Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” He forgot pimples. Who among us has not been confronted by an inflamed mound staking claim to their cheek, jaw, forehead, or chin? Regardless of skin care diligence, acne happens—and more often than not, the most serious zit will arrive at the most inopportune times. Pimple patches be damned; sometimes, the only course of action is to bring out the big guns: a medical provider with a syringe. And now, getting an appointment is a whole lot faster and easier.

Spotless—a new kind of skin-care clinic exclusively catering to the acne-prone—planted a flag in New York City this week. Founded by board-certified dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD, and her daughter, Zoe Wechsler, it operates differently from a traditional doctor’s office—no referrals are needed and walk-in appointments are available because Dr. Wechsler understands the very real struggle of unforeseen breakouts.

“I get a lot of texts on nights and weekends from patients who have a wedding the next day, an interview, a date [and are asking for] a pimple shot,” Dr. Wechsler tells Allure, adding she simply does not have enough arms to accommodate urgent, after-hours asks (although on at least one occasion she’s met a bride-to-be in her office on a weekend). Zoe, 27, took note of all these requests for help with unanticipated, stage-five acne alarms and—fast-forwarding through a lot of mother-daughter labor that even included Dr. Wecshler going back to school to get her MBA—Spotless was born.

Spotless’ first storefront is on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, less than a mile from Dr. Wechsler’s office. It offers extractions, 20% salicylic acid peels, and pimple shots—more formally known as cortisone injections, a diluted corticosteroid delivered directly into a pimple or cyst to reduce swelling and redness. All of these “express” treatments cost $100—for comparison, a pimple shot at Dr. Wechsler’s medical practice costs $400 without insurance. And they’re all intended to be low risk, high reward. “There are actually no acne treatments that are at high risk for complications,” says Dr. Wechsler. “Perhaps in the wrong hands, anything could go wrong, but at Spotless everyone is a nurse practitioner or physician assistant and is highly trained by me in my office.” (NPs have completed a two-to-four year postgraduate nursing program and PAs have a masters degree and about 2,000 hours of clinical rotation experience.)

Full consultations, during which a clinician assesses skin concerns and creates a personalized treatment plan (often including topical and/or oral prescriptions), cost $250. Telehealth appointments are available for returning patients, too. And most impressively for anyone who’s found themselves scrolling through Zocdoc at midnight (don’t look at me), Spotless is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and 8 a.m to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, making it accessible for nine-to-fivers. For weekend emergencies, Spotless operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays—but is closed on Sundays, because even the most dedicated acne fighters need a break.

After a few days of airline travel, I recently trudged through an 18-degree Fahrenheit wind chill and a smattering of snow flurries (plus, a smattering of post-flight pimples) to receive the salicylic acid peel at Spotless. My first observation: This feels like a med spa. That is to say, it’s cool: merch (because, of course) sits atop serpentine, aubergine shelving beside Gen Z-beloved products like Supergoop! Mineral Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and Fazit Glitter Freckle Makeup Patches, all available for purchase. This is no doubt because of Zoe, who is responsible for the look, feel, and overall vibe of each location (yes, there are more coming) in addition to overseeing marketing efforts and social media. It’s also worth noting that Spotless doesn’t have that classic medical office smell (top notes of isopropyl alcohol wipes with heartier base notes of pain-in-the-ass insurance claims). Instead, there’s an elevated, clean-but-not-sterile scent, likely wafting from the Nécessaire products in the restroom.

My clinician is Betsy, a nurse practitioner. She pulled aside a curtain to reveal a spartan room with a utilitarian workstation, an azure examination chair, and another pop of aubergine in the ubiquitous, rolling medical stool. Before my treatment, I was asked about all of my skin concerns, which I laid out: I flirt with rosacea; I’m currently receiving facial laser hair removal; I have dry, dehydrated skin that leans sensitive. When probed about prescription skin care I use or have used, I mentioned the azelaic acid and ivermectin compound I’ve been prescribed for said rosacea.

A peek inside a treatment room at Spotless.

Courtesy of Hunter Lacey

With a thorough understanding of my skin history, Betsy began to apply three layers of 20% salicylic acid on my skin, loosening sebum and providing gentle exfoliation. She made sure there was no excessive tingling, common in chemical peels, before applying each layer. (I was also given a squeeze ball and hand fan for added comfort and tingle-busting.) After the peel was wiped away, La Roche-Posay moisturizer was massaged across my face. Supergoop! SPF followed. After my peel, in the bleak, gray New York weather, I felt like a beacon—a lighthouse of glow—unencumbered by dullness.

Sure, quick-and-easy skin clinics are a dime a dozen in 2025. Med spas seem to exist on every street corner—there are over 50 on Manhattan’s Upper East Side alone. But while Spotless has med spa vibes, it stands out from the pack—and not only because it truly focuses on a single concern (you won’t find any neuromodulator or filler injections offered on the side). For one, it’s run by a board-certified dermatologist—many med spas have supervising physicians who are specialized in, say, radiology or internal medicine not the skin and aesthetics. And as licensed nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the employees following Dr. Wechsler’s curriculum at Spotless are higher level practitioners than you will find at some med spas. Spotless doesn’t require a membership or subscription—in fact, the clinic doesn’t offer them at all. In Dr. Wechsler’s words: “We want to cure you so you don’t have to come back.” Instead, patients looking for consistent care can buy treatment packages that cover pimple shots, extractions, acne peels, and follow-up visits. The packages include credits for treatments—one credit equals one treatment—in groups of three, five, and 10, offering 10%, 15%, and 20% off, respectively. The bundle of three and five credits allows for one transfer to another person, while the bundle of 10 treatments allows for a transfer to two people. (Do note, though, that credits cannot be transferred to the same person more than once!)

Because Spotless’ providers are NPs and PAs they can prescribe topical and oral medications, like adapalene gel, tretinoin cream, low-dose doxycycline, spironolactone, and isotretinoin (most commonly known as Accutane), a trusted tool in Dr. Wechsler’s acne-treatment kit for 20 years. “It’s my favorite medicine… [but] there are a lot of myths around it I’m trying to debunk,” she said. Dr. Wechsler abides by the principle that, when it comes to Accutane, slow and steady wins the race. “Stay at the lowest dose possible, [because] it’s better to do that and stay on it longer,” she said, noting a full course of isotretinoin has an 80% chance of curing a patient.

Beyond the demand noticed by Zoe and the volume of folks struggling with acne but unable to see a dermatologist, Dr. Wechsler’s second specialty, psychiatry, also informed Spotless’ ethos. (She is dual board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry.) Because even if a challenging breakout doesn’t leave a physical scar (or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), the emotional marks can be a lifelong burden—a reality Dr. Wechsler has experienced firsthand.

“I had horrible acne as a teenager, [and] I have so few pictures of those years because I avoided the camera—luckily they weren’t around as much then,” Dr. Wechsler said. “[I’m] taking my psychiatry background—compassion and empathy—and infusing it into Spotless. This space is stigma-free.” Compassion and empathy for patients, plus an unrelenting and fierce (and walk-in!) ass-kicking for pimples? We salute you, Dr. Wechsler.

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