Acne & Skin Health

Active Acne Treatment

A physician-guided program to reduce active breakouts and calm excess oil and inflammation, combining in-office and medical options selected after assessment.

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Active acne treatment in Vancouver

Understanding Active Acne Treatment.

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Clearer, calmer skin is a very reachable goal. Acne is a medical condition of the oil glands, and it responds well when it's treated as one, with a plan built around what's driving your breakouts.

That might be oil production, blocked follicles, acne bacteria, inflammation or a hormonal pattern. Once we know, we can combine medical treatment, in-clinic light or laser sessions and a sensible home routine in the order that suits your skin.

It helps to bring a list of what you've already tried, including anything that irritated your skin. That way we start in the right place.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Gidon Frame, Medical DirectorReviewed: 23 September 2026Last updated: 23 September 2026

Approach	Often chosen for	Performed by
Medical treatment Topical or oral prescription	Inflamed or deeper breakouts, acne that keeps returning, hormonal patterns along the jaw and lower face	Our physicians
AviClear Acne laser	Persistently oily, breakout-prone skin on the face or body, or when you'd prefer a non-medication route	Our senior laser technicians
Forever Clear BBL Broadband light	Active, inflamed breakouts on the face and, in some cases, the body	Our senior laser technicians
Celluma Light Therapy LED light therapy	Calming mild to moderate inflammation, including in skin that finds actives hard to tolerate	Our senior laser technicians

Each technology page explains how it works, what to expect, recovery and safety. Your plan matches the approach, or the combination, to your acne, your skin tone and what you've already tried.

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Concerns & Goals

Concern guides connected to this treatment.

Treatment options and technologies

At our clinic, active acne is treated with medical care, in-clinic light and laser treatment, or a combination of the two.

Medical treatment: topical or oral prescription treatment chosen and reviewed by our physicians as your skin responds.
AviClear: well suited to skin that stays oily and breakout-prone, on the face or body, and a good fit if you'd prefer not to rely on long-term medication.
Forever Clear BBL: for active inflammatory acne, working alongside your medical care or reducing the need for extra topical actives.
Celluma Light Therapy: a gentle way to calm inflammation, including in skin that finds actives hard to tolerate.

Many people do well with one approach. Others benefit from two, staged over a few months. In-clinic light and laser sessions are performed by our senior laser technicians, under the medical direction of Dr. Gidon Frame.

What acne treatment can improve

An acne plan can help with:

Whiteheads, blackheads and congestion
Red, inflamed papules and pustules
Deeper, tender nodules and cysts
Persistently oily skin
Adult acne that started or returned after the teenage years
Breakouts that flare with the menstrual cycle or cluster along the jawline
Acne on the back, chest or shoulders
Breakouts that keep leaving marks behind

Calming active acne also limits new marking. Once breakouts settle, any indented or textured scarring can be treated with its own options through our scar and stretch-mark treatments.

Who may benefit

Acne treatment suits anyone whose breakouts keep coming back and who'd like a clear plan to follow.

You may be a good candidate if:

Over-the-counter products haven't been enough
Your acne is painful, deep, or leaving marks and scars
Breakouts are affecting your confidence or how you feel about being seen
You've had acne treated before and it returned when treatment stopped

Timing matters for some options. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or have recently taken oral isotretinoin, some medications and device treatments are timed differently. All skin tones can be treated, and device choice for deeper skin tones takes extra care to protect against pigment change.

Your medical history, medications and previous treatments are reviewed at your consultation to confirm which option suits you.

Your consultation

Your first visit is a complimentary consultation with one of our senior laser technicians or cosmetic health and skincare advisors. One of our physicians, Dr. Gidon Frame, Dr. Sarina Govindasamy or Dr. Teri Fisher, then sees you to approve your treatment, and prescribes medication or performs any physician treatment that's part of your plan.

We look at where your acne appears, the kind of lesions you have, and how deep and inflamed they are. We'll ask how long it's been going on, whether it flares with your cycle or with stress, and what you've already tried. We also go through your medications, allergies, any past isotretinoin and whether you're planning a pregnancy, since these shape what can be prescribed.

Worth mentioning when you come in:

Any upcoming event or timing concern, so the plan fits around it
Whether you've squeezed, picked at or tried to drain a lesion
Any previous injection into the same spot

Cosmetic consultations are complimentary. When you book a treatment, we take a card on file. New clients pay a $150 deposit that goes toward their treatment, and a $150 no-show fee applies if an appointment is missed.

You leave with a clear plan, the order things will happen in, and a sense of when you'll be able to judge progress.

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What treatment is like

Starting out. Most plans begin with medical treatment, skincare adjustments, or both, so your skin has a steady base before anything else is added.

In-clinic sessions. If light or laser treatment is part of your plan, its technology page explains what a session feels like and how to prepare.

Between visits. We review your progress and adjust the plan as your skin responds.

Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic

Looking for the right next step?

Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic can help you understand this treatment, explore related technologies and concerns, and build a plan around your goals.

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Results and treatment planning

What treatment can improve: the number and severity of active breakouts, oiliness, inflammation, and how much new marking your skin develops.

When change appears. Acne responds gradually. Most people need several weeks before they can fairly judge a treatment, and deeper or more stubborn acne takes longer than surface congestion.

Sessions and recovery. Timing, recovery and the number of sessions depend on the option chosen. Each is explained on its technology page: AviClear, Forever Clear BBL and Celluma Light Therapy.

Keeping skin clear. Acne tends to come and go, so the goal is control you can keep. Medical treatment is usually stepped down gradually, and a lighter maintenance routine holds the result.

What influences your outcome: the type and severity of your acne, hormonal factors, consistency with the plan, whether you pick at lesions, and how your skin tolerates the treatments chosen. Individual results vary.

Recovery and aftercare

There's generally no need to take time off. When you start a topical medication, some dryness, tightness, flaking or stinging is common in the first few weeks and usually eases as your skin adjusts. Some people break out a little more before improving, which is an expected part of the process.

What helps: a gentle non-foaming cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer, daily sun protection, and leaving spots alone so they don't turn into marks.

If irritation becomes strong, call us before stopping treatment on your own. The dose or frequency can often be adjusted so you can keep going. Aftercare for light and laser sessions is on each technology page.

Optimizing your results

Combining with HydraFacial. HydraFacial works well in combination with all of our acne treatments. It's used between sessions to cleanse, gently extract and hydrate the skin, and it can help with acne concerns. Your physician will advise the right timing for your skin.

Side effects of medical treatment

Prescription acne treatment is usually well tolerated. Dryness, redness, flaking, mild stinging, sun sensitivity and an early temporary flare are the most common effects, and they tend to settle as your skin adapts. Your physician explains the specific effects of any medication before you start. Side effects and safety information for light and laser options are on each technology page.

Your at-home skincare

With acne, your home routine is part of the treatment, and gentle almost always works better than aggressive.

Keep cleansing mild. Soft, non-stripping cleansers calm the inflammation you're trying to reduce.
Moisturize. A non-comedogenic moisturizer makes prescribed actives much easier to tolerate.
Use sun protection daily. Many acne treatments increase sun sensitivity, and sunscreen helps marks fade.
Introduce one product at a time so it's clear what's helping.

We'll go through which products to keep, pause or stop, so your routine and your prescribed treatment work together. Professional acne-friendly skincare is available in our online shop.

Treating a single inflamed lesion

Sometimes the problem is one large, painful lump that has appeared at the worst possible moment.

For a suitable inflamed nodule or cyst, one of our experienced physicians (Dr. Gidon Frame, Dr. Sarina Govindasamy or Dr. Teri Fisher) may consider a small corticosteroid injection placed directly into the lesion. It aims to settle the local inflammation and the discomfort that comes with it. It's reserved for selected severe lesions. American Academy of Dermatology

Timing. Suitable lesions often become less swollen within about 24 to 72 hours. Tell us when your event is and how long the lesion has been there, and we'll give you a realistic picture of what the time allows.

What to weigh. Possible effects include thinning or a small indentation of the skin at the site, changes in colour, and infection. The physician assesses whether the likely benefit outweighs those risks for your particular lesion. British Association of Dermatologists

Looking ahead. An injection treats the lesion in front of it. If painful spots keep returning, treating the acne underneath is what helps prevent the next one.

While you wait to be seen. Avoid squeezing, puncturing or repeatedly touching the spot, keep cleansing gentle, and don't layer on strong exfoliants or unfamiliar products in an attempt to clear it quickly. Rapidly spreading redness, fever, or swelling near the eye needs prompt medical care, as these aren't signs of an ordinary breakout.

Technologies Used

Technologies that may support this treatment.

Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic

Why patients choose our clinic

Physician-led acne care. Your acne is assessed and treated by one of our physicians, Dr. Gidon Frame, Dr. Sarina Govindasamy or Dr. Teri Fisher, with a plan built around your skin.
Medical and device options under one roof, planned together so each part supports the others.
Light and laser sessions with our senior laser technicians, under the medical direction of Dr. Gidon Frame.
Care for every skin tone. Device choice and settings account for the higher risk of pigment change in deeper skin tones.
Physician-led care in Vancouver since 2003, with experience across every stage of acne.
A plan for afterwards, so clear skin stays clear.

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FAQ

Questions about Active Acne Treatment.

I've tried everything from the pharmacy. Why would this be different?+

Over-the-counter products mostly work on surface congestion and mild inflammation. Persistent acne is usually driven by hormones, deeper inflammation and oil gland activity, and prescription treatment and in-clinic options work at those levels. Our physicians can combine them into one plan built around your skin.

Is my acne hormonal, and does that change the treatment?+

It can. Breakouts that flare in the week before your period, cluster along the jawline and lower face, or began in adulthood often have a hormonal component, and they respond best to treatment that addresses that pattern. We'll ask about your cycle, any related symptoms and your medical history at your assessment.

Why did my skin get worse before it got better?+

An early flare is common when treatment speeds up skin renewal, because congestion already forming under the surface comes up sooner. It usually settles within the first few weeks. If it feels like a lot, call us before stopping, since the strength or frequency can often be eased so you can keep going.

Can I have laser or light treatment if I have a deeper skin tone?+

Often yes. Device choice and settings are tailored for deeper skin tones to protect against pigment change, and recent sun exposure or tanning is taken into account. Where a medical approach suits your skin better, that's what we'll recommend.

Will I have to stay on treatment forever?+

Not at the same intensity. Most acne plans have an active phase to gain control and a lighter maintenance phase to hold it. Stopping everything suddenly once skin is clear is the most common reason acne returns, so we plan the step-down with you from the start.

Reviews

What patients say about the clinic experience.

Reviews help show the human side of care, from the first consultation to comfort, communication, treatment planning, and follow-up.

Medical Review

Reviewed for clinical accuracy.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Gidon Frame, Medical Director, Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic (CPSBC).
Last medically reviewed: August 2026.
Evidence reviewed: clinical practice guidelines, systematic reviews and peer-reviewed medical literature.

AuthorDr. Gidon Frame

Medical ReviewerDr. Gidon Frame

Last ReviewedSeptember 2026

Visit Our Clinic

Visit our clinic in Vancouver, BC.

Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic combines medical assessment, individualized planning, physician oversight, and a broad range of treatment options in its Vancouver clinic.

Plan your consultation.

Bring your questions, treatment history, and goals. Your provider can help you understand appropriate options, expected recovery, and realistic outcomes.

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Phone(604) 261-9121

Email[email protected]

Why Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic?

A medical clinic with physicians and experienced medical-aesthetic providers on the team.
Science-informed assessment, treatment planning, and realistic expectations.
Laser, injectables, skin, body, hair, wellness, and medical services available in one clinic.
Complimentary aesthetic consultations are available for appropriate cosmetic and laser services.
Personalized skincare and product consultations based on your goals and routine.
Home-care guidance to support your skin between in-clinic appointments.
Professional skincare products available through the Anti-Aging Vancouver shop.
Clear guidance on treatment options, preparation, downtime, aftercare, and next steps.
Ongoing follow-up so your plan can evolve as your needs and goals change.