Regardless of how old you are, what gender you identify as, and where you were born, you’ll likely experience some form of acne in your life. When you’re a teenager, it may feel like having acne is the end of the world. As an adult, it can be a confusing nuisance. At any age, it can affect your confidence and self-esteem.
No matter what kind or severity of acne you’re struggling with, acne treatments in Kansas City can clear you up. Our range of medical dermatology and aesthetic services at Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center allow us to match patients to the specific treatments that are right for them!
What causes acne?
Simply put, acne develops when your pores are clogged. The clogging culprits are oftentimes dirt, dead skin cells, and sebum––an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands that lubricates your skin. Sebum is necessary for keeping your skin moisturized and healthy, but too much of it causes more harm than good.
As a Medical Dermatology and Aesthetics practice, we can treat all forms of acne. Figuring out what treatment you need is a matter of discussing and examining your skin during a consultation. We’ll ask you questions about your acne, things you’ve tried, and what your at-home skincare routine looks like. Finally, we’ll examine your skin and nail down what kind of acne we’re dealing with.
Common types of acne
Blackheads: Blackheads form when pores are clogged with bacteria, oil, and dirt, and remain open. The air oxidizes the blackheads, making them appear dark.
Whiteheads: Whiteheads form when pores are clogged and remain closed. They’re typically flesh-colored.
Papules: Papules occur when a clogged pore ruptures, spreading fluids and bacteria on the skin, resulting in inflamed, red bumps.
Pustules: When papules fill with pus, they become pustules, appearing with a white or yellow top.
Nodules: Nodules are firm, red or skin-colored bumps that originate deep below the surface of your skin.
Cysts: Cystic acne appears as deep, red lumps and are filled with pus, making them soft to the touch.
Acne treatments in Kansas City: the options
At Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center, we have the tools needed to treat severe acne, but we also offer preventative treatments to stop acne before it becomes a problem. Since acne is caused by clogged pores, most of our treatments are designed to unclog them and clean out the “ick.”
Microneedling
If you want a gentle resurfacing treatment, microneedling is a great option. By kickstarting your skin’s natural healing process through controlled micro-injuries, your skin starts turning over skin cells, generating new collagen, and tightening. As a result, your pores shrink, release bacteria they’ve been holding onto, and keep new bacteria out!
Our skin specialists perform microneedling with SkinPen®, a pen-like device that is considered the gold-standard of microneedling technology. We’ll use topical anesthetic, so you won’t feel any discomfort.
Microneedling treats:
- Acne scars
- Enlarged pores
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Laxity
- Stretch marks
How often should I receive microneedling?
We recommend receiving a microneedling treatment every 4 to 6 weeks based on your individual goals.
Radiofrequency microneedling
RF microneedling is similar to traditional microneedling, but adds a heating component for more dramatic results. The heat penetration creates a tightening effect to further minimize pores, acne scars, texture, fine lines and other imperfections. The pore shrinkage stops dirt, bacteria, and oil from building up and causing acne.
Your KC Skin & Cancer Center specialist will use the gentle Secret™ RF technology on your skin, resulting in collagen and elastin production and cell turnover.
RF microneedling treats:
- Enlarged pores
- Clogged pores
- Acne scars
- Laxity
- Stretch marks
How often should I receive RF microneedling?
Depending on your acne severity, we recommend receiving an RF microneedling treatment every 4 to 6 weeks.
Acne facial
Our acne facial is one of the most gentle and effective acne treatments in Kansas City. It cleanses your skin of all the acne-causing bacteria, oil, and dirt, while emptying out your clogged pores and providing hydration. This facial is suitable for people of all skin types and tones and we can even customize it with ingredients for your skin’s specific needs.
Acne facials treat:
- Certain types of acne
- Excessively dry or oily skin
- Uneven skin
How often should I receive an acne facial?
Depending on your acne severity, we recommend receiving an acne facial once every 4 to 6 weeks.
Dermaplaning
Another one of our favorite gentle acne treatments in Kansas City is dermaplaning. This treatment clears out peach fuzz, dead skin cells, and dry, flaky skin that often keep hold of acne-causing bacteria.
During this painless treatment, your skin specialist uses a single-use surgical blade to remove the outer layer of your skin, unveiling a fresh new layer underneath.
Dermaplaning treats:
- Clogged pores
- Unwanted hair
- Dull skin
- Dry skin
- Uneven skin texture
How often should I dermaplane?
We recommend acne-prone individuals come in for dermaplaning once a month.
HydraFacial
HydraFacial provides a medical-grade cleansing, exfoliating, and hydrating treatment for all skin types. It’s truly the trifecta of all the things you need in order to keep your skin healthy and acne at bay.
The HydraFacial wand works like a vacuum to open pores and extract the bacteria and dead skin. Because your pores are open, the medical-grade ingredients can penetrate deeper in your skin.
HydraFacial treats:
- Some types of acne
- Clogged pores
- Oily or dry skin
- Uneven skin tone
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Hyperpigmentation
- Age spots
- Sun damage
How often should I get a HydraFacial?
For someone who struggles with acne, we recommend a HydraFacial every 4 to 6 weeks.
Laser Genesis
Next up on our list of acne treatments in Kansas City is Laser Genesis. This gentle laser facial is designed to induce collagen and elastin production and turn over new skin cells by lightly heating up the skin.
Using the Laser Genesis wand, your skin specialist will treat your skin evenly (and painlessly!).
Laser Genesis treats:
- Enlarged pores
- Uneven texture
- Uneven skin tone
- Acne scars
- Rosacea
- Sun damage
- Fine lines and wrinkles
How often should I receive Laser Genesis treatment?
We recommend keeping acne at bay with Laser Genesis treatments about once a month.
Corrective BBL
Broadband light (BBL) treatments use a combination of blue, yellow, and infrared light to remove bacteria, reduce inflammation and discoloration, and induce your body’s natural healing process. At KC Skin & Cancer Center, we offer both Forever Clear BBL and Forever Young BBL to address both acne and aging concerns.
Using the BBL handpiece, your skin specialist will make passes over your problem areas. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort or pain during this treatment!
BBL treats:
- Some types of acne
- Enlarged and clogged pores
- Rosacea
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Laxity
- Sun damage
How often should I receive BBL treatments?
To start out, we recommend 3 treatments spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart. After that, we will recommend a maintenance plan, including follow-up treatments, so you can maintain your clear skin.
Chemical peels
Chemical peels provide chemical exfoliation, rather than physical exfoliation. By using chemical ingredients, we can wipe away dead skin cells and any other gunk to present what feels like brand new skin. Pro-tip: Chemical peels pair great with BBL!
When you get them in the summer, you have to be extra diligent about applying sunscreen. The chemicals and resurfacing nature of the treatment make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
What Chemical Peels treat:
- Clogged pores
- Dullness
- Flakiness
- Uneven skin tone
- Fine lines
- Acne scars
- Sun damage
How often should I receive chemical peels?
Depending on your acne severity and other skin concerns, we may recommend a chemical peel every 4 to 6 weeks.
The medical side
If it turns out your acne is too severe and painful for aesthetic treatments, we’ll get you in touch with our board-certified dermatologists to explore medical treatments. This could include medical-grade products or medications like Accutane.
Once I kick acne to the curb, will it come back?
Unfortunately, there’s always a possibility that acne will come back. The best way to keep acne at bay is through an effective at-home skincare routine and consistent acne treatments in Kansas City.
Similar to how staying in shape is 80% diet and 20% exercise; having healthy skin is 80% at-home treatment and 20% in-office treatment. You have to have both! It’s a personal investment we recommend pouring into.
The good news is, coming up with your skincare routine doesn’t have to be left entirely up to you. Our dermatologists and aesthetic skin care professionals are here to help you devise a plan! Schedule a consultation with us so we can learn more about you and your skin’s needs.
If you’re not quite ready for that step, keep reading for tips for preventing acne.
5 tips for preventing acne
1. Cleanse your face often
Dirt, oil, sweat, and dead skin cells build up on your skin throughout the day and overnight. It’s important to cleanse your face (with a medical-grade cleanser) twice a day; it’ll effectively remove any acne-causing bacteria.
2. Build an at-home skincare routine
Your cleanser is just one piece of your at-home skincare routine. You’ll also need a
moisturizer, sunscreen, toner, and potentially some other products that will nurse your skin back to health. It’s important for these products to be right for your skin; we can help you choose them!
3. Incorporate these ingredients
The following ingredients are great for correcting and preventing acne; plus, they’re beneficial to the overall health of your skin.
Salicylic acid: Great for exfoliating the skin and keeping pores clean and clear.
Glycolic acid: Great for exfoliating, treating acne, evening out skin tone and
texture, and reducing fine lines.
Benzoyl peroxide: Works for inflammatory acne. Clears out bacteria underneath the skin and removes dead skin cells that clog pores.
Mineral sunscreen: Works wonders for acne-prone skin because, instead of penetrating the skin and clogging pores, it sits on top and acts as a shield to reflect the sun. Plus, it’s incredibly gentle!
We carry EltaMD mineral sunscreen: shop here.
4. Receive consistent, professional skin treatments
As we said before, consistent in-office skincare treatments account for 20% of the healthy skin pie. We recommend coming to us for monthly acne treatments in Kansas City to clear up acne and prevent it from coming back with a vengeance!
- Chemical peels
- HydraFacial
- Acne facials
- Forever Clear BBL
- Laser Genesis
- Microneedling
- RF microneedling
- Dermaplaning
- Plus more!
5. Clean skin after sweating
The final tip we have for preventing acne and stopping it from spreading is to clean your skin after you sweat. Sweat and oils can make their way into your pores and clog them, resulting in breakouts and unhappy skin. Make sure you use a cleaner on your skin after you sweat.
Get on the path of clear skin with Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center
Acne isn’t something you have to deal with forever. With the help of our board-certified dermatologists and aestheticians, we can get your skin back on track. Step 1 is getting to know you and your skin through a consultation! Then, we’ll decide on your specific acne treatments in Kansas City.
Not sure about treatment options?
Try out our Virtual Consultation Tool
With this tool, you can choose your concern areas on the virtual body and receive expert treatment recommendations matched to your concerns.
Want to learn more about our practice?
- Check out the resources and information on our website
- Submit a contact form
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