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Acne treatment in Reading

Find your solution to your acne. Our acne specialists will create a personalised treatment plan for your acne, to improve and control your symptoms.

Your trusted acne experts in Reading

is one of the most widespread and distressing chronic skin conditions, yet one of the least understood. As the leading in the UK, we successfully treat thousands of clients every year, managing and improving their and helping them to rediscover in their skin.

The type of you have – and if it is mild, moderate or severe – determines whether you will be treated by a dermatologist, nurse or medical practitioner, who will create a plan that is best for you. Book a consultation with our experts to find a solution to your .

Acne treatment before and afters

The expert medical team at sk:n in Reading

sk:n is the UK’s leading acne, skin, dermatology, and laser clinic, with over 30 years’ experience helping millions of clients rediscover confidence better skin.

Proud to be home to more leading consultant dermatologists, doctors, plastic surgeons, nurses or therapists than any other dermatology service provider, sk:n has over 450 medical professionals helping our clients.

Your journey starts with you. Our team in will discuss the best acne treatment options to find a solution to your skin concerns.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

Acne is caused when the hair follicles in your skin become inflamed or blocked with bacteria, oil or dead skin. Each pore on your skin leads to a hair follicle and sebaceous (oil) gland. These oil glands release sebum (oil) which travels up the hair, through the pore and onto the surface of your skin. If the sebaceous gland over-produces oil or there is excess production of skin cells, this can cause a build-up in the follicle, blocking pores, attributing to bacteria growth and acne formation. Poor hygiene actually doesn’t cause acne, however, cleansing your skin daily and exfoliating weekly can help pores from becoming blocked.

There are several different types of acne, which are acne cosmetic, acne mechanica, acne conglobta, excoriated acne, acne Rosacea (https://vytol.co.uk) and steroid acne. The lesions can present themselves in the form of closed comedones (or whiteheads), open comedones (blackheads), pustules, papules, nodules and cysts.

Puberty and hormonal changes are the most common factors. Stress can also aggravate acne, as well as a poor diet, the skincare products you are using, or it could simply be down to genetics. Women are much more likely to suffer from acne due to hormones – this pregnancy, during your period, or if you suffer from Polycystic Syndrome (PCOS).

There is no definite cure for acne. Our aim is to improve and control your symptoms as best we can. Acne can sometimes take a long time to clear, so we’ll work with you and your symptoms continually to find the best course of treatment, but we do see some clients who see amazing results in just a few weeks.

Your doctor or nurse will assess your skin during your initial consultation to the right course of treatment. This could include a series of treatments such as , , . Sometimes, acne treatment could also include antibiotics or hormonal (the combined oral pill for women can often be effective to treat severe acne) before you progress onto treatments in a clinic. It’s important to that the acne experts at sk:n will prescribe a personalised course of treatment that works for you, your skin and the acne type you are suffering with.

This will appear as a large number of papules and pustules on your face and possibly your chest and/or back. The nodules and cysts will likely be painful and you could be at risk of scarring, therefore it is essential that you seek medical advice. Read more about .

During teenage years, it can often go away on its own. Adult acne is much less likely to clear, but this will always vary person to person and you should always be aware of the risk of . So if you are concerned, always seek medical advice.

Acne is not caused by diet, but it can influence it. Diet can play a key factor in to prevent acne, by avoiding acne triggers or aggravators such as dairy and sugar, and adding highly and vitamin-packed food to increase the skin’s capacity to fight infection and heal itself. Some skin-friendly food choices include: whole grains, legumes, unprocessed fruits like apricots, blueberries, tomatoes and red grapes, and unprocessed vegetables such as carrots, avocado, sweet potato, beetroot, spinach and other dark green and leafy vegetables. Food containing zinc, vitamins A and E and antioxidants, such as quinoa, turkey, fish, oat milk and pumpkin seeds can also help the skin to fight acne.

Acne may not be preventable in many cases, but you should aim to look after your skin as best you can. Reviewing your skincare regimen at home, and finding the right products for your skin type can help to remove surface grim and dead skin cells which can aggravate congestion. Hydration can also play a key role in preventing acne, as dehydration can generate extra oils on your skin, ultimately, clogging your pores and creating new spots.

As the experts in skin, we want to make sure that not only does your treatment plan give you the best results, but you can carry on caring for your skin at home after treatment with a tailored skincare plan.

Your new skincare programme will ensure you see the best possible results from your professional treatments in clinic.

Everyone’s skin is different and will require different products, especially if you have acne, but you can apply some simple general rules to choosing your skincare routine every day, all year round. Always include a hydrating product like hyaluronic acid or B5, an antioxidant like vitamin C to protect against free radicals, a vitamin A (i.e. or retinoids) which is anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing, and a daily SPF for protection against UVA, UVB and HEV (or blue light).

Your simple AM PM routine guide

For oily skin

 

Ideal for those looking for an introduction to acids and vitamin A, or for young skin

 

Brilliant for persistent acne and dehydrated skin

 

Great for chest and back acne

 

Ideal for redness and sensitivity

 

Great for mature skin

 

For enlarged pores and congested skin

 

For the perfect skincare programme for your acne, speak to your expert at sk:n

Acne scars can be stubborn and seemingly permanent, but there are proven effective that diminish the appearance of acne scarring. The best treatment for your skin will depend on the type of acne scarring you have. Before you have treatment, a , nurse or acne practitioner should assess your acne scars and select the most appropriate treatment for you.

There are various types of acne scars; some may be red, purple or pinkish in colour due to a build-up of melanin in the skin. If the area is red and is still inflamed and swollen, the acne is likely to still be active, so we would need to treat that before treating scarring. A dermatologist will be able to advise you about effective treatments for active acne, which may help to minimise the risk of acne scarring.

Usually, the reddish or brownish acne marks that are left behind after pimples clear up will fade with no need for treatment. However, severe acne can leave you with scarring that does not always fade, and picking or squeezing acne can also increase the risk of .

Some may heal and eventually go, depending on the severity. There are three types of scarring: ice pick scars (small deep holes), rolling scars (uneven skin) and boxcar scars (craters in the skin). There are several types of acne scarring treatment at sk:n that we recommend, to stimulate the skin’s natural healing process and encourage cell regeneration and collagen production; your doctor may recommend , which, depending on the severity or location of your scarring can be delivered by a senior practitioner, nurse or doctor. We also sometimes recommend laser with an experienced sk:n doctor or dermatologist, such as , , or Erbium Yag.

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See all our clinics in Reading

Reading London Street Opening Times

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

12: :00

Wednesday

12: :00

Thursday

12: :00

Friday

10: :00

09: :00

Sunday

Closed

Clinic Address

52 London Street,
Reading,
RG1 4SQ

Telephone

Finding us

sk:n Reading is situated in a more a peaceful area not far from the buzz of the town. Our clinic is close to several car parks – JustPark at the Oracle Centre or Saxon Court Public Car Park – both less than a 5 minute walk away. The nearest bus stop is London Street Foot which can get you to the station in 5 minutes from Kings Road.

Contact Centre Hours

Monday - Friday: 9am - 9pm

Saturday: 9am - 8pm

Sunday: 9am - 7pm

Head Office

sk:n
200 St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5SG

in Scotland No. SC817369.

Useful Links

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© 2026 sk:n All Rights Reserved.

Lorena Cosmetics Holdings SPV Limited is registered in Scotland with company number SC817369. Registered address: 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5SG. Terms and Conditions can be found at .  Lorena Cosmetics Holdings SPV Limited is acting as a credit broker offering finance from Omni Retail Finance. Credit is subject to status.

Your application will be subject to a credit check using a recognised credit reference agency as part of our assessment process. Credit is subject to status and is limited to UK residents aged 18 years and over. You can find Omni Capital Retail Finance’s Terms and Conditions at .

Finance is provided by Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd which is a credit provider/lender. Lorena Cosmetics Holdings SPV Limited does not receive payment for introducing customers to Omni Capital Retail Finance. Omni Capital Retail Ltd finance options are to individual status, and terms and conditions apply. Omni Capital Retail Finance Ltd is registered in England and Wales with company number . Registered address: 10 Norwich Street, London, EC4A 1BD. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number: .