Acne
Last reviewed
Acne is a skin condition where hair follicles clog with oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, producing whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules and sometimes painful nodules. In Indian skin it commonly leaves dark post-inflammatory marks (PIH). Stepped treatment — barrier repair, prescription topicals, oral therapy where needed, peels and microneedling-RF for scars — clears most cases.
Acne is one of the most common reasons patients walk into SkinWise. It rarely has a single cause — most adult cases in Bengaluru are a mix of hormonal triggers (often PCOS-related), comedonal flares from sweat and pollution, a barrier broken by months of aggressive actives, and post-inflammatory dark marks from old breakouts.
Treated badly, acne leaves scars and pigmentation that outlast the breakouts by years. Treated well, even nodulocystic acne settles into a clear, even-toned skin within months — but the pace has to be deliberate, and the order matters.
How acne shows up
- Whiteheads (closed comedones) — small, flesh-coloured bumps
- Blackheads (open comedones) — dark dots on nose, forehead, chin
- Papules — small, red, tender raised spots
- Pustules — red bumps with a yellow-white centre
- Nodules and cysts — deep, painful lumps; high scar risk
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) — brown marks that linger after the breakout
- Scarring — ice-pick, rolling, boxcar types from untreated nodular acne
What triggers acne
- Hormonal: PCOS, perimenopause, jawline/chin pattern in women
- Comedonal: sweat, pollution, occlusive sunscreens or makeup, helmet friction
- Barrier disruption: over-exfoliation, too many actives, harsh cleansers
- Genetic: family history of moderate-to-severe acne
- Medication: oral steroids, lithium, some hormonal contraceptives
- Diet: high-glycaemic load and dairy correlate weakly in some patients
When to see a dermatologist
See a dermatologist if breakouts persist beyond 6–8 weeks of basic over-the-counter care, if you have painful nodules or cysts, if scarring is starting, or if dark marks are accumulating faster than they fade. Earlier is always better — scarring is far easier to prevent than to revise.
How acne is treated at SkinWise
Plans at SkinWise are stepped. We start with a barrier-friendly home routine and the right prescription topicals; we escalate to oral therapy (antibiotics or isotretinoin) only when needed; we add in-clinic procedures — peels and microneedling-RF — once active acne has calmed. Active acne and scars are two different problems treated at different times. Most adult plans show meaningful improvement in 8–12 weeks.
Services that treat acne
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Frequently asked questions
How long until acne treatment shows results?
Expect first visible improvement at 6–8 weeks and meaningful improvement at 12 weeks. Anything that promises clear skin in two weeks is either inflaming the barrier or selling a steroid cream.
Will I need isotretinoin?
Most patients don't. Isotretinoin is reserved for nodulocystic acne, scarring acne or cases that haven't responded to a full topical and oral antibiotic course. When it is the right call, we explain the monitoring carefully before starting.
Can dark marks left by acne be removed?
Yes, but they take time. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fades over 3–6 months with the right topicals, peels and strict sunscreen. Picking at active acne is the single biggest accelerant of those marks — and the easiest to stop.
Are scars treatable?
Most acne scars improve significantly with microneedling-RF, subcision and TCA CROSS — usually a course of 4–6 sessions over 6–12 months. Ice-pick scars improve more slowly than rolling scars. We set realistic expectations at the first consult.
Ready to start with a consult?
A focused 15-minute first consultation is where we slow down, map your concern and build the smallest plan that will actually move the needle. No oversell, no fixed menu.