Acne &
Extractions
Cleared properly — extractions by a provider, the right peel, LED therapy, and a routine that stops fighting your barrier.
Our acne protocol combines steam and manual extractions, salicylic or clarifying peels, LED therapy to reduce acne bacteria, and a simplified medical-grade home routine. Expect meaningful change at six to twelve weeks. Scarring is treated afterwards, never during.
Humidity in historic Charleston.
Adult acne is usually hormonal at root, but it is mechanical in expression: oil and sweat sitting on skin, pores staying occluded, bacteria multiplying in a warm environment. Charleston supplies the warm environment for most of the year, which is why patients who had clear skin in a dry climate find themselves breaking out here.
The mistake almost everyone makes is escalation. More acids, more scrubs, stronger cleansers — and a barrier so compromised that the skin becomes inflamed and produces more oil in response. A large share of the acne we see is not really acne any more; it is a damaged barrier maintaining an inflammatory cycle.
So we simplify, then treat. Extractions clear what is already there, because congestion does not resolve on its own and picking at it is how scars are made. Peels keep pores clear. LED light therapy reduces bacterial load. And a short, sensible home routine lets the barrier recover — which is when skin actually calms.
Four stages, in order.
Simplify
Bring every product you use. Most patients are over-exfoliating, and stopping is often the first improvement.
Clear
Steam and provider-performed extractions. Monthly, until congestion is under control.
Control
Salicylic or clarifying peels plus LED therapy to reduce bacteria and keep pores clear.
Repair
Only once acne is quiet: microneedling for scarring and peels for residual marks.
Three in-clinic tools.
All three are available monthly. The acne facial with extractions is one of the member selections.
Acne Facial
ExtractionsSteam, thorough provider-performed extractions, a clarifying mask and LED therapy. The backbone of the protocol.
Clarifying Peels
SalicylicSalicylic and clarifying acids keep pores clear and calm active inflammation. Also used on chest and back.
LED Therapy
CellumaFDA-cleared LED therapy reduces the bacteria involved in inflammatory acne without stripping the barrier.
Fewer products, professional guidance.
Acne is one of the few areas where doing less at home and more in clinic is almost always the right answer.
What the first appointment looks like.
Assessment
Magnified analysis, photographs, hormonal and medication history, and a full product review.
Extractions
Steam and thorough manual clearing. This is the part that makes an immediate difference.
Light & mask
A clarifying mask and LED therapy to reduce bacteria and calm inflammation.
Home plan
A short, written routine — usually three or four products — and monthly appointments booked.
Acne facial with extractions.
The acne facial with extractions is one of the monthly Society Circle selections, which makes running a full protocol straightforward.
Frequently asked.
What causes adult acne?
{{ s0 }}Hormones, barrier disruption, and congestion — usually together. In Charleston, humidity adds a mechanical factor: sweat and oil sit on the skin longer, pores stay occluded, and breakouts that would clear elsewhere persist here.
Are extractions worth it?
{{ s1 }}Yes, when done properly by a provider. Congestion that is manually cleared does not resolve on its own, and squeezing it yourself is how post-inflammatory marks and scars are made. Extractions are included in our acne facial and in dermaplaning.
What treatments do you use for acne?
{{ s2 }}Steam and manual extractions, salicylic and clarifying peels, LED therapy to reduce acne bacteria, and a medical-grade home regimen. Microneedling comes later, for scarring, once active acne is controlled.
How long until my skin clears?
{{ s3 }}Expect meaningful improvement at six to twelve weeks with monthly in-clinic treatment and a compliant home routine. Skin often looks slightly worse in the first two weeks as congestion surfaces — that is expected, not a failure.
Can you treat acne scarring?
{{ s4 }}Yes, but sequence matters. We control active acne first, then treat scarring with microneedling — typically a series of six — and peels for the residual marks. Treating scars while acne is active wastes both time and money.
Should I stop my current products?
{{ s5 }}Bring everything you use to your first appointment. Most patients with persistent acne are over-exfoliating and have compromised their barrier, which perpetuates the problem. Simplifying is often the first change we make.
Do you treat body acne?
{{ s6 }}Yes — chest and back acne are common here in summer and respond well to clarifying peels and LED.
Preserved. Never altered.
Consultations are unhurried and thorough. Historic King Street, Third Floor, downtown Charleston.