Why Your Acne Treatments Aren’t Working (And What to Do Instead)

If you’ve got a bathroom shelf packed with acne products—but your skin is still flaring up—you’re not alone. In this episode of Clear & Correctish, Licensed Esthetician and Skin Coach Abhyona breaks down the real reasons your acne treatments aren’t working and how to finally get results.

💡 TL;DR: You’re treating the symptoms, not the source. Let’s fix that.

You’re Only Treating the Surface, Not the Root

If your go-to fix is to try another cleanser, spot treatment, or trending product… pause.

Acne is never just surface-level. It’s a full-body conversation that includes:

• Hormonal imbalances

• Food triggers

• Lifestyle and stress

• Internal inflammation

🔍 What to do instead: Ask yourself:

• What’s changed in your life recently?

• Could your stress, diet, or cycle be contributing?

• Are you using products that fit your acne type and skin type?

Take the Acne Type Quiz to start personalizing your approach.

You’re Overtreating Your Skin Without Even Knowing It

When a breakout hits, you go full WWE on your face—doubling the acids, stacking exfoliants, and throwing everything in your cabinet at it. Sound familiar?

But more isn’t better. In fact, it could be why your skin barrier is:

• Stripped

• Inflamed

• Overproducing oil (yep, that’s a thing)

✅ Barrier-Repair Action Plan:

• Use only ONE active ingredient per routine.

• Apply a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer—bonus if it includes aloe, cucumber, or niacinamide.

• Scale back. Focus on cleansing, moisturizing, and SPF for 5–7 days to allow skin to reset.

You’re Using Products for the Wrong Acne Type

Not all acne is created equal—and neither are the treatments.

🔥 Inflamed Acne:

• Red, painful, cystic

• Needs calming ingredients like oatmeal, cooling tools like ice, and anti-inflammatory routines.

🧼 Non-Inflamed Acne:

• Blackheads, congestion, bumpy texture

• Needs gentle exfoliation and pore-clearing acids like salicylic.

⚖️ Combination Acne:

• A mix of both

• Requires a balanced routine customized to your skin’s history.

📌 Pro Tip: Ditch anything labeled “for all skin types.” If it’s not made for your skin, it’s probably working against it.

Explore the full Acne-Safe Skincare Guide to check your products.

You’re Not Giving It Enough Time

Here’s the truth: Clear skin is not Amazon Prime. It won’t arrive in 2 days.

Real change takes:

• 4 weeks: You’ll notice texture and irritation start to calm.

• 8 weeks: Friends begin complimenting your glow.

• 12 weeks: Everyone else notices.

🎯 Stick to this plan for at least 6–8 weeks before switching anything up. And whatever you do—TAKE PROGRESS PHOTOS.

Photos > Mirrors. Always.

Your Clear Skin Checklist

Before you reach for another "miracle" product, check yourself with this:

• ✅ Do I know my acne type?

• ✅ Am I using one active per routine?

• ✅ Is my moisturizer calming and acne-safe?

• ✅ Have I stuck with this plan for at least 6 weeks?

• ✅ Have I taken weekly or biweekly progress photos?

If you answered “no” to any of the above, that’s your next step.

🔗 Listen, or Watch the Full Episode

→ Watch on YouTube
→ Listen on Spotify
→ Listen on Apple Podcasts

👂 Prefer audio? 💻 Want to see Abhyona walk you through it step-by-step? We’ve got you.

And if you’re still stuck, send us a DM or drop your biggest skincare struggle in the comments—we’ll help you get clear and correct(ish).