Skin assessment at Dr Sin Yong's clinic, Orchard Road, Singapore
Doctor-Led Assessment · Orchard Road, Singapore

Acne Treatment in Singapore

Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 26 min read · Doctor-performed, never delegated · Jump to questions

Dr Sin Yong · MBBS (NUS) · MRCS (Edin) · MSc Aesthetic Medicine with Distinction (Queen Mary, London) · MSc Practical Dermatology (Cardiff) · International KOL

Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with four interacting drivers — not a hygiene problem. What grade you have, and whether it is acne at all, decides everything that follows.

Doctor-ledEvery assessment by Dr Sin Yong
MBBS · MRCS · MSc ×2NUS · Edinburgh · London · Cardiff
Orchard RoadBy appointment

Acne treatment in Singapore starts with grading the acne as comedonal, papulopustular or nodulocystic, and ruling out look-alikes such as fungal folliculitis. Medical management with topical and oral agents is first-line; lasers such as R2 Glow and 少女光 are directed at the inflammatory component alongside it. Dr Sin Yong assesses and plans each case personally at Orchard Road.

Also called: pimples, breakouts, 痤疮, 暗疮, ニキビ

Key takeaways
  • Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit with four interacting drivers, not a hygiene problem.
  • Treatment starts by grading it as comedonal, papulopustular or nodulocystic, and ruling out look-alikes such as fungal folliculitis.
  • Medical management with topical and oral agents is first-line; lasers such as R2 Glow and 少女光 are directed at inflammation alongside it.
  • Lasers cannot act on androgen-driven sebum or follicular blockage, and active acne is controlled before scar revision begins.
  • Dr Sin Yong, an aesthetic physician, assesses and plans each case personally.
A young East Asian man in his early 20s in a bright minimal bathroom — illustrative image
Illustrative image — not a patient.

Four Things Happening at Once

Effective acne treatment in Singapore begins with what acne actually is, because the popular account of it is wrong. It is not caused by poor hygiene, and washing more often addresses none of the mechanisms involved.

Four factors interact within the pilosebaceous unit:

The four drivers of acne
FactorWhat happens
Follicular hyperkeratinisationCells lining the follicle fail to shed normally and accumulate, obstructing the opening.
Sebum productionAndrogen-driven. This is why acne often tracks with hormonal change and why it can persist well into adulthood.
Cutibacterium acnesA commensal organism that proliferates in the obstructed, sebum-rich follicle. It is not an infection in the ordinary sense — the organism is normally present.
InflammationThe immune response to the above. Inflammation is what turns a comedone into a papule, and what drives both scarring and post-inflammatory pigment change.

A treatment addressing one of these while ignoring the others produces a partial result. This is the usual reason a regimen that seemed promising stops working.

“Acne is not a hygiene problem. Four things are happening in the follicle at once, and washing your face addresses none of them.”

Dr Sin YongOn what acne actually is

Grading Decides the Approach

Acne is classified by what predominates. The grade is not a severity score for its own sake — it tells you which of the four factors is driving the presentation, and therefore what the plan has to address.

Acne grading
GradeWhat it describes
ComedonalOpen and closed comedones — blackheads and whiteheads — without significant inflammation. The problem here is follicular obstruction rather than inflammatory activity.
PapulopustularInflammatory papules and pustules alongside comedones. Inflammation has become the dominant feature, and post-inflammatory pigment change becomes a consideration.
NodulocysticDeep, tender nodules and cysts extending into the dermis. This is the presentation most associated with scarring, and the one where early medical management matters most.

Cystic acne treatment is where early intervention matters most, because nodulocystic disease is the grade most strongly associated with lasting scarring. Waiting to see whether it settles is the decision that most often produces scarring that later needs revision.

“If your acne is still active, you're resurfacing a moving target.”

Dr Sin YongOn treating acne before scars · from his Instagram explainer series

The Condition That Is Not Acne

A meaningful proportion of what presents as stubborn, treatment-resistant acne is not acne.

Malassezia folliculitis — widely called fungal acne — is driven by a yeast that is normally present on skin. It looks different once you know to look: uniform, monomorphic papules of similar size, frequently itchy, and often distributed across the chest, back and shoulders rather than the face — which is why patients seeking back acne treatment in Singapore are the group in whom it is most often overlooked.

The distinction matters practically. Because the mechanism is entirely different, it does not respond to conventional acne therapy, and some antibiotic regimens can make it worse by clearing the bacterial competition. Patients who have cycled through several acne treatments without response are exactly the group in whom this should be considered.

Medical Management, and Where Lasers Sit

Medical management remains first-line. Topical and oral agents act on follicular keratinisation, on sebum production, on bacterial proliferation, or on more than one. Some require assessment and monitoring, and carry side-effect profiles that are discussed before any course begins.

Laser acne treatment is directed at a different part of the picture: the inflammatory component. R2 Glow works on inflammatory activity within the skin rather than on pigment, and 少女光 uses a 675 nm wavelength directed at the inflammatory activity around the follicular unit as well as at the vascular component.

Neither replaces medical management. A laser does not act on androgen-driven sebum production or on follicular hyperkeratinisation, and a plan relying on light alone is treating one factor of four.

Key facts
What acne is
A disorder of the pilosebaceous unit involving four interacting factors, not a hygiene problem
The four factors
Follicular hyperkeratinisation; androgen-driven sebum production; C. acnes proliferation; inflammation
Grading
Comedonal, papulopustular and nodulocystic — which determines the approach
A frequent misdiagnosis
Malassezia folliculitis, commonly called fungal acne, is a yeast-driven condition and does not respond to acne therapy
Medical management
Topical and oral agents remain first-line. Some require medical assessment
Where lasers sit
Directed at the inflammatory component alongside medical management, not instead of it
Sequence
Active acne is generally brought under control before scar revision begins
Skin type
In Fitzpatrick III–V, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is often the more persistent problem

Marks, Scars, and the Order of Work

Two different things are left behind, and they are frequently conflated.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is pigment, not texture. Inflammation stimulates melanocytes, and in Fitzpatrick III to V skin — most of Singapore — this is often the more persistent problem. The surface is intact; the colour is not.

Scarring is structural: a lasting change in dermal architecture, presenting as ice-pick, boxcar or rolling morphologies. Covered in full on the acne scar treatment page.

The sequence matters. Active acne is generally brought under control before scar revision begins, because resurfacing skin that is still producing new lesions creates work that has to be repeated.

Response to acne treatment varies with grade, cause, skin type, hormonal factors and adherence. Suitability is assessed in person, and no single approach is appropriate for every presentation.

What Determines the Cost

Treatment is planned individually, so cost follows the plan rather than a fixed list. Four things shape it:

Factors discussed at consultation

  • The grade identified at assessment. Comedonal, papulopustular and nodulocystic acne require different plans.
  • Whether medical management alone is appropriate. Some presentations call for a combined approach; others do not.
  • The areas involved. Facial acne differs from acne across the back, chest and shoulders in surface area.
  • How the plan is staged. Acne is managed over a period, and maintenance is considered separately.

A figure quoted before assessment would not reflect your presentation. Cost is set out clearly at consultation, before anything is agreed.

Watch

Dr Sin Yong explains

Why active acne is brought under control before acne scars are treated. A short video from Dr Sin Yong’s Instagram, with captions.

Watch on Instagram: Why active acne is brought under control before acne scars are treated.

Tretinoin in Singapore: how it works and what retinoid purging means

Tretinoin is a prescription topical retinoid that acts on follicular hyperkeratinisation, the first of the four acne drivers. It speeds up and normalises the shedding of cells lining the follicle, so existing comedones clear and fewer new blockages form. Because it works on the blockage rather than on bacteria or hormones, it is usually combined with another agent when inflammation is present, and it is often continued as maintenance once acne has settled.

A young East Asian man in his early 20s in a bright minimal bathroom — illustrative image
Illustrative image — not a patient.

Retinoid purging is the temporary flare some people notice early in a course: micro-comedones that were already forming come to the surface faster, appearing as small breakouts in the usual areas. Purging settles as the skin adjusts. Breakouts in new areas, burning, or persistent redness suggest irritation rather than purging, and the strength or frequency is then adjusted rather than pushed through. Tretinoin increases sun sensitivity, which matters in Singapore, so daily sunscreen is part of using it. Topical retinoids are avoided in pregnancy, and an over-the-counter retinol is a weaker cousin of the same idea rather than a substitute for a prescribed retinoid.

Hormonal acne and spironolactone

Hormonal acne is a description of pattern, not a separate disease: it tends to affect adult women, cluster along the jawline, chin and neck, and flare in the days before a period. The driver is the effect of androgens on the sebaceous gland, which increases sebum production even when hormone levels are normal on a blood test. Irregular periods, excess hair growth or scalp hair thinning alongside acne raise the question of polycystic ovary syndrome, which is worth assessing in its own right.

Spironolactone is an older diuretic and blood-pressure medicine that blocks androgen receptors in the skin, reducing sebum. It is used for acne in women only, because its anti-androgen effects make it unsuitable for men, and it is avoided in pregnancy. Whether it is appropriate depends on medical history, blood pressure and, where indicated, kidney function and potassium levels, all reviewed before a course begins. Certain combined oral contraceptives act on the same pathway. Hormonal treatment addresses sebum, one of the four drivers, so it is commonly paired with a topical agent that works on the follicle.

Cortisone shots for acne cysts: what an injection does and does not do

A cortisone shot for acne is an injection of a dilute corticosteroid directly into a single inflamed nodule or cyst. It is used to settle an individual painful lesion quickly, for example a large cyst before an important event, by suppressing the inflammation inside it. It acts on that one lesion only.

It does not treat acne as a condition and does not stop new cysts forming, because it has no effect on follicular blockage, sebum or bacteria elsewhere in the skin. Its main risks are local: a small depression where the fat beneath the injection site thins, or a pale patch of skin, both more likely with stronger concentrations or repeated injections into the same spot. In darker skin, a pale patch can be particularly noticeable. Someone needing repeated injections for recurring cysts is really describing nodulocystic acne, the grade where early medical management matters most because it carries the greatest risk of scarring. Whether an individual cyst is better managed with an injection or within a wider medical plan is decided at assessment.

A young East Asian man in his early 20s in a bright minimal bathroom — illustrative image
Illustrative image — not a patient.
Acne treatment options compared by what each acts on
OptionWhat it doesWhat it cannot doTypical recoveryWho it tends to suit
Topical retinoids (for example tretinoin or adapalene)Normalise follicular shedding, clearing comedones and helping prevent new onesDo not reduce androgen-driven sebum production; irritation can limit useDryness, peeling and sometimes an early flare (purging) while the skin adjustsComedonal and mild inflammatory acne, and long-term maintenance
Topical antimicrobials (benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, topical antibiotics)Reduce Cutibacterium acnes and inflammation within the follicleLimited effect on deep nodules; topical antibiotics are paired with benzoyl peroxide to limit resistancePossible dryness or irritationPapulopustular acne on the face or body
Oral antibiotics (for example doxycycline)Reduce inflammation and bacterial load in moderate to severe inflammatory acneNot a long-term treatment on their own, and can worsen fungal folliculitisA time-limited prescribed course, with side effects discussed beforehandModerate inflammatory acne, including widespread back and chest acne
Hormonal therapy (for example spironolactone or certain oral contraceptives)Reduces the effect of androgens on sebum productionNot used in men, and not suitable in pregnancyRequires medical assessment and, where indicated, blood testsAdult women whose acne flares along the jawline or around periods
Oral isotretinoinReduces sebaceous gland activity and acts on several of the four acne drivers at onceRequires strict pregnancy prevention and monitoring, and is not suitable for everyoneDry lips and skin are expected through the courseNodulocystic or scarring acne, or acne that has not responded to other treatment
Laser (R2 Glow, 少女光)Directed at inflammatory activity and redness around the follicleDoes not act on sebum production or follicular hyperkeratinisationUsually transient rednessInflammatory acne alongside medical management, or where some oral agents are unsuitable

Bacne and body acne treatment: what changes away from the face

Body acne is treated on the same principles as facial acne, grading it and confirming that it is acne, but the back, chest and shoulders change the practical plan. Confirming the diagnosis matters more here than on the face, because Malassezia folliculitis is commonest on the trunk: uniform, itchy bumps of similar size that do not respond to acne treatment and can worsen with antibiotics.

Surface area is the next consideration. Leave-on creams are hard to apply evenly across the back, so wash-off formulations such as benzoyl peroxide washes are often used, with the caveat that benzoyl peroxide bleaches towels and fabric. Where body acne is widespread, inflamed or nodular, oral treatment tends to be considered earlier than it would be for a few facial spots, and the options and their monitoring are the same as for facial acne.

Sweat, heat and friction aggravate it. In Singapore's humidity, tight synthetic sportswear, backpack straps and staying in damp clothes after exercise all add occlusion; changing promptly and choosing looser fabrics help. Post-inflammatory marks on the trunk often outlast the spots, and laser directed at the inflammatory component may be added alongside medical management, as on the face.

Pimple or acne: what is the difference?

A pimple is a single spot; acne is the condition that keeps producing them. Almost everyone has an occasional pimple, often around a period, after a stressful week or under a mask or helmet strap, and it settles on its own within days. Acne is diagnosed when spots keep recurring over weeks and months, usually in a pattern across the face, chest or back, with comedones, the blackheads and whiteheads, sitting alongside inflamed spots.

The distinction matters because the two are handled differently. A pimple needs little more than being left alone, a gentle routine and perhaps an over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid product. Acne involves the four drivers in the follicle at once, and treating it means acting on more than the spot in front of you. Some spots are neither: uniform, itchy bumps on the chest and back suggest fungal folliculitis, and small papules clustered around the mouth or nose may be perioral dermatitis or a Demodex-related problem, none of which respond to acne treatment. Squeezing a pimple pushes inflammation deeper and raises the risk of a dark mark or scar, which in Fitzpatrick III to V skin can outlast the spot by months.

When should you see a doctor for acne?

See a doctor when acne is painful, leaving marks or scars, or not improving after a few months of consistent over-the-counter care. Deep, tender lumps that last for weeks are nodules or cysts, the grade most associated with scarring, and they do not respond to skincare. Medical treatment at that stage is about prevention as much as clearance.

Other reasons to book an assessment: acne that starts suddenly in adulthood, especially with irregular periods, excess hair growth or scalp thinning, which raises the question of a hormonal cause; spots that are uniform and itchy, which may not be acne at all; acne that flares after starting a new medicine or supplement; and acne that is affecting confidence, work or sleep. A doctor can grade the acne, confirm the diagnosis and prescribe treatments that are not available over the counter, with their side effects discussed beforehand. Where acne is very severe, unusual or linked to another medical condition, referral to a dermatologist is appropriate.

The acne treatment ladder: from skincare to prescription to procedures
StepWhat it involvesWhen it is usually consideredWho oversees it
Skincare and over-the-counter careA gentle cleanser, non-comedogenic moisturiser and daily sunscreen, with over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acidOccasional pimples or a few comedones, with no nodules, marks or scarringSelf-care, with a doctor's review if there is no change after a few months
Prescription topicalsTopical retinoids, topical antimicrobials and fixed combinations, chosen for the grade and the skin's tolerancePersistent comedonal or papulopustular acne, or acne that is leaving marksA doctor
Oral prescription treatmentA time-limited course of oral antibiotics alongside a topical agent, or hormonal therapy for some womenModerate inflammatory acne, widespread back and chest acne, or a cyclical jawline pattern in adult womenA doctor, with monitoring where indicated
Oral retinoidA course that reduces sebaceous gland activity, with strict pregnancy prevention and regular reviewNodulocystic or scarring acne, or acne that has not responded to earlier stepsA doctor, with blood tests and reviews during the course
In-clinic procedures alongside medicationLaser directed at inflammation, such as R2 Glow or 少女光, and a dilute corticosteroid injection for a single painful cystAt any step where inflammation or an acute cyst needs settlingA doctor, as support for medical treatment rather than a replacement
After control: marks and scarsPigment-directed treatment for dark marks, and scar revision for pitted scarsOnce active acne is under controlA doctor, planned as a separate phase

Who it suits, who should wait, who is referred on

Tends to suit

  • Comedonal, papulopustular or nodulocystic acne that has been graded
  • Acne that has not responded to over-the-counter products
  • Persistent inflammatory acne where a laser may be added to medical care
  • Back, chest or shoulder acne once look-alikes are excluded

Better to wait

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding, when some acne medicines are unsuitable
  • Laser treatment within a recent course of isotretinoin
  • Active infection or a cold sore in the area to be treated

Referred on

  • Suspected hormonal or endocrine cause such as irregular cycles → medical review
  • Severe nodulocystic disease not responding to the plan → dermatology opinion
Who should not have this treatment
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding, for medicines such as oral retinoids and some others
  • Allergy to a prescribed medicine or product
  • Recent isotretinoin use, for laser treatment
  • Active infection, cold sore or open wound in a laser area
  • A tendency to keloid or abnormal scarring
  • Look-alike conditions such as fungal folliculitis, which do not respond to acne therapy and need a different plan

People who expect a laser alone to clear acne, or who stop medical management early, tend to respond poorly, because a laser acts on only one of the four drivers.

What happens, step by step

  1. Consultation and examination to grade the acne and exclude look-alikes
  2. Written plan and quote, covering medical management and whether a laser is advised
  3. Treatment day or start of therapy: medicines explained and, where planned, laser delivered at calibrated settings
  4. Review and adjustment, with maintenance considered separately

Risks, side effects and when to call

Dryness, peeling and irritation are expected with topical retinoids, and acne can appear to flare early before it settles, which is called retinoid purging. Oral agents carry side effects that are discussed before any course begins, and some need monitoring. After a laser, mild redness and warmth are expected. Less commonly, lasers can cause post-inflammatory pigment change, blistering or infection, particularly in Fitzpatrick III to V skin. Untreated nodulocystic acne risks scarring. Response varies and no outcome can be promised.

Contact the clinic the same day if
  • A sudden severe flare, or deep painful nodules spreading
  • Spreading redness, warmth, pus or fever
  • Blistering or crusting after a laser
  • Rash, severe headache or visual change while taking an oral medicine
  • Pigment darkening in areas that have healed

See what to do if something feels wrong after a treatment.

Aftercare

First 24 hours

  • After a laser, expect mild redness and warmth; cool the skin and use a bland moisturiser
  • Use no strong actives that evening unless told to

First week

  • Do not pick or squeeze lesions, and cleanse gently
  • Introduce prescribed topical medicines as instructed and report any marked irritation

Sun

  • Use a broad-spectrum, non-comedogenic sunscreen daily, as treatment can make skin more sun-sensitive

Skincare

  • Use a gentle cleanser and non-comedogenic moisturiser, and add actives only as advised

When to call

  • A severe flare, spreading redness, pus or fever
  • Blistering after a laser, or rash, severe headache or visual change on an oral medicine

Before you book

What determines the fee

The fee depends on the grade identified at assessment, since comedonal, papulopustular and nodulocystic acne need different plans. It also depends on whether medical management alone is appropriate or a laser is added, the areas involved such as face, back or chest, and how the plan is staged. A written quote is given at consultation after examination, and the consultation decides whether treatment is advised at all.

How quotes work at this practice: how we quote.

Myths we hear in clinic

“Acne is caused by poor hygiene, so washing more often helps.”

Four factors interact within the follicle, and washing more often addresses none of them.

“A laser can clear acne on its own.”

A laser is directed at inflammation and does not act on androgen-driven sebum or follicular blockage, so it sits alongside medical management.

Acne Treatment — Frequently Asked Questions

Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit involving four interacting factors: follicular hyperkeratinisation, which obstructs the follicle; androgen-driven sebum production; proliferation of Cutibacterium acnes within the obstructed follicle; and the inflammatory response to all three. It is not caused by poor hygiene, and washing more frequently does not address any of the four.

Acne is generally classified as comedonal, papulopustular or nodulocystic. Comedonal acne is primarily obstructive, with blackheads and whiteheads and little inflammation. Papulopustular acne is dominated by inflammatory papules and pustules. Nodulocystic acne involves deep nodules and cysts and carries the highest risk of scarring. The grade determines what the treatment plan needs to do.

Malassezia folliculitis, commonly called fungal acne, is not acne. It is driven by a yeast that is normally present on skin, and it presents as uniform, itchy, monomorphic papules, often on the chest, back and shoulders. Because the mechanism is different, it does not respond to conventional acne treatment and can worsen with some antibiotics. Distinguishing the two is part of assessment.

Laser approaches are directed at the inflammatory component of acne and are used alongside medical management rather than instead of it. A laser does not act on the hormonal drivers of sebum production or on follicular hyperkeratinisation. A plan that relies on light alone is treating one factor of four.

Nodulocystic acne is the presentation where early medical management matters most, because it is the grade most associated with lasting scarring. Treatment is medical first, and some of the agents used require assessment, monitoring and discussion of side effects. Adjunctive approaches are considered alongside, not in place of, that.

They are separate problems addressed in sequence. Treating active acne reduces the ongoing formation of new scars, but it does not remodel scarring that has already formed. Scar revision is generally planned once active acne is under control, and is covered on the acne scar treatment page.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is common in Fitzpatrick III to V skin, where inflammation readily stimulates melanocytes. These marks are pigment rather than textural scarring, they behave differently, and in darker skin types they are often the more persistent problem. Assessment distinguishes pigment from true scarring because they respond to different approaches.

Acne on the back, chest and shoulders is common and is assessed in the same way as facial acne, with the additional consideration that fungal folliculitis presents more often in these areas. Surface area and accessibility affect how a plan is structured.

Cost depends on the grade identified at assessment, whether medical management alone or a combined approach is appropriate, the areas involved, and how the plan is staged. Because these differ considerably between patients, a figure quoted before assessment would not be meaningful. Pricing is set out clearly at consultation.

This varies with grade, cause and the approach taken, and honest expectation-setting is part of consultation. Acne is generally managed over a period rather than resolved in a single visit, and plans usually include a maintenance phase. What is realistic in your case is discussed at assessment rather than quoted in advance.

Doxycycline is a tetracycline-class antibiotic used for moderate inflammatory acne, where it reduces both inflammation and bacterial load. It is given as a time-limited course and paired with a topical agent such as benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid to limit antibiotic resistance. It increases sun sensitivity, can irritate the oesophagus if not taken with enough water, and is not used in pregnancy. It can worsen fungal folliculitis, which is one reason the diagnosis is confirmed first.

Face mites, Demodex, are microscopic mites that live in hair follicles on most adult faces and usually cause no problem. When they multiply excessively they are associated with rosacea and with demodicosis, which can look like acne as small itchy papules and pustules, often around the nose and cheeks. Because the cause is different, it is managed differently from acne, and distinguishing the two is part of assessment.

It is better not to. Squeezing forces inflammation deeper into the skin, which raises the risk of a dark mark, infection and scarring, particularly with deep or painful spots. A whitehead that has come to the surface will usually drain on its own, and a hydrocolloid patch can protect it from picking. A large, painful lump that never comes to a head is a nodule or cyst, and that is one to have assessed rather than squeezed.

Not reliably. Most inflamed spots take several days to settle as the inflammation resolves. Over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide or a hydrocolloid patch can help a surface spot settle and keep fingers away from it. For a single large, painful cyst before an important event, a doctor may consider a dilute corticosteroid injection into that lesion, which acts on that one spot only and does not treat acne as a condition.

Diet is a modifier rather than a cause. Studies link high-glycaemic diets, and in some people dairy, particularly skimmed milk, with more acne, and whey protein supplements have also been reported to aggravate it. Changing diet can help some people, but it does not treat established acne on its own, and severe or scarring acne needs medical treatment regardless of what is on the plate.

The cost of acne treatment in Singapore depends on the grade identified at assessment, whether medical management alone is appropriate or a laser is added, the areas involved, and how the plan is staged. Dr Sin Yong gives a written quote at consultation after examining your skin, because the assessment decides whether treatment is advised. No figure is quoted beforehand.

Treatment is worth considering when acne is persistent, inflamed, leaving marks or scars, or affecting daily life, because grading and a suitable plan address the drivers that products alone miss. It is a poor fit for expecting a laser alone to clear acne, for stopping a plan early, or for treating a look-alike such as fungal folliculitis as ordinary acne.

How long improvement from acne treatment lasts depends on the grade, hormonal factors, skin type, adherence and whether maintenance continues. Acne is often managed over a period rather than resolved in one course, and it can recur, so no duration can be promised. Review timing and any maintenance plan are set with Dr Sin Yong at consultation and adjusted as your skin responds.

Treatment takes time and adherence, and medical management is often continued as maintenance. Topical retinoids cause dryness and early purging, oral agents have side effects that need discussion and sometimes monitoring, and some are unsuitable in pregnancy. Lasers address only inflammation and carry uncommon risks such as pigment change. Acne can recur, and results vary between individuals.

Question not answered here? Ask on WhatsApp, use the enquiry form, or browse 100 questions patients ask.

Where Dr Sin Yong consults: Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road, Singapore 238880 (unit on booking) · Orchard MRT · Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 11am–3pm · WhatsApp +65 8023 7170 · Getting here · How fees are quoted
Explore Further
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In his words

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Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last updated 5 October 2026 · Editorial policy

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References

  1. Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Fractional CO2 Laser and Microneedling Radiofrequency for Atrophic Acne Scars: A Systematic Review — PMC.
  2. 1064-nm Picosecond Laser vs 1927-nm Fractional Thulium Laser for Atrophic Acne Scars in Asian Patients: A Randomized Split-Face Study — PMC.
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