Things we’ve learned after treating thousands of acne clients

Acne is one of the most complex skin conditions we treat, and over the years we've learned that lasting results come from understanding the why behind your breakouts—not just treating the symptoms. Here are some of the biggest lessons we've learned along the way.

• Picking your skin never speeds up healing.

• stress shows up on your skin more than people realize. the two are directly correlated.

• hormonal acne requires patience.

• Diet and lifestyle will always play a role in breakouts.

• acne requires continuous management.

If you've ever stood in front of the mirror at 11pm convinced that this time, picking that one spot will actually help — we get it. But here's the truth worth hearing on repeat: picking your skin never speeds up healing. If anything, it does the opposite, often leaving behind scarring and skin that's more inflamed than when you started.

It's not just what you do to your skin that matters — it's what's happening inside your body, too. Stress shows up on your skin far more than most people realize, and the two are directly linked. When cortisol spikes, it triggers excess sebum production and inflammation, sending your skin into a cycle of breakouts that can feel impossible to break just by treating the surface.

Hormonal acne, in particular, asks for something a lot of us aren't great at: patience. It doesn't respond to quick fixes or overnight miracles — it responds to consistency, the right treatment plan, and time.

And through all of it, diet and lifestyle are always quietly playing a role. What you eat, how you sleep, how you manage stress — none of it exists separately from your skin. It's all connected.

So the next time a breakout shows up, skip the picking and the panic. always go back to basics: hydrate the skin, support the barrier and book a facial or a consult with us to dive deeper into what could be the root cause.

fun fact: Up to 80% of your tendency to develop acne may be influenced by your genetics…
That doesn’t mean acne is guaranteed if your parents had it, but it does mean your genes can influence things like:

- how much oil your skin produces
- how your pores shed skin cells
- your inflammatory response
- how sensitive your skin is to hormonal changes

So if you’ve ever wondered why your friend can sleep in makeup and never break out (not recommended lol) while you’re diligent with your routine and still struggle—genetics may be playing a role.

Acne requires management. Managing the skin through phases of purging, feeling inflamed, finally clearing up etc. The goal isn’t perfect skin, but to have your toolkit ready for when your skin does have a flare up or a few new blemishes.

Stay consistent and know that the fluctuations are a normal part of your skin clearing.