Why Acne Treatment Facials Aren’t Just Another Spa Service (And Why Summer Is the Best Time to Start)

Most people think “facial” means cucumber slices, soft lighting, and 60 minutes of relaxation. When you’re struggling with acne, what you need is something completely different.

If you're in Sheboygan or anywhere nearby and looking for real acne treatment then this is your window.

Every year, we work with teens and adults who are sick of cycling through drugstore products or wasting money on DIY acne treatments that never work. The results? Calmer, clearer, more manageable skin that’s just in time for back-to-school or the seasonal shift into fall.

Let’s break down what makes an acne treatment facial different, why the timing matters, and how you can finally get a real plan.

Have You Heard of the Best Acne Treatment Facial Before?

You’ve probably been told at least one of these:

  • “Facials make acne worse.”

  • “Acne is just a phase, you’ll grow out of it.”

  • “If skincare didn’t work before, nothing will.”

Here’s what no one told you:

What you tried wasn’t a professional-grade acne treatment. It was a generic spa facial or a trendy routine pulled from TikTok. And those don’t get to the root of the problem.

Achieving acne-free skin isn’t just about washing your face; it’s about understanding how to treat acne at its source. The best approach depends on the type of acne you have and may include prescription medications or acne medications tailored to your skin's needs and responses.

woman with acne

A Fresh Look at Acne Solutions You Might Be Missing

If you’re still struggling with acne breakouts or frustrated by lingering acne scars, you’re not alone and you might be missing out on some of the most effective acne treatments available today. Achieving acne-free skin isn’t just about washing your face; it’s about understanding how to treat acne at its source.

One of the most important steps in treating acne is removing dead skin cells that can clog hair follicles and trigger new breakouts. Professional facial treatments like chemical peels and microdermabrasion are designed to exfoliate and clear away dead skin, helping to improve skin texture and prevent future acne. Topical treatments, including benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, work to keep pores clear and reduce inflammation, making them essential tools in your acne treatment arsenal.

Light therapy, such as LED facials, is another innovative option that can help reduce inflammation and support your journey to clearer skin. These treatments target bacteria and calm irritated skin, offering significant improvement for many skin types.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by choices, a board-certified dermatologist can help you find the right combination of acne treatments for your unique skin type. Moderate to severe acne typically requires specialized medical intervention, as over-the-counter remedies are often not sufficient to manage this level of severity. With the right plan, you can boost your self-esteem and see real progress toward healthier, smoother skin.

Spa Facial vs. Acne Treatment for Acne Prone Skin: What You’re Really Paying For

A typical spa facial includes:

  • Relaxing music

  • Gentle exfoliation

  • Hydration masks

  • Warm towels

  • Glowing & moisturized skin

Start by choosing a gentle cleanser and topical medications that are suitable for your skin type. Using a gentle cleanser is important to avoid irritating the skin and worsening acne. If you have oily skin, look for products that help control excess oil, as oil production plays a key role in clogged pores and breakouts. For those with dry skin, certain products and treatments are specifically tailored to improve hydration, texture, and overall skin health.

The best acne treatment facial program includes:

  • Custom acne treatment plan tailored to your skin and breakout patterns

  • Professional exfoliation and extractions that unclog pores

  • Acne-safe products based on science, not trends

  • Progress tracking to adjust before flare-ups return

  • A licensed acne specialist guiding every step

By tailoring your routine to your skin's needs, you can improve results and minimize irritation. The goal of these treatments is reducing acne, but if you have persistent or severe skin conditions, consult a professional for proper evaluation and care.

Not every acne facial is created equal.

acne prone skin

Understanding Your Skin Type: Are You Acne Prone?

Knowing your skin type is the first step to treating acne effectively. If you have acne-prone skin, you’re more likely to deal with clogged pores, excess oil, and a buildup of dead skin cells—all of which can lead to breakouts. But with the right approach, you can prevent acne and achieve clear skin.

Start by choosing gentle cleansers and topical medications that are formulated for your specific skin type. Avoid greasy cosmetics and heavy moisturizers, as these can worsen acne by trapping oil and dead skin in your pores. Instead, look for acne products that are non-comedogenic and designed to keep your skin balanced.

Understanding whether your acne is mild, moderate, or severe will also help you and your skincare professional select the best treatment options. By tailoring your routine to your skin’s needs, you’ll be on your way to reducing breakouts and improving your skin’s overall health.

Facial Spa Treatment

Advanced Facial Treatments: Beyond the Basics

If you’re ready to go beyond the classic facial, advanced facial treatments can make a real difference in your journey to acne-free skin. These treatments are designed to target stubborn acne breakouts and improve your skin texture in ways that at-home care simply can’t match.

Chemical peels use a specialized chemical solution to remove dead skin cells and clear out blocked pores, revealing fresher, smoother skin underneath. Microdermabrasion offers gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin and even out your skin tone, making it a great option for those looking to improve both texture and clarity.

LED facials harness the power of light therapy to kill acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation, helping to calm active breakouts and prevent new ones from forming. Decongesting facials go deep, cleansing your skin and removing impurities that can lead to clogged pores and persistent acne. These advanced options are often considered when other treatments, such as topical creams or oral medications, have not provided sufficient results.

By incorporating these advanced facial treatments into your regular skin care routine, you can see significant improvement in your skin’s health and a noticeable reduction in acne breakouts.

Topical Medications: The Power of Benzoyl Peroxide

When it comes to fighting acne, topical medications like benzoyl peroxide are a game-changer. Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful antibacterial ingredient that targets the bacteria responsible for acne breakouts, while also helping to reduce redness and swelling.

Available in concentrations from 2.5% to 10%, benzoyl peroxide can be used alone or alongside other topical medications such as salicylic acid and azelaic acid for even better results. This combination approach can help treat mild to moderate acne and, under the guidance of a board-certified dermatologist, even severe acne.

By adding benzoyl peroxide to your acne treatment plan, you can reduce existing breakouts, prevent new acne from forming, and work toward clear skin. It’s a proven, effective treatment that can make a significant difference in your skin’s appearance and health—especially when used as part of a comprehensive plan tailored to your needs.

acne treatment best in summer

Why Summer Is the Best Time to Start to Treat Acne

Wisconsin gives us a short, sweet window of good weather before the cold, dry air kicks in. If you want to walk into fall with clearer skin, you need to use that window wisely.

Here’s why summer works better for acne care:

  • Fewer school or work conflicts, so you can stick to your treatment plan

  • More consistent routines (and consistency = results)

  • Lower chance of skin irritation from harsh weather and low humidity

  • Time. Acne takes time to heal, and acne pimples can take several weeks to resolve. It may take the first few weeks to see improvement, so starting now gives you visible progress by September

Some treatments may cause temporary skin redness or skin discoloration, especially in the early stages.

Don’t wait until fall to scramble. That’s when most people shift into damage control. This is your chance to get ahead of it.

Maintaining Healthy Skin After Your Acne Facial

Achieving clear, acne-free skin doesn’t end when you leave the treatment room, it’s all about what you do next. After an acne facial, maintaining healthy skin is essential to prevent new acne breakouts and keep your results going strong.

Start with a consistent skincare routine built for acne-prone skin. Use a gentle cleanser morning and night to remove excess oil and impurities without causing skin irritation. Incorporate topical treatments with proven ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to help remove dead skin cells, keep hair follicles clear, and stop clogged pores before they start. Regular, gentle exfoliation—whether with a mild scrub or a chemical peel recommended by your provider—can further help in removing dead skin cells and improving your skin texture. Just remember: over-exfoliating can worsen acne and lead to irritation, so stick to what your skin type can handle.

Lifestyle tweaks can make a big difference, too. Choose non-comedogenic, oil-free products to avoid blocked pores, and steer clear of greasy cosmetics that can trigger new acne. Keep your hands away from your face to prevent transferring bacteria and oil, and make sure your hair stays clean and off your skin. Staying hydrated and managing stress, especially around your menstrual cycle, can also help reduce inflammation and support your skin’s natural healing.

For those dealing with severe acne or stubborn acne scars, ongoing care may include prescription medications, hormone therapy, or oral antibiotics as directed by your board-certified dermatologist. Follow your treatment plan closely and attend regular check-ins to track your progress and adjust as needed.

In the treatment room, your skincare professional might recommend a range of facial treatments like a classic facial for deep cleansing, a decongesting facial to clear blocked pores, or an LED facial with blue infrared light to target acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation. Chemical peels are another effective treatment for exfoliating dead skin and fading uneven skin tone or discoloration left by past breakouts.

Remember, treating acne is a journey, not a quick fix. It takes patience, persistence, and the right combination of products and professional treatments to see significant improvement. With a tailored routine and expert guidance, you can maintain clear skin, boost your self-esteem, and keep new acne at bay. If you’re ever unsure about the next step, consult your dermatologist they’re your best resource for finding the most effective treatment options for your unique skin.

best acne treatment

“But What If It Doesn’t Work for Me?”

If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, you’re not alone. We hear this every day.

Here’s the difference: we don’t hand out cookie-cutter fixes. We take your skin, your lifestyle, your current products and create a comprehensive acne treatment plan that fits your life (and budget).

How It Works (and What to Expect)

Book a free consultation in June and we’ll:

  • Analyze your skin

  • Ask questions about your current skincare routine and lifestyle

  • Build a customized step-by-step plan to clear up your acne, which may include topical retinoids, topical antibiotics, or oral antibiotics depending on your needs

Some prescription treatments, such as certain hormonal therapies, may carry potential risks, including a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. These should be discussed with your healthcare provider.

Your summer timeline might look like this:

  • June: Free consult + first acne facial

  • July: Inflammation starts to calm, texture improves with the use of products containing glycolic acid for exfoliation and those with antibacterial properties to target acne-causing bacteria

  • August: Breakouts slow down, clear skin is noticeable

  • September: You step into fall with smoother, more confident skin

We treat the root cause and track your progress with precision.

Picture It: You walk into school or the office with skin that’s calm, not inflamed. You’re not relying on makeup to hide a breakout. You’re not scrambling to cover another flare-up. You just feel good. And it shows.

This is what progress looks like.

Acne doesn’t just “go away.” Not without a plan. Not without consistent care.

Book your free consultation before June ends. Let’s make this the summer you finally take control of your skin and walk into fall already ahead of the game.

You’ve got a short window while the sun’s still shining. Don’t miss it.

Elizabeth Steffen