Active acne is not simply a cleanliness problem.
Breakouts persist for reasons that washing alone cannot address. Oil production, plugging within the follicle, inflammation, bacteria, hormonal signals, and skin sensitivity may each contribute, in different proportions from one person to the next. That is why two people with 'acne' can need very different plans, and why the visible pattern of your breakouts, along with any tendency to scar, matters as much as their presence.
What May Be Driving the Breakouts
Most active acne involves several factors working together: oil production that outpaces what the follicle can clear, plugging that traps that oil, inflammation and bacteria that turn a clogged pore into a visible blemish, and hormonal signals that influence all of the above. Skin sensitivity shapes which treatments your skin will tolerate. Because these factors contribute in different proportions for different people, identifying which ones dominate your pattern comes before choosing treatment. Because some patterns carry a higher tendency to scar, understanding that risk early helps guide how actively to treat.
Why One Approach Does Not Fit Every Pattern
Different types of acne respond to different approaches. Treatment may focus on controlling inflammation, reducing congestion and oil production, targeting individual sebaceous glands, improving skin health, or addressing residual redness and scarring.
Medical Facials
What it helps
Congestion, surface buildup, and maintenance between treatments.
Who it may be right for
Patients whose pattern benefits from regular professional cleansing and extraction alongside daily care.
Why it may be chosen
Performed by trained aestheticians with medical oversight, they support clearer skin without irritating an already reactive surface.
Chemical Peels
What it helps
Follicular plugging, uneven tone, and breakout-prone texture.
Who it may be right for
Patients who tolerate active ingredients and want a structured, progressive approach to clearer skin.
Why it may be chosen
Targeted exfoliation helps keep follicles clear and can calm the cycle of congestion and inflammation over a series of treatments.
Nordlys® PR 530 IPL
What it helps
Light-Based Treatment for Active Inflammatory Acne
Who it may be right for
Active inflammatory acne, diffuse red breakouts, and acne-associated redness.
Why it may be chosen
Nordlys PR 530 uses Selective Waveband Technology (SWT®), a refined form of IPL specifically designed to treat inflammatory acne. The treatment is particularly useful for active, red breakouts and can also help address the redness that often accompanies inflammatory acne.
We treat the pattern, not just the pimple.
There is no cure to promise. Acne is managed, not erased in a single visit. Dr. Gerrish and the Gerrish MedEsthetics Clinical Team evaluate your breakout pattern, skin sensitivity, and any tendency to scar before recommending a plan, which may combine physician-guided daily skin care with selected in-office treatments. If your primary concern is the texture or marks left behind by earlier breakouts, that is a related but different concern. Our Acne Scars page covers scar-focused treatment.
- Anatomy
- Skin quality
- Skin type
- Lifestyle
- Downtime tolerance
- Medical history
- Long-term goals
- Budget, when appropriate
Honest expectations, real improvement.
We will never promise a specific outcome, because honest results depend on real factors:
Frequently Asked Questions
Begin with a conversation.
A consultation helps determine which options belong in your plan and what may be more appropriate.
Continue Learning
Acne Scars
A related but different concern: the texture and marks left behind after breakouts clear, with its own treatment planning.
Learn MorePhysician-Guided Skincare
Daily routines built around medical-grade formulations that support in-office acne care.
Learn MoreThe Consultation Experience
See how a physician evaluation determines where to begin and which approach fits your anatomy and goals.
Learn More