The expert aestheticians at California Skin Institute have helped many patients reduce breakouts with acne extractions. Performed in a clinical setting by trained professionals, acne extractions can improve overall skin health and reduce the frequency and intensity of breakouts.

For most people, the skin undergoes a 28-day cycle during which the body creates new cells and sloughs off old ones. The skin also has lots of pores that act as pathways for oil to rise up to the skin’s surface to keep it moisturized and protected. What often happens is that the cells the skin is trying to shed end up getting stuck in this oil. Our skin is full of tiny bacteria, among of which is the P. acne type, which loves oxygen-poor environments. When a pore is clogged, it makes the ideal environment for P. acne bacteria to flourish.

Just by looking closely at your skin in the mirror, you can tell if your pores are clean. Some people will get blackheads, which look like tiny black dots on the skin. It’s a common misconception that the dark color is dirt – it’s actually the oxidation of the pore plug. Others will develop milia, which look like tiny white bumps. In this case, the pore is covered by a thin layer of dead skin cells, which prevents the oil from leaving the skin.

During an extraction, the pores are cleansed manually by pressing on the skin and squeezing out the pore plugs. In a professional environment, your licensed aesthetician wears surgical gloves and uses only sterile tools to minimize the chance of infection. All California Skin Institute aestheticians are rigorously trained to minimize damage or bruising to healthy skin during extractions.

A treatment will usually last about half an hour, with about 20-25 minutes spent on the extraction, and the remaining time devoted to cleansing and prepping the skin. This is usually a good amount of time for most patients. Going any longer can become a bit uncomfortable.

Extractions are typically recommended every 4-6 weeks. This frequency tends to coincide with your natural skin cycle. However, patients who are just starting out with acne treatments might need to do extractions more often until the acne is under control.

Conditions treated by Acne Extraction

• Acne