Clear Skin Guide
If you're frustrated with your skin, you're not alone. Over the years we've helped hundreds of clients clear their skin and keep it that way. This guide will help you understand why you're breaking out, learn what actually works, and start making smarter choices for your skin.
What Is Acne?
Acne may show up as breakouts, but it begins deep within the skin as a chain of internal processes. We treat it with understanding, strategy, and consistency — not quick fixes. Here’s what’s really happening in acne-prone skin.
Your sebaceous glands produce sebum to keep skin lubricated. In acne-prone skin these glands become overactive — often influenced by hormones — leading to excess oil that can clog pores.
Healthy skin sheds dead cells at its outermost layer. With acne this process turns irregular and slow, so dead cells stick together and mix with oil — creating a plug inside the pore we call a comedone (blackheads and whiteheads).
A naturally occurring skin bacteria, Cutibacterium acnes, thrives in these clogged, oil-rich pores. As it multiplies, it contributes to irritation and triggers the immune system.
As the pore stays impacted, the body responds to the buildup of oil, dead skin, and bacteria with inflammation. This is what leads to the red, swollen, painful lesions — papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts.
Know Your Breakouts
Not all acne is created equal. Select a type to see what it is, how to recognize it, and the exact approach we take to clear it — at home and in the treatment room.
Inflamed, red bumps that do not contain visible pus. They form when a clogged pore becomes irritated, triggering inflammation beneath the surface.
Papules should never be picked — there’s nothing to “release,” and squeezing pushes inflammation deeper.
How we treat it
Focus: calm the skin and reduce internal inflammation.
Inflamed breakouts that contain pus, recognized by their white or yellow center. This is what most people picture as a “classic pimple.”
Unlike papules, pustules can sometimes be carefully extracted — but only when done properly to avoid scarring or spreading bacteria.
How we treat it
Focus: eliminate bacteria, reduce swelling, and safely clear the pore.
Clogged pores where oil and dead skin are trapped beneath the surface. Not inflamed, but they create a textured, bumpy appearance — and can turn into inflamed acne if bacteria builds up.
Consistency is key — this type responds best to a structured routine and ongoing maintenance.
How we treat it
Focus: correct the root cause of congestion and normalize skin-cell turnover.
Clogged pores that stay open at the surface. The dark color isn’t dirt — it’s oxidized oil exposed to air.
With proper care, blackheads can be significantly minimized and controlled.
How we treat it
Focus: clear the pore and regulate oil production.
Why Your Acne Isn’t Going Away
If you feel like you’ve “tried everything” and nothing sticks, you’re not alone. Acne is one of the most misunderstood skin conditions, and most clients arrive having been given the wrong plan — not because their skin is “unfixable.”
Clearing acne isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what’s right for your skin.
Your At-Home Routine
After a Face Reality consultation we build a routine that resembles the one below. Everyone’s is different — there may be more or fewer steps depending on your skin. Toggle between morning and night.
This is a baseline. Routines are generally in the $300–$500 range, with monthly product replenishment between $50–$150. Consistency morning and night is the key to results.
Key Active Ingredients
These are the ingredients we reach for most. The key is the right combination for your skin — not everything at once. Tap any ingredient to learn what it does.
A beta-hydroxy acid that gets into the pore to dissolve the oil and dead-skin buildup behind congestion and breakouts.
Targets the C. acnes bacteria that drive inflamed breakouts — especially useful for pustules when used at the right strength.
A larger-molecule acid that exfoliates gently, making it a great fit for sensitive and acne-prone skin that can’t tolerate harsher actives.
Speed up how quickly skin cells turn over, helping keep pores clear and improving texture and post-acne marks over time.
Reduces inflammation and helps regulate oil production while supporting the skin barrier — gentle enough to pair with stronger actives.
A quick but important note
Products with active ingredients need to be prescribed by a professional in a way that makes sense for your specific case — so please don’t buy actives just yet. Guidance comes during your consultation.
Barrier-friendly favorites anyone can use
These focus on repairing the skin barrier and reducing inflammation and bacteria — no prescription required.
Professional Treatments
Think of home care as your foundation and professional treatments as the catalyst that moves your skin forward faster — reaching deeper to address inflammation, pigmentation, and texture in ways products alone can’t.
A structured, results-driven program that clears acne through customized protocols and consistent guidance.
Learn more LaserAdvanced laser technology that targets acne, inflammation, and pigmentation with minimal downtime.
Learn more ResurfacingImproves post-acne scarring, texture, and overall skin regeneration over a series of treatments.
Learn moreSupports healing, reduces inflammation, and promotes overall skin health between corrective sessions.
How Long It Takes
Everyone’s pace is different, but here’s a realistic picture of the journey. Select a milestone to see what to expect.
4–6 weeks — initial improvement. Skin begins responding to a properly prescribed routine. You’ll often notice fewer new breakouts and calmer inflammation as your barrier stabilizes.
8–12 weeks — visible progress. Clearing becomes obvious. Congestion and active breakouts continue to drop, and we adjust your plan as your skin changes.
3–6 months — major transformation. With consistency and professional support, this is where the biggest, most lasting changes show — in clarity, tone, and texture.
Can Lifestyle Affect Acne?
These are factors we commonly see in acne clients. What affects one person may not affect another — part of your consultation is figuring out which apply to you.
Ready To Clear Your Skin?
If you're tired of guessing and want real results, the next step is a consultation. Choose the option that fits you best.
In person
A personalized 45 minute session designed to assess your skin and create a clear, customized plan to achieve your skincare goals. Your at-home skincare product routine will be written at the end of your Consultation while you enjoy a complimentary Red Light Therapy Session.
Book the consultIf you’d like to additionally receive a Face Reality Acne Treatment on the day of your Consultation, add it in the add-on section. The first Acne Treatment is a very gentle approach and is safe for all Clients unless they are currently on very strong topical/oral acne medications or Antibiotics. You must purchase your Product Routine on the day of your first Appointment. Prepare to spend $250–$350 on products.
Book consult + treatmentBy phone or virtual
This consultation will take place over the phone and is a great option for someone looking for very general information before actually booking a Treatment. This is not a Virtual option with Zoom or FaceTime, and Product Routines & Recommendations are not provided during this Consultation.
Book a phone consultWelcome to the world of treating your skin from the comfort of your own home! Once your Virtual Skincare Consultation has been booked, you will be sent a Virtual Skincare Program Form to fill out and a Zoom Meeting link. Your Technician will send you your Product Routine within 2 weeks of your first Zoom Call, and future Zoom Check-ins can take place every 4–6 weeks.
Book program consult✔️ Consistency beats perfection · ✔️ Professional guidance speeds everything up · ✔️ Your routine should be customized to you