Why Inflammation Must Be Treated First When Correcting Acne

Acne isn’t just clogged pores. It’s inflammation.

Behind every pustule, cyst, and painful breakout is an inflammatory response happening deep within the skin. If we focus only on exfoliating, extracting, or “drying it out,” we often make acne worse — because untreated inflammation keeps the cycle going.

What Inflammation Does to Acne-Prone Skin

When skin is inflamed:

• Oil glands become overactive

• Pores swell and trap debris

• Healing slows down

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (dark marks) lingers longer

• The skin barrier weakens, making breakouts more reactive

This is why aggressive treatments can backfire. Over-stripping the skin increases redness, sensitivity, and oil production — creating the perfect environment for more breakouts.

Why We Calm Before Correcting

In the treatment room, inflammation should be addressed before and during acne correction. That means:

✔ Strengthening the skin barrier

✔ Reducing internal and surface inflammation

✔ Using calming botanicals and non-irritating actives

✔ Supporting healing before heavy exfoliation

Once inflammation is controlled, extractions are safer, exfoliation is more effective, and results become more consistent.

The Smart Approach to Acne, J Renee Acne Treatment:

Acne correction works best when we:

1. Calm the skin

2. Balance oil production

3. Support the microbiome

4. Then strategically exfoliate and resurface

When inflammation decreases, breakouts heal faster, redness fades quicker, and long-term scarring risk drops.

Healthy skin isn’t about attacking acne — it’s about restoring balance. And balance always starts with calming inflammation.

Fruit Enzymes: Mother Nature’s Skin Remedy

Fruit enzymes are the multi-tool of the esthetic tool box.  They remove damaged, dry, built-up dead skin cells to unclog pores.  They help repair UV damaged elastin so that your skin bounces back after you make expressions. They improve the skin’s microcirculation so that skin cells receive nutrition to stay healthy.  They help the skin’s ability to self-repair by cleaning up damaged proteins, thus countering the natural aging process.  They help support a healthy microbiome and bacterial balance for healthy skin so that you’re protected from external pollution and microscopic assailants.

Fruit enzymes break down the keratin protein in the epidermis (outer layer of skin), with this process, the dead skin can gently slough off, resulting in smoother, softer skin. Enzymes are not only used for beauty though, they have been studied and are proven to help support skin health as well:

·        Fruit enzymes aid in keeping skin and your body healthy by inhibiting the growth of staph, which can cause skin infections and even worse, if left unchecked, staph can cause a scratch to turn into an internal infection.

·        Fruit enzymes are very effective in the fight against acne because it hinders the growth of P. Acnes; the bacteria that causes acne.

·        Enzymes promote new, healthy elastin: the bounce-back and stretch of youthful skin. Elastin also provides skin resilience, protecting your skin from tearing when scraped.  Enzymes dissolve the UV damaged and aged elastin, kickstarting the natural process of regeneration. When the damaged elastin is removed, it leaves space for and creates conditions in which new, healthy elastin is restored. 

·        Fruit enzymes have been proven to Inhibit Tyrosinase, which is a natural enzyme in our skin responsible for making pigment. Think: age spots, melasma, acne scars and sun damage. The end result is less blotchy, pigmented skin and a more blended youthful complexion. 

The beauty of plant enzymes for skin is that there is a natural spectrum of strength. Even the most sensitive skin (Even Rosacea!) will benefit from using enzymes. In a recent study, enzymes were proven to alleviate the small pimple-like rash caused by Rosacea.  Also, because fruit enzymes are antioxidant rich, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and Vaso-protective (helps blood vessels), the redness, swelling and sensitivity is lessened by long-term use. 

Fruit enzymes, when used consistently in your skincare routine, are your multitool for beauty and for skin health! J Renee Organics daily products (cleansers, toners, serums and lotions), all contain fruit enzymes and our home peel masks contain a more concentrated harmony of fruit enzymes to really impact your skin and beauty. ALL skin types, all skin issues and all skin ages benefit from the support that fruit enzymes provide your skin.  Enzymes are truly a gift from mother nature!

Microderm is still our #1

Microderm is still my favorite skin problem solution. Acne, dry skin, pigment problems, wrinkle reduction… it does SO MUCH without chemicals. It’s almost fall. Time to start scheduling your skin clean up.