinic
Compare and decide · 6 min read
Microneedling vs chemical peel: pick by problem, not by trend
The simplest way to choose is to consider where the problem is. Scars, pores, and fine lines sit in the dermis, where needles can reach them.…
Treatment guides · 6 min read
How much does microneedling cost? Per session, per series, and what moves the number
Microneedling has 3 price tiers on our menu, and the pen is the same in all of them. What moves the number is what goes into…