My Approach to Acne: Prioritizing the Skin Barrier Over Aggressive Treatments
##AcneAwarenessMonth Hi everyone! 🤍
As a passionate beginner esthetician, #AcneAwarenessMonth is the perfect reminder of why I chose this career: to help clients regain confidence through healthy, functioning skin, always putting health first.
I do not have a lot of experience treating acne yet, but I made a pact with myself, and I am committed to keeping it: I will never be that kind of esthetician who measures their value in acne treatment by obsessively and at all costs performing extractions. I saw this technique and the pride around it in many salons, and I totally disagree. The few cases I've had, I approached them by building a strong barrier, calming and hydrating, performing extractions only if needed, and postponing more complex treatments to the second visit. I saw the reduction in inflammation and how much easier extractions felt when the skin was hydrated.
I am glad that the courses I took here, which are wonderfully made, somehow confirmed my approach. When dealing with acne (especially grade II papulo-pustular or adult acne), my core philosophy is that we must heal the skin barrier before we try to aggressively "strip" the acne away. My strategy focuses on a balance of tech and gentle, active ingredients. I am a big fan of the Niacinamide IonActive Serum and the Oatmeal Mask, as they help me restore balance and perform treatments with confidence.
The biggest reward is watching the skin transition from angry, red, and flaky to calm, balanced, and clear. Healing acne is a journey of patience and education, teaching the client that sometimes, less is more.
I’m so excited to join the Replay Lounge and learn even more advanced strategies from the IDI community to help my clients! I really love the professionalism I’ve met here and I am eager to study. I am also happy that Dermalogica provided me with so many chances to study, which has been much more important for me than the school I attended to become an esthetician.