Acne and Blemishes

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in North America and the Greater Toronto Area, affecting as many as 85% of teens and many adults. At APT Medical Aesthetics in Oakville, we work from a shared understanding of acne as a medical condition with clear causes, treatment pathways, and outcomes. Our focus is on treating acne, reducing breakouts, improving skin texture, and preventing any scarring that might develop.

If you are looking for acne treatment in Oakville that is personalized and effective, APT provides a professional consultation and treatment planning. In this page, we will share with you everything you need to know about acne treatments in Oakville at APT Medical Aesthetics, including what acne is, the different types of acne, what triggers acne, and which treatments are best for acne and scars. We also explain what to do if you develop pimples and acne blemishes, and what to do about underlying causes including hormonal changes rather than superficial products.

What is Acne?

Acne is a long-term skin condition that causes skin blemishes. It occurs when your pore is blocked with oil and dead skin cells, creating a blockage and trapping bacteria. Acne appears when the hair follicles (the pores) on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders become clogged by excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. The blockage affects the sebaceous glands, which are attached to hair follicles and secrete sebum (oil). When the pores are blocked, your oil becomes trapped, and bacteria multiply, causing an acne breakout.

Acne causes non-inflammatory and/or inflammatory breakouts. Bumps, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts, and other blemishes affect people of all ages. Acne causes discomfort, physical and emotional distress, and pain.

At APT, your treatment begins with a consultation and a skin analysis. We assess your acne type and severity, then recommend treatments that fit your skin, your concerns, and your long-term skin-health goals.

What Causes Acne?

Your skin sheds cells, so you need to exfoliate regularly. When all of them happen together, sebum (oil) and dead skin cells stick together and form a plug. A pore can be blocked by sticky sebum mixed with dead skin cells. Bacteria can grow in that blockage. That creates inflammation and can break down the pore wall, and acne develops. Four factors are involved in acne: follicular hyperkeratinisation, increased sebum production, Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes), and inflammation.

Acne can be linked to changes in hormones (puberty, menstruation, pregnancy), certain medications, genetics, one’s lifestyle, diet, stress, and oily skin products. Acne most commonly develops on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and upper arms.

Acne Breakouts and their Causes

Acne occurs when oil, dead skin, and bacteria become trapped in your pores. There are four factors involved in acne breakouts:

• Follicular hyperkeratinization: Dead skin is supposed to shed regularly. When skin cells do not shed normally, dead skin accumulates and forms a plug.
• Increased sebum production: Excess sebum traps dead skin and bacteria.
• Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes): A bacterium that can colonise a plugged pore.
• Inflammation: The body’s response to the trapped sebum and bacteria.

These factors can be influenced by several triggers: hormones, medications, genetics, lifestyle, diet, and stress. Your clinicians will discuss the causes, including hormonal changes, with you.

Types of Acne

There are two types of acne: non-inflammatory and inflammatory.

Non-Inflammatory Acne: blackheads and whiteheads

Blackheads and whiteheads are non-inflammatory types of acne. A blackhead is an oil plug that is open to the air and appears dark or black. Whiteheads are closed comedones, where a clogged pore is completely closed and not exposed to air. Whiteheads are white or skin-coloured bumps of various sizes.

Inflammatory Acne

Inflammatory acne variants include papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. These are painful to the touch and, on darker skin tones, any resulting inflammation can cause changes in skin colour.

• Papules: raised, pink or purplish bumps, often tender.
• Pustules: pus-filled bumps, also known as pimples.
• Nodules: deep — firm, painful lumps in the skin.
• Cysts and cystic acne: deep, soft, painful lumps filled with pus, which can lead to scarring.

Pimples and Acne Breakouts

When a pore becomes blocked, excess sebum (oil) and dead skin will become trapped inside your hair follicle. This creates an environment that bacteria can populate, and they multiply. Inflammation follows, and a pimple develops. That leads to the familiar stages of acne: blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and deeper, tender cysts.

Acne is a common condition that causes a variety of skin blemishes. Acne causes discomfort, physical and emotional distress, and pain. It also causes a wide range of skin blemishes.

Acne Scarring and Keloid Scarring

Acne scarring occurs when our skin gets damaged. Deep acne lesions, like cysts or nodules, may damage the skin and can leave scars behind. If you are living with acne, early, appropriate treatment matters. APT’s clinicians will tailor treatment to your skin and treatment goals to minimize acne scarring. If you already have acne scarring, they will recommend options that reduce its appearance.

And keep an eye on skin discoloration: new acne can affect Acne Scars later on, so treating active acne is an important step toward limiting new scars.

Keloid scars are thick, fibrous scars that form on the skin. Keloid scars form when acne causes skin damage. Certain people with particular skin types are more prone to developing keloid scars. Your clinicians will consider whether your skin may be prone to keloid scarring and adapt treatment accordingly.

Acne Treatments in Oakville

At APT, your treatments include the options below.

• A thorough skin analysis with AURA: At APT in Oakville, a diagnostic, treatment-first AURA analysis is a measured approach to acne. Your clinician uses the AURA 3D Skin Imaging system to measure skin findings, including texture, sebum, pores and pigment — so you can judge your acne and its response over time. That plain, clinical approach is the point: treatments chosen for a reason, not a marketing claim, and adjusted as your skin responds. AURA is an essential part of our clinical approach.
• HydraFacial: This gentle, non-invasive skin treatment uses patented Vortex technology to deep cleanse your face. HydraFacial uses that Vortex technology to deep cleanse, exfoliate, and deliver targeted serums and medications to clear acne.
• Forever Clear BBL: This treatment is specifically designed to clear mild acne and breakouts. Forever Clear BBL uses BBL light to target bacteria, while blue light medicine kills acne-causing bacteria.
• Medical-Grade Skincare: Dermatologist-backed products for your acne treatment plan. APT clinicians choose these products for each patient’s plan in the context of your acne treatment plan. They target acne-causing bacteria, help reduce inflammation, and provide a consistent care routine.

What Areas Can Be Treated for Acne?

Acne can happen on the face, neck, back, shoulders, chest, and upper arms. Your clinicians will customise treatment to the areas you are concerned about.

Results You Can Expect from Acne Treatments

Results vary by severity and treatment type. Most clients see improvements after the first session. To achieve noticeable results, acne treatments require 3 to 4 sessions, with a session every 1 week, lasting 4 to 6 months.

As you continue treatment, new breakouts stop. Flare-ups no longer become red, angry, or pus-filled. APT’s treatments — HydraFacial and Forever Clear BBL — also support collagen and elastin production, helping acne blemishes and Acne Scars appear softer over time.

Acne Treatments Lasting Results

Your doctor will recommend 3 to 4 treatments for best results, spaced a week apart. Most results last for 4 to 6 months.

Book Your Free Consultation

APT Medical Aesthetics is a leading medical spa in Oakville for Acne Treatments. Our clinic in Oakville, serving patients throughout the Greater Toronto Area, offers the most advanced acne treatments, including Forever Clear BBL, and HydraFacial for acne and breakouts.

APT Medical Aesthetics is a leading medical spa in Oakville for Acne Treatments. Book your free consultation today!