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.