Active Acne

Active acne is not one condition. Six morphologies, six matched protocols.

Long-pulsed Nd:YAG dual step. Er:YAG micro peel. MediSOL LED. PinkRX. HydraFacial Deluxe.

Mornings where the mirror finds the breakout before you do. The makeup routine that keeps growing. The clinic visits that didn’t fit the way your skin actually behaves. We read the morphology of your acne and the way your skin responds, and we write a plan that fits both. Every Fitzpatrick. Every session.

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Pink Laser Clinics active acne patient portrait, Doncaster Melbourne

What active acne actually is.

Each morphology asks for its own protocol.

The way certain spots come back. The product cycle that fixed one thing and made another worse. The clinic visit where “acne” was the word you were given and the regimen didn’t quite fit. Most patients arrive here with one word for what they’re seeing in the mirror. The skin tells a more specific story.

Comedonal

Blackheads (open comedones) and whiteheads (closed comedones). The clogged-pore mechanism without the inflammatory cascade. Often the earliest pattern, and often what is left to clear once inflammatory acne has quieted. Comedonal acne responds to surface refinement and to topical-procedural sequencing.

Inflammatory papules and pustules

The red and yellow bumps. C. acnes proliferation in the follicular unit plus inflammation in the surrounding tissue. The pattern most patients are searching when they search “acne”. Heightened by hormones, friction, occlusive products, and humidity. Lesions resolve and recur in cycles until the inflammatory drive is brought under control.

Hormonal-driven

The lower-face, jawline, and neck pattern that follows monthly cycles or adult-onset hormonal shifts. May trace to idiopathic adult female hormonal acne, perimenopausal shifts, or PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, formerly PCOS). The cause sits with a GP or endocrinologist; the inflammatory presentation and the PIH that follows it is what Pink treats. We work alongside the prescribing pathway, not around it.

Acne mechanica

Acne that follows friction or pressure. Masks, helmets, shoulder bag straps, phone-on-jawline habits, gym equipment contact zones. Distinguished by where it lands rather than by lesion morphology. Resolution starts with removing the stimulus. Once the cause is identified, we shorten the timeline with PinkRX peels, MediSOL LED, and Nd:YAG where the inflammatory burden warrants it.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)

The brown, tan, or grey-brown flat marks left where breakouts used to be. Melanin, not architecture. Not a scar. Common on skin types IV through VI where baseline melanocyte activity amplifies any inflammatory signal. The Australasian College of Dermatologists is explicit that this is not scarring. PIH responds to peel sequencing and laser support.

Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE)

The pink-to-red flat marks left where breakouts used to be. Vascular, not architecture. Not a scar. More visible on lighter skin where vascular events read through. Often fades on its own across three to twenty-four months. Where it persists past six months it usually needs targeted treatment.

Most patients have a mix. The plan is matched to the mix.

The acne-type guide that follows names what we treat and how. Where a pattern belongs with a dermatologist instead of with us, we say so plainly in honest scoping below.

Acne, by morphology.

Six patterns. Each matched to its own protocol.

Each card names the morphology, what causes it, what we treat with, and what realistic improvement looks like. Tap any card to read further. PIH and PIE are not scars; we cover both here because they often arrive together with active acne, and patients need to be able to tell the difference.

Inflammatory papular and pustular acne, Fitzpatrick V skin, close-up showing red and yellow active lesions on the cheek

Inflammatory · Active lesions

Inflammatory papules and pustules

Raised red papules and papule-with-pus pustules. The lane most patients are searching when they search “acne”. Common on cheeks, jawline, neck, forehead, back, shoulders, and chest.

C. acnes proliferation in the follicular unit drives the inflammatory cascade. Heightened by hormones, friction, comedogenic products, occlusive sweating, and humidity.

Pink’s lead modality for inflammatory acne is long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG on the SP Dynamis Pro platform. Dual step: a field pass across the affected area, then spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions, same handpiece, same session. PinkRX SA-mandelic peels sit between sessions. MediSOL LED (blue 415 nm targets C. acnes porphyrins; red 633 nm reduces inflammation) layers in as recovery support. On Fitzpatrick IV through VI, 1064 nm is best-in-class because it bypasses surface melanin and reaches the dermis without surface heat.

Across a course, lesion counts reduce visibly. The cycle of new active lesions softens. Post-acne marks (PIH and PIE) become the next surface to address rather than active inflammation.

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Comedonal acne, Fitzpatrick III skin, close-up showing open and closed comedones on the forehead

Comedonal · Non-inflammatory

Comedonal

Blackheads (open comedones) and whiteheads (closed comedones). The clogged-pore mechanism without the inflammatory cascade. Often the earliest pattern, and often what is left to clear when inflammatory acne quiets.

Keratinisation imbalance plus sebum accumulation in the follicular unit. Often hormone-modulated, often habit-modulated through occlusive products or irregular cleansing.

Pink’s laser-led lane for comedonal acne is the Er:YAG micro peel on the SP Dynamis Pro platform. Fine polishing of the keratinised follicular opening. Shallow ablative refinement, surface smoothing, comedone clearance with a low PIH risk profile across all Fitzpatrick types. PinkRX SA-mandelic peels sequence in between sessions. HydraFacial Syndeo Deluxe is the softer alternative for younger skin or patients not ready for laser yet.

Visible reduction in comedone burden across a course. Smoother surface. Less makeup-cake.

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Hormonal-driven acne, Fitzpatrick IV skin, close-up showing inflammatory lesions along the jawline and lower face

Hormonal-driven · Lower-face pattern

Hormonal-driven

The lower-face, jawline, and neck pattern that follows monthly cycles, adult-onset hormonal shifts, perimenopausal changes, or PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, formerly PCOS) presentations.

Hormonal fluctuation modulating sebaceous gland activity and the inflammatory response. Idiopathic adult female hormonal acne, PMOS-associated patterns, and perimenopausal hormonal shifts are distinct pathways that present similarly.

Pink treats the inflammatory presentation and the PIH that follows it with long-pulsed Nd:YAG, PinkRX SA-mandelic peels, and MediSOL LED. The hormonal cause itself sits with a GP or endocrinologist: spironolactone, the combined oral contraceptive pill, PMOS management. Pink doesn’t diagnose the hormonal cause and doesn’t prescribe. We work alongside the prescribing pathway, not around it.

Across a course, the inflammatory load softens and the post-acne marks fade. The underlying hormonal pattern is a longer conversation that includes your GP.

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Acne mechanica, Fitzpatrick V skin, close-up showing friction-pattern lesions along the jawline and chin

Friction-induced · Active lesions

Acne mechanica

Acne that follows friction or pressure. Masks (maskne), helmet straps, shoulder bag straps, phone-on-jawline habits, gym equipment contact zones, occlusive sportswear. Distinguished by location, not by lesion morphology.

Mechanical friction or occlusion driving sebum, sweat, and bacteria into the follicular unit. Resolves once the stimulus is removed; persists when occlusive products are layered over the affected area.

Pink’s first intervention is patient-side: identify the stimulus, remove it. Once removed, PinkRX SA-mandelic peels reduce inflammation and clear the pores, HydraFacial Syndeo Deluxe accelerates surface clearance, MediSOL LED supports recovery, and long-pulsed Nd:YAG steps in where the inflammatory burden warrants it.

Clears reliably once the mechanical cause is identified and removed. Adjunct treatment shortens the timeline.

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Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, Fitzpatrick VI skin, close-up showing flat brown macules where breakouts used to be

Post-inflammatory mark · Not a scar

PIH

Flat brown, tan, or grey-brown macules where breakouts used to be. No textural change. PIH is melanin, not architecture. Common on skin types IV through VI where higher baseline melanocyte activity amplifies any inflammatory signal.

PIH is melanin deposited in the epidermis (which responds well) or the upper dermis (which responds more slowly). The skin is not indented or raised; the colour is uneven. The Australasian College of Dermatologists is explicit that this is not scarring.

The SA-mandelic family within the PinkRX range is the safest peel chemistry for darker skin and the lead chemistry for PIH. Q-Switched 1064 nm Nd:YAG via the StarWalker MaQX targets pigment selectively where peels alone are not enough. MediSOL red LED supports recovery. We sequence PIH treatment after active acne is controlled, not during.

Visible lightening across a course. Epidermal PIH typically responds substantially. Deeper PIH responds gradually with sun protection between sessions.

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Post-inflammatory erythema, Fitzpatrick III skin, close-up showing flat pink to red macules where breakouts used to be

Post-inflammatory mark · Not a scar

PIE

Flat pink to red macules where breakouts used to be. No textural change. PIE is vascular: dilated capillaries near the surface that have not constricted back to baseline. More visible on lighter skin where vascular events read through.

Persistent vascular dilation in the wake of inflammation. Often fades on its own across three to twenty-four months. Where it persists past six months, it generally needs targeted treatment.

Pink’s approach to PIE is long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG at parameters appropriate for the patient’s skin type. The wavelength reduces inflammation and supports vascular response. MediSOL red LED supports the same mechanism. Pink doesn’t promise vascular clearance the way a dedicated vascular-laser clinic might; the wedge is reducing inflammatory drive and supporting fade, not delivering a vascular-clearance protocol.

Visible reduction in redness across a course. Fresh PIE responds faster than long-established PIE.

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Treatment is calibrated to your skin and your morphology.

Skin-type-matched, every time. Two laser modes for two lanes.

How a laser is used matters as much as which laser. The combination is decided when we see your skin.

Two laser modes for two lanes.

Active acne is not one condition. Pink’s SP Dynamis Pro platform delivers two laser modes for the two dominant active-acne lanes. Long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is the inflammatory lane. Dual step: a field pass across the affected area, then spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions, same handpiece, same session. Targets the inflammatory cascade and the sebaceous component without surface aggression. Best-in-class for Fitzpatrick IV through VI because 1064 nm bypasses surface melanin. Er:YAG micro peel is the comedonal lane. Fine polishing of the keratinised follicular openings. Surface refinement, comedone clearance, low PIH risk profile. The two modes run from the same platform, switched between as the morphology calls for.

Skin-type-matched.

Skin-type-matched means the modality is chosen to fit the skin in front of us. On lighter skin (Fitzpatrick I to III), the full active-acne toolkit is available at standard parameters. On darker skin (Fitzpatrick IV to VI), long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is best-in-class because the wavelength bypasses surface melanin and reaches the dermis without surface heat. The SA-mandelic family within the PinkRX range is the safest peel chemistry for darker skin. MediSOL LED is Fitzpatrick-neutral across the board. The skin-type-matched principle is not a footnote in benefits; it is how the plan is built from session one. Every Fitzpatrick is served at the same standard. What changes is the parameters and the sequence, not the seriousness of the treatment.

Operator skill.

Operator skill is the variable that decides outcomes. Laser energy is absorbed by melanin, and the safe energy delivery for Fitzpatrick I to III skin differs fundamentally from the safe energy delivery for Fitzpatrick IV to VI. Across the published laser-complication literature, user error accounts for between 29 and 45 percent of adverse outcomes. The Pink Clinical Team is trained on the active-acne stack and on darker-skin protocols specifically. Patch testing, parameter modulation per skin type, conservative starting fluences with response titration, and structured post-treatment review are standards, not exceptions.

Outcomes, not technologies.

Pink sells outcomes, not technologies. The plan is built around what your skin needs across the course, and the modality at any given visit is the one that fits the morphology in front of us. The toolkit below names every modality Pink uses for active acne. The buy block lets you build a plan that fits both your skin and your budget.

Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser spot treatment in action, Pink Laser Clinics Doncaster Melbourne

The toolkit, named.

Specificity matters.

Two laser modes for two lanes. Four supporting tools. Each named, each placed.

Fotona SP Dynamis Pro long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser system, Pink Laser Clinics Doncaster

Laser · Inflammatory lane

Long-pulsed Nd:YAG dual step

Fotona SP Dynamis Pro, 1064 nm millisecond pulse

A long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG handpiece on the Fotona SP Dynamis Pro platform. Millisecond-pulse thermal delivery reaches the dermis and the sebaceous component without engaging surface melanin, which is what makes it best-in-class for skin types IV through VI. Pink’s protocol is a dual step: a field pass across the affected area, followed by spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions, same handpiece, same session. The inflammatory cascade settles. The sebaceous response calms. The post-acne marks become the next surface to address rather than active inflammation.

Skin cross-section diagram showing Er:YAG micro peel refining the keratinised follicular opening, Pink Laser Clinics

Laser · Comedonal lane

Er:YAG micro peel

Fotona SP Dynamis Pro, 2940 nm ablative

An Er:YAG handpiece on the same Fotona SP Dynamis Pro platform, operated in micro-peel mode. The 2940 nm wavelength is the peak water-absorption wavelength. Ablative delivery in shallow, controlled passes. Fine polishing. The keratinised follicular openings refine, the surface smooths, comedone burden softens. PIH risk stays low across all Fitzpatrick types when parameters are matched correctly. Distinct from full Er:YAG fractional resurfacing; this is the active-acne surface lane.

Chemical · SA, mandelic, glycolic, TCA

PinkRX peels

Pink’s chemical peel range. The salicylic-mandelic family (SA-mandelic) is the lead chemistry for active inflammatory acne and the safest peel chemistry for skin types IV through VI. Mandelic acid reaches deeper into the follicular unit than glycolic, with a lower irritation profile and lower PIH risk. Glycolic and TCA peels sit at higher concentrations for specific protocol stages. PinkRX peels sequence with laser sessions: preparation before, recovery support after. PinkRX prep is the required first step before laser starts.

Photobiomodulation · 415 nm and 633 nm

MediSOL LED

Blue 415 nm and red 633 nm LED, delivered in combination. The wavelengths are the published wavelengths for acne photobiomodulation; Papageorgiou 2000 BJD RCT and Goldman/Boyce 2006 establish the clinical evidence. Blue 415 nm targets C. acnes porphyrin chemistry; red 633 nm reduces inflammation and supports healing. MediSOL is Fitzpatrick-neutral: safe across all skin types at standard parameters, no PIH risk. The role is twofold: anti-inflammatory adjunct during the active phase, and recovery support between laser sessions. Available as an add-on to any plan.

Hydradermabrasion + LED + booster · Clarity

HydraFacial Syndeo Deluxe

The Syndeo Deluxe protocol on Pink’s HydraFacial device. Three steps in one session: hydradermabrasion for pore extraction and surface clearance, integrated LED for anti-inflammatory support, and the Clarity peel booster for active-acne-targeted chemistry. The Deluxe tier already bundles LED and Clarity; those are not separate line items. Positioned for mild breakouts, teenage skin, oily skin, and patients not ready for laser yet. One of the two cores in Build your plan below. Softer entry point than the Nd:YAG dual step; same brand register, same clinical attention.

Assessment · Multi-spectral imaging

VISIA

Canfield’s multi-spectral imaging system. Quantifies the skin we are reading: porphyrins (residual C. acnes activity), RBX brown (PIH burden and depth), RBX red (PIE and post-acne erythema), pores, texture. Used at intake for baseline, every four to six weeks during active treatment, and at three- and six-month milestones to track response. VISIA is an assessment tool, not a treatment. It answers the question of whether the plan is responding before the mirror does.

How treatment runs.

Plan built together, modality matched as your skin responds.

Step 01

Free consultation

Reading the skin, hearing the history, agreeing the scope. VISIA imaging at intake establishes baseline porphyrin, RBX brown, and RBX red channels. Plan built together. No quote pressure. Single sessions, courses, and customised plans are all on the table; we’ll talk through what fits your skin and your budget.

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Step 02

PinkRX prep peel

Required prep before laser starts. SA-mandelic chemistry prepares the skin, reduces inflammatory load, and tests tolerance. 1 session is the minimum. If more is needed your clinician will let you know at consultation.

Step 03

Course start

The first treatment session. Either Nd:YAG dual step (inflammatory lane: long-pulsed 1064 nm field pass plus spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions, same session) or HydraFacial Syndeo Deluxe (mild breakouts, teen skin, oily skin). Path chosen at consultation. Sessions sit at appropriate intervals: typically two to four weeks for Nd:YAG, two to three weeks for HydraFacial. Parameters are revised per session as the skin responds.

Step 04

Mid-course assessment

VISIA at four to six weeks captures the response objectively. Where the morphology shifts toward comedonal residual once inflammation settles, Er:YAG micro peel sequences in for fine polishing. Where PIH or PIE becomes the surface concern, the plan adjusts accordingly. Parameters and modality are matched session by session, not pre-set.

Step 05

Recovery between sessions

MediSOL red 633 nm and blue 415 nm support recovery and reduce the inflammatory rebound that often catches patients between active-treatment visits. Available as a tickbox add-on with the core plan; we recommend it for any course running longer than three sessions.

Step 06

Course completion

VISIA at course end shows what changed. Maintenance is a separate conversation: monthly PinkRX peels for some patients, quarterly LED for others, occasional Nd:YAG top-ups where the inflammatory pattern recurs. Maintenance plans are built at the final session, not pre-purchased. They fit your skin’s actual response.

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Build your plan.

Single session, course, or customised plan.

Path 01

Single session

Try one.

Per-session pricing for each path is below. Singles cost more per visit than they would inside a course, and we still write them when that’s the path that fits your budget. Active-acne treatment compounds across sessions. A single is a beginning, not a course in itself.

Path 02

Course

A sequenced plan.

Three or six sessions per area for Path A; one, three, or six for Path B. Built from years of writing acne plans, sequenced for how the skin tends to respond. Many patients fit one of the course shapes as written.

Path 03

Customised plan

Built at consultation.

The team reads your skin, hears your history, and writes a plan that fits both your skin and the budget you’ve come in with. Plans are modified to budget; the starter-pack version of any plan is offered when budget is tight. The goal is for you to start.

Build your plan.

Step 1 · Pick your path

Step 2 · Configure

Step 3 · Required prep

1 session is the minimum. If more is needed your clinician will let you know at consultation.

Step 4 · Optional add-ons

For mild scarring with comedonal or active combination.

Recovery support between sessions. Blue 415 nm and red 633 nm.

Total

$0.00

Not ready for laser?

For very young skin or patients not ready for laser yet, the Signature Facial Doncaster is the softer entry point.

See Signature Facial →
Or book a free consultation first →

What this page treats, and what belongs elsewhere.

What’s in scope, and what isn’t.

Honest about what we do. Honest about what belongs with a dermatologist. Honest about what we’re not the right fit for.

This page is for active acne as named in the guide above. Comedonal, inflammatory papules and pustules, hormonal-driven (in collaboration with your GP for the hormonal cause), acne mechanica, and the post-inflammatory marks PIH and PIE. All within Pink’s scope. We treat these daily, across every Fitzpatrick. Some presentations belong with a dermatologist, not with us. We say so plainly so you can find the right care faster.

What belongs with a dermatologist.

  1. Severe nodulocystic acne.

    When the lesions are deep, painful, and the inflammatory burden is high, the prescribing pathway is where the conversation belongs first. Your GP or dermatologist will write the oral pathway that brings the disease under control. We come in alongside that pathway when you come back to us for the marks left behind.

  2. Hormonal-cause workup.

    Hormonal acne traces to a hormonal pattern that needs investigating. Your GP or endocrinologist is where the diagnostic process and the prescribing happen: spironolactone, the combined oral contraceptive pill, PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, formerly PCOS) management. Pink treats the inflammatory presentation and the post-acne marks; the cause itself sits with the medical pathway.

  3. Fungal acne (pityrosporum or Malassezia folliculitis).

    Small uniform bumps on the chest, shoulders, or hairline that don’t respond to standard acne treatment. That pattern is sometimes not bacterial acne at all. Fungal acne needs an antifungal, not a laser and not a peel. We mention it because it has come up before, and we’d rather you found the right treatment than paid us for the wrong one. Your GP can confirm and prescribe.

  4. Perioral dermatitis.

    Looks like acne, isn’t acne. A rash pattern around the mouth and chin that gets worse with standard acne products. The pathway is dermatology: topical antibiotic and steroid taper. If your acne sits in this exact distribution and standard acne treatments are making it worse, ask your GP about perioral dermatitis.

  5. Acne excoriée.

    When the skin-picking pattern is the primary driver, aggressive procedural treatment of active excoriations is contraindicated, and it doesn’t address what’s keeping the cycle going. The treatment plan happens with your GP and a mental health support pathway alongside any clinical skin treatment. We don’t treat over active excoriations. We wait, we come in alongside, and we return to the skin when the cycle has settled.

  6. Acne fulminans.

    This is an urgent dermatologist referral. A systemic acute condition that needs immediate medical management. Not an aesthetic-clinic surface under any circumstance.

Adjacent Pink routes

Where your scarring is the primary concern rather than active breakouts, the Acne Scar Revision spoke carries the morphology depth for icepick, rolling, boxcar, hypertrophic, and the post-inflammatory marks at higher modality density than this page does.

Where you’re very young, the budget is tight, or you’re not ready for laser yet, Signature Facial Doncaster is the softer in-clinic entry point.

Hormonal acne: we treat the presentation; the cause sits with your GP. PIE: we reduce inflammation and support fade; we don’t promise vascular clearance. We will tell you which lane your case sits in at consultation.

The free consultation is where this conversation happens. You bring your skin; we read it. The plan, or the referral elsewhere, follows from there.

Common questions.

Answered plainly, before you ask them.

How quickly will I see results from active acne treatment?

Inflammatory acne response is the fastest of the four lanes. Many patients see lesion-count reduction across the first three to four Nd:YAG sessions, with the inflammatory cycle visibly softening by week six to eight. Comedonal response runs slightly slower because the keratinisation pattern takes longer to reset.

A full course typically runs 3 to 6 laser sessions plus PinkRX prep, with MediSOL LED layered in for recovery. We track with VISIA so the change is visible in imaging before it is visible in the mirror.

Will laser treatment work for my skin type (FST V–VI)?

Yes, and this is one of the structural reasons Pink’s active-acne protocol is shaped the way it is. Long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is best-in-class for skin types IV through VI because it bypasses surface melanin and reaches the dermis without surface heat. SA-mandelic peels in the PinkRX range are the safest peel chemistry for darker skin. MediSOL LED is Fitzpatrick-neutral across the board.

The single biggest variable in darker-skin laser outcomes is operator skill, and the Pink Clinical Team adjusts for skin type at every session, not as an exception.

What’s the difference between Nd:YAG dual step and HydraFacial Deluxe: which is right for me?

Nd:YAG dual step is the laser-led lane for inflammatory active acne: papules, pustules, deeper inflammatory burden. Two passes in one session: a field pass across the affected area, then spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions. Best where the inflammatory load is meaningful and the skin can tolerate laser.

HydraFacial Deluxe is the softer entry: hydradermabrasion plus LED plus the Clarity peel booster, all in one session. We position it for mild breakouts, teen skin, oily skin, and patients not ready for laser yet. The free consultation is where we read your skin and confirm which path fits. Either is a legitimate start.

Do I have to do PinkRX prep before laser?

Yes. PinkRX prep is required before any laser session in the active-acne course. The reason is twofold: SA-mandelic peel prepares the skin chemically (reduces inflammatory load, primes the surface) and tests tolerance before laser energy is delivered. Minimum is one session of PinkRX prep before the first Nd:YAG session. If more prep is needed your clinician will let you know at consultation. Your skin response decides, not the package.

Will it hurt?

Nd:YAG dual step is described by most patients as a series of warm, rubber-band-snap sensations during the field pass, with sharper points during spot treatment of individually inflamed lesions. Most patients tolerate it without topical anaesthetic; for sensitive areas or low pain thresholds, topical numbing is available.

Er:YAG micro peel feels like a stronger version of the same: warmth and surface sensation rather than deep heat. PinkRX peels feel like a tingling burn that subsides as the peel neutralises. LED is sensation-free. We discuss tolerance at consultation, calibrate at the first session, and adjust per session as we go.

Can I keep using my prescription topicals during treatment?

In most cases yes, but the protocol depends on what the topical is. Retinoids (adapalene, tretinoin) are usually paused for several days around a laser session because they thin the surface and amplify post-treatment irritation; your clinician will give you the exact protocol. Benzoyl peroxide is usually fine to continue except immediately around laser sessions. Topical antibiotics are usually fine throughout.

Bring your topical regimen to consultation. We sequence Pink’s treatment around your prescription regimen, not against it.

What about isotretinoin if I’m on it or recently finished?

Active oral isotretinoin treatment is a contraindication to ablative or fractional laser treatment because the medication affects wound healing and surface tolerance. The standard pathway is to complete the isotretinoin course, wait the clinically recommended window after completion (your prescribing doctor sets the timing), and then re-engage with laser treatment.

We’ve worked with many patients in exactly that sequence: first the prescribing pathway, then us when the skin is ready. If you’re currently on isotretinoin, please tell us at consultation so we can sequence the treatment correctly.

How do you treat darker skin types differently?

Three structural differences. First, modality choice: long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is the lead modality on Fitzpatrick IV through VI because the 1064 nm wavelength bypasses surface melanin; we sequence Er:YAG micro peel and PinkRX SA-mandelic at calibrated parameters where they fit. Second, parameter modulation: starting fluences are conservative, response titration is structured across the course, patch testing is standard. Third, post-treatment protocol: MediSOL red LED supports recovery and reduces the PIH risk that drives most darker-skin laser complications elsewhere.

The Pink Clinical Team is trained on darker-skin protocols specifically. Every session, not as an exception.

What if my acne is hormonal, will laser still help?

Yes, with honest scoping. Pink treats the inflammatory presentation of hormonal acne (the lower-face, jawline, neck pattern) with long-pulsed Nd:YAG, PinkRX SA-mandelic peels, and MediSOL LED. We reduce inflammation, soften the cycle visibly, and treat the PIH that hormonal acne often leaves behind.

What we don’t do is treat the hormonal cause itself. That sits with your GP or endocrinologist: spironolactone, the combined oral contraceptive pill, PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, formerly PCOS) management. Where the hormonal pattern is acute or the workup is incomplete, the GP conversation comes first. We work alongside that pathway, not around it.

Can you treat back, chest, or shoulder acne too?

Yes. Back acne, chest acne, and shoulder acne are within Pink’s scope on this page. The Nd:YAG dual step protocol scales to body acne, and Build your plan above includes Decolletage, Shoulder, 1/2 Back, Full Back, and Buttocks as treatment areas. Body acne often runs deeper and more inflammatory than facial acne, and responds to the same long-pulsed 1064 nm protocol with calibrated parameters. PinkRX prep applies the same way before laser. MediSOL LED for recovery is available across body and face.

We treat body acne with the same protocol discipline we apply to facial treatment. Not as an afterthought.

Book your free consultation→
Pink Clinical Team at Pink Laser Clinics Doncaster Melbourne

The Pink Clinical Team

Trained on the stack. Calibrated to your skin.

Active acne treatment, delivered as integrated care.

Active acne treatment at Pink is delivered by the Pink Clinical Team as integrated care. Every laser therapist on the floor is trained on the SP Dynamis Pro long-pulsed Nd:YAG and Er:YAG handpieces, on the PinkRX peel range, on MediSOL LED protocols, and on the HydraFacial Syndeo Deluxe pathway. Training is ongoing. Clinical education updates roll through the team as the evidence base updates. Multi-modal protocol discipline is the standard, not the exception.

What this means in practice: the plan that gets built at your free consultation is calibrated to your skin’s Fitzpatrick type, your morphology mix, and your tolerance pattern. The team member delivering each session reads your last session’s response notes and adjusts parameters within the locked protocol. The treatment doesn’t depend on a single individual’s availability. It depends on the protocol being matched to your skin and held by every team member who delivers it.

Darker-skin calibration is built into the team standard. Fitzpatrick IV through VI protocols are not a specialty add-on at Pink; they are how the team is trained from the first day. Patch testing, conservative starting fluences, parameter modulation per skin type, response titration across the course, and structured post-treatment review are team-wide standards, not individual-clinician practices.

The Pink Clinical Team carries the treatment. Where active-acne treatment lives in our scope and how we deliver it sits on this page. Where you can see the individual clinicians Pink names publicly, including the senior clinicians who lead the specialty surfaces in scar revision, pigmentation, and anti-ageing, is one click away.

Meet the team behind your treatment →

How we operate.

The standards Pink is held to.

Team

Pink Clinical Team.

Skin-type-matched care delivered by trained laser therapists. Every team member is trained on Pink’s active-acne stack (SP Dynamis Pro Nd:YAG and Er:YAG, MediSOL LED, PinkRX peels, HydraFacial Syndeo) and on Fitzpatrick IV through VI calibration protocols specifically.

Devices

ARTG-listed.

Every laser platform on Pink’s floor is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Fotona SP Dynamis Pro (Nd:YAG + Er:YAG dual platform). MediSOL LED. HydraFacial Syndeo. VISIA imaging.

Premises

Manningham City Council registered.

Pink operates under local-authority premises registration and Victorian state radiation-safety standards for Class IV laser operation.

Meet the team behind it.

Read about our clinicians →

Doncaster

Where to find us.

Doncaster. Shop 3, 642 Doncaster Road.

Address

Pink Laser Clinics, Doncaster

Shop 3, 642 Doncaster Road
Doncaster VIC 3108

Contact

1300 549 008

clientcare@pinklaserclinics.com.au

Clinic Hours

Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10am – 7pm
Wednesday
10am – 7pm
Thursday
10am – 8pm
Friday
10am – 7pm
Saturday
10am – 3pm
Sunday
Closed

Reviews

★★★★★   4.9 across 413 reviews on Google & Yotpo

Book a free consultation Or see the Doncaster clinic