For the last twenty odd years, I’ve been tortured every month by a recurring blemish that moves in on my chin about a week before my period and mocks me with its ugliness. And it’s regularity! I’ve tried squeezing it, not squeezing it, sloughing it with microdermabrasion, drawing it out with clay and blasting it with benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. But it always comes back.

IMAGE: INSTAGRAM @ASHLEYBENSON

So when I heard about a breakthrough new blemish treatment called Sebaceous Gland Ablation (SGA), a new acne treatment that zaps the sebaceous glands that cause pimples and stop them from returning, I had to give it a go…

Acne is caused when your sebaceous glands (there are over 1,200 sebaceous glands per cm of skin) go nuts and epidermal cells form a plug in the pore, which forms a spot. Sebaceous Gland Ablation (SGA) sends an electric shock of energy (the same kind used in hair removal electrolysis) into the pores to destroy those rogue sebaceous glands and all the horrible grease-monkeying that goes with them.

The next time my skin flares up I head into Clear Skincare Clinics to try it. My therapist Veronika cleanses my skin and then holds what looks like a pen, but is actually a probe with a super hair-fine needle over my spot. As the probe goes in, I feel a quick sting and zap of heat, but it’s so quick that I barely have time to flinch. It’s much less painful than laser hair removal or IPL pigment removal as the spot is so tiny.

I do the Clear Skincare Clinic “SkinGym”, which is available on a three, six or 12 month membership, and it includes fortnightly SGA treatments alternating with a fortnightly peel and crystallite.

Over the weeks I return three more times and notice my skin improving with each session. You do have to zap the pimple when it’s ready (almost with a head on it) if it’s too early, it doesn’t seem to work as well. But when the spot is in full swing, it helps them heal faster.

After four treatments I was so happy that I didn’t feel I needed any more treatments. I haven’t seen my monthly chin-resident since.  This is a great treatment for people with severe acne or recurring hormonal spots.

For more information about SGA go to Clear Skincare Clinics.

 

Words by Sigourney.

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