Acne Treatment in Denver
Breakouts that over-the-counter products can’t control deserve a real medical plan. Our dermatology team builds prescription acne treatment for teens and adults—and we usually have appointments this week.
Leading Medical Certifications
How Treatment Works
What Causes Breakouts—and What Actually Stops Them
Acne isn’t a hygiene problem. It starts inside the pore, where oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, and hormones combine to create clogs and inflammation. Effective treatment works on every one of those causes at once—which is why prescription plans outperform anything on a drugstore shelf.
- Excess Oil – Hormones signal your oil glands to overproduce, giving clogs and acne bacteria the fuel they need. Prescription treatment turns that signal down.
- Clogged Pores – Dead skin cells stick together inside the follicle and trap oil. Retinoids keep pores clearing so blackheads and whiteheads stop forming.
- Bacteria and Inflammation – C. acnes multiplies in the clogged pore and your immune system responds, creating red, painful bumps. Topical and oral antibiotics calm that reaction.
- Hormonal Triggers – Breakouts along the jawline and chin that flare with your cycle usually need hormonal therapy, not another face wash.
- Picking and Squeezing – It pushes inflammation deeper, extends healing, and is the fastest route to permanent scarring. Treating acne early is the best scar prevention there is.
Medical Acne Treatments We Offer
No two cases of acne are the same. Whether you’re dealing with a few stubborn breakouts or deep, painful cysts, your dermatology provider builds a plan around your skin, your age, and your schedule—then adjusts it until your skin clears.
Prescription Topicals
Prescription-strength retinoids and antibiotic gels unclog pores before they turn into breakouts and calm the inflammation behind red, painful bumps—the foundation of nearly every acne plan we build.
Oral Antibiotics
Short, targeted courses for moderate-to-severe inflammatory acne. They bring redness and swelling down quickly while your topical plan takes over for the long term.
Hormonal Therapy
For breakouts that flare with your cycle or cluster along the jawline. Spironolactone and birth-control options treat the hormonal driver directly instead of chasing each new pimple.
Isotretinoin Referral & Co-Management
For severe, cystic, or scarring acne that hasn’t responded to other treatment. We coordinate your isotretinoin course and monitoring so nothing falls through the cracks.
In-Office Extractions
Safe, sterile clearing of stubborn blackheads and whiteheads by trained hands—so you get the satisfying result without the scarring that comes from doing it at the bathroom mirror.
Have Questions About Acne? Ask Ava
Wondering whether your breakouts need a prescription, how long a new treatment takes to work, or what to do about the products already in your bathroom? Ava, our skin health assistant, gives you instant answers about acne causes and treatment options—anytime, day or night.
Still Have Scarring After Your Acne Clears?
Clearing active breakouts is step one. If pitting, texture, or dark marks are left behind, that’s a different treatment plan—laser resurfacing, microneedling, and scar revision built specifically for post-acne skin.
Our Team
20+ Years Caring for Denver Skin
The team at Colorado Skin & Vein, led by David Verebelyi, MD, RVT, and Christina Jordan, FNP, CANS, has been caring for Denver-area skin for over two decades, earning a reputation as leaders in medical skin care, advanced aesthetics, and laser medicine.
Acne patients are seen as medical patients here: a real diagnosis, a prescription plan, and follow-up visits to adjust it until your skin is clear.
- Double board-certified physician
- Christina Jordan, FNP, CANS – certified aesthetic nurse specialist
- Fellow & Instructor, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery
- Medical acne plans managed by your dermatology provider, not a script
- Holds honors MD and B.S. in Science & Psychology
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About Acne Treatment
How long does acne treatment take to work?
Most patients see meaningful improvement in 6–12 weeks. Skin often looks slightly worse in the first few weeks as clogged pores clear out—that’s normal, and it’s the point where most people quit. Stick with the plan and come to your follow-up so we can adjust it.
Do I need a referral to be seen?
No. You can book directly with our dermatology team, and we usually have appointments available this week.
Is acne treatment covered by insurance?
Medical acne visits are usually covered—acne is a medical condition, not a cosmetic one. We accept most major plans, and we’ll tell you up front what your visit will cost, including transparent cash pricing if you’re uninsured.
Should I stop the products I'm using now?
Don’t throw anything out yet—bring them to your visit, bag and all. Some of what you’re using may be helping, some may be making things worse, and knowing what your skin has already tolerated shapes what we prescribe.
Can adults get acne?
Yes. Hormonal acne is common in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, especially along the jawline and chin, and it often shows up in people who had clear skin as teenagers. Adult acne responds well to treatment—it just needs a different plan than teen acne.
When is isotretinoin the right call?
When acne is severe, cystic, or already leaving scars, and hasn’t responded to topicals, antibiotics, or hormonal therapy. It’s the most effective acne treatment available, and it requires real monitoring—we coordinate the referral and co-manage your course from start to finish.
Will my acne leave scars?
It can, especially with deep cystic breakouts or picking. Treating acne early and controlling inflammation is the single best way to prevent permanent scarring. If you already have scarring, our acne scar treatment options can improve texture and tone.
Denver's Trusted Skin Experts
For over 20 years, Denver-area patients have trusted us with their skin. Acne is treated here as the medical condition it is—real diagnosis, prescription treatment, and follow-up until your skin clears.
