Acne treatment
Our Dermatologists will be able to advise you on the best treatments suitable for your acne
What treatments are available for acne?
Acne is quite a complex condition. The medical staff at Midland Skin have extensive experience in treating acne, including hormonal acne, resistant acne, complex acne, maskne, acne that recurs following Isotretinoin courses, and acne that is mild but chronic and difficult to control.
We also offer treatments for acne scarring, acne which leaves persistent red marks and acne which leaves persistent blemishes.
Your journey with us begin with an Acne Consultation with a Consultant Dermatologist. You can find out about the benefits of seeing a Consultant Dermatologist for your acne below.
Once you have had your first consultation, an individual treatment plan will be provided to you. This will include treatment options that are best suited to your individual type of acne. For some this may involve only a topical skin care product, usually prescription based. For others, alternative treatments may be required. Further treatments may be added at regular follow-up consultations to get the best possible outcomes.
An assessment of your skin will also help establish if you have folliculitis, fungal acne, rosacea, perioral dermatitis or other overlapping diagnoses that may require a separate line of treatment.
Quick facts about Acne
- You need three 45 minute treatments – one every 3 to 4 weeks
- The results get better with time and at one year there is an average reduction in inflammatory spots of 97% according to clinical studies
- There are no harmful side effects
- The treatment is safe in all skin tones and all year round
- You do not need to take long-term tablets or creams
- There can be short-lived purges which can be managed with medications
What to Expect
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Specialist acne clinic at Midland Skin
At our clinic, we provide the full spectrum of acne treatments under one roof, all overseen by a Consultant Dermatologist. This level of comprehensive, expert-led care is unmatched by any other dermatology or non-dermatology clinic in the region.
While many clinics offer only a limited range of treatments, or, worse, standardised “conveyor belt” packages where all patients receive the same approach under the direction of non-medical staff, we take a different approach. Acne management requires tailored, medically optimised care, and our ethos is to provide personalised treatment plans designed to meet your individual needs.
Scarlett Greenwood
My journey to treat persistent life long acne with Midland Skin team was truly amazing. I had been so scared of the whole process but the Dr put me at complete ease and understood how difficult life had been living with acne. I felt really supported in my treatment, able to ask questions and work together to get most out of the course. This treatment has truly changed my life and I can’t thank the team enough for setting me free after hiding all my adult life! Thank you!
The top acne treatments we offer at Midland Skin
Here are a selection of treatments offered for acne at Midland Skin:
- Chemical peels
- The latest development in acne treatment is the drug free Aviclear acne laser treatment and Midland Skin were the first Dermatology clinic in he Midlands to offer this.
- Topical therapies with proven active ingredients – which include prescription medications and bespoke creams that may contain ingredients containing topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, clindamycin, azelaic acid, AHAs, nicotinamide
- Bespoke creams containing prescription ingredients that you can not get anywhere else
- Antibiotics – short or long-term, pulsed or continuous
- Steroid injection – intralesional steroid injection
- Hyfrecation of comedones
- Roaccutane (Isotretinoin) – also known as Accutane in the USA
- Spironolactone
- Forever clear BBL laser treatment
- Laser Genesis
Treatments offered at Midland Skin for acne scarring
- Laser to reduce redness
- Laser to reduce pigmentation
- Laser resurfacing for indented acne scarring
- Hybrid laser treatment – Halo
- Tixel
- Subcision
- TCA Cross
- Sofwave
- Filler injection
- Filler-subcision
- Punch excision or elliptical excision of acne scar
- Keloid scar treatment
What causes acne?
There are 3 main factors:
- Cells lining hair follicles become ‘sticky’. This causes the hair follicles to clog up.
- A lot of sebum is produced by sebaceous glands, and if hair follicles are clogged, the sebum builds up.
- Overgrowth of Proprionobacterium acnes, a skin bacteria that likes sebum and causes inflamed pussy spots.
What is acne?
Acne can be a very different problem for different people.
For some, acne may involve the odd spot, whereas for others, it causes persistent, large inflamed pustules and nodules, which may cause the skin to scar.
We help a large range of people of varied ages with the whole spectrum of acne.
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Ready to get started? Book a consultation with our team at Midland Skin. Friendly, expert advice tailored to you.
What types of acne are there?
Acne may be comedonal in which many blackheads (open comedones) and skin-coloured bumps (closed comedones) form.
Acne may also be inflammatory, with red spots (papules) and puss heads (pustules).
Severe acne can lead to the formation of large lumps (nodules) and cysts.
Greasy skin may or may not be present.
Who gets acne?
Acne is common during the teenage years. It seems to be becoming more frequent among adults, with almost 30% of 20-year-olds and 20% of 30-year-olds suffering from recurring outbreaks.
Why does acne need treatment?
Several research studies have shown that acne causes low self-confidence and a poor quality of life. Treating acne leads to a measurable improvement in quality of life. Treating acne early will also prevent scarring.
Watch More to Learn
See all videosCure versus control
Acne is a chronic condition, and treatment is designed to control the symptoms. A treatment plan is introduced at your first visit and augmented during subsequent visits until adequate control is reached. With regular reviews, a high number of patients find their acne comes under good control though patience and persistence are required.
Why you should see a Consultant Dermatologist for acne
A Consultant Dermatologists is the highest level of expert available for skin issues such as acne. Here are some of the benefits of seeing a Consultant Dermatologist
- Accurate diagnosis – you may have self diagnosed acne or received this diagnosis from a non specialist, though you may have a condition that is not acne or you may have acne along side other skin conditions. A Consultant Dermatologist is recognised as the best placed person to diagnose skin conditions.
- Ability to manage complex variants of acne – including nodulo-cystic acne, acne conglobata, acne during pregnancy, acne during perimenopause and menopause, acne related to the contraceptive pill and HRT and acne from anabolic steroids. Consultant Dermatologists also have experience in managing acne flares, acne in sensitive skins, and acne in individuals who may not be suitable one or more treatment lines.
- Ability to manage acne in the context of your health – you may have physical or mental health concerns that may mean your acne treatment will needed to be modified for you.
- Ability to offer the whole spectrum of treatment for acne – Our team, led by a Consultant Dermatologist, is able to prescribe certain medications for acne such as Isotretinoin which are restricted to be prescribed by specialists only. Moreover, Midland Skin, being a specialist acne clinic, offers a comprehensive selection of acne treatment, which to our knowledge, are not offered by any other establishment in the region (including in the NHS or private sectors).
- Ability to investigate the root cause – in certain instances you may need investigation for the root cause of acne, such as hormone tests.
- Ability to treat coexisting skin issues – a Consultant Dermatologist is able to identify other skin issues you may have, such as rosacea, and offer you treatment for this
- You can find out more about what a Consultant Dermatologist is here.
What should I do next?
Contact us here to arrange an acne consultation where you can discuss your needs with a Consultant Dermatologist who is on the GMC specialist register and is able to offer you the whole range of acne treatments. Our fees can be reviewed here.
Joshua Burrows
I’ve struggled with acne for around 8-9 years and it felt as though I had tried almost every topical product that you could think of along with strict skincare routines however nothing ever seemed to work for me until I came to Midland Skin. I was prescribed roaccutane by Dr Tanveer Chohan and my skin has improved significantly over the past 7 months to the point in which my acne seems to have completely disappeared. I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff here at Midland Skin, everyone is very welcoming and kind and they did a great job of ensuring that I was feeling okay at all times through monthly blood tests and check-ups. If I ever have any problems regarding my skin in the future I will without a doubt come back here, I can’t recommend it enough!
Book in with us
Ready to get started? Book a consultation with our team at Midland Skin. Friendly, expert advice tailored to you.
Conflict of interest and disclaimer
This information is based on the views of a UK Consultant Dermatologist (a doctor who is on the specialist register for Dermatology, the equivalent of which is ‘Board certified’ in the USA) who has supervised many patients successfully with acne over 20 years of practice. This information is intended for patients of this Clinic and under our care only. No part of this document should be construed as medical advice to those not under the care of this Clinic and under our care. Practices vary nationally and internationally, and we do not wish to contravene advice you have been provided by your own physician.
References
About the Author
This page has been written and/or medically reviewed by Dr Sajjad Rajpar, Consultant Dermatologist and Medical Director of Midland Skin, Birmingham.
Dr Rajpar is on the GMC Specialist Register in Dermatology and has over 20 years’ experience in clinical dermatology. He provides clinical oversight to ensure the information on this page is accurate, balanced and consistent with current dermatology practice.
Dr Sajjad Rajpar
Date last updated: 18th Dec 2025
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