The Vanilla Plum Edit
Best Treatment for Acne
Acne isn’t just one problem. Some breakouts are caused by bacteria, some by clogged pores, and others by hormones or inflammation. Before buying another product, I think it’s worth figuring out which problem you’re actually trying to solve.
The biggest lesson acne taught me?
The best treatment depends on what’s causing the breakout in the first place.
My Treatment Ranking
π₯ Blue LED Therapy
If I could only choose one at-home device for acne, it would be blue LED. It targets acne-causing bacteria while remaining gentle on the skin.
π₯ Find Your Trigger
Hormones, stress, dairy, poor sleep, inflammation, or skincare products may all play a role. I always try to solve the causeβnot just the pimple.
π₯ Simplify Your Routine
Healthy skin heals better. Avoid overwhelming an already irritated barrier with too many products.
4οΈβ£ Pore Maintenance
Watching a clogged pore lift completely out without squeezing sold me on the BeautyBio GLOfacial.
I also love zapping zits with the ZIIP Halo and waking up to perfect skin the next morning.
5οΈβ£ Consistency
Whether you’re using LED or skincare, acne responds much better to consistency than constant product hopping.
The Short Answer
If I had acne again tomorrow, I’d first figure out why I was breaking out. Then I’d use blue LED consistently, keep my routine simple, and use hydrodermabrasion for congestion instead of picking at my skin.
Which Acne Do You Have?
Bacteria & Inflamed Pimples
Blue LED is where I’d start. If you can afford a panel, I would get that if you have oily skin so you don’t have to worry about bacteria/oil buildup on your mask. I own all of these and think they’re great depending on the versatility you want
Panels I like
Ideally you want to isolate blue & infrared until your skin is clear unless you need scarring repair or anti-aging (then red too).
Dermalux
Widely used by dermatologists as the gold standard
Celluma
I like that you can pulse the lights, which distributes the LED beautifully
Currentbody
No one has the deep red in a mask or panel–not even Dermalux. If you need scar healing, this is the one
Clogged Pores & Blackheads
This is where hydrodermabrasion shines. The BeautyBio GLOfacial became one of my favorite tools because I watched clogged pores lift out without squeezing them. I use it like a spot treatment personally.
If your skin isn’t reactive, the ZIIP HALO is amazing. The founder has Cystic Acne so she developed a specific treatment to zap bacteria. It works! But it usually takes overnight.
Hormonal Breakouts
No beauty device fixes hormones. I’d start looking at stress, sleep, nutrition, and cycle patterns before buying another product.
Products Making Acne Worse
Sometimes the answer isn’t another treatmentβit’s removing the product that’s causing the problem.
My Favorite Acne Tips
- Use LED on completely clean, bare skin.
- Don’t pick pimples if you can avoid it.
- Hydrodermabrasion is excellent for congestion and blackheads.
- Be patientβskin takes time to respond.
- Healthy skin barriers generally tolerate acne treatments better.
Read the Full Guides
How to Get Clear Skin Fast
Read this if you’re interested in the ZIIP Dot treatment and how I approach active breakouts with microcurrent and nanocurrent.
Read the guide β
My Blue LED Acne Results
Read this if you want to see my before-and-after photos and how blue LED performed on active acne.
See the results β
How LED Light Therapy Works
Read this if you’re new to LED and want to understand the difference between red and blue light, how to use it, and what it can realistically do.
Learn about LED β
