If you’re researching AviClear®, chances are one question keeps coming up: is it covered by insurance? Unfortunately, no—AviClear® is classified as a cosmetic laser treatment, so most insurance companies won’t touch it.
That’s frustrating to hear, we know. But at Collab Medspa, we think there’s a more useful question to sit with than “what does my insurance cover?” It’s this: which treatment actually gives you the best shot at clear, healthy skin for years to come—not just the next few months?
Let’s dig into why.
Why Isn’t AviClear Covered by Insurance?
AviClear is the first and only FDA-cleared laser treatment for acne, and it works by targeting the sebaceous glands that produce excess oil. In other words, it treats acne at the source rather than just managing the surface symptoms. Even with that FDA clearance, though, insurers still file it under “cosmetic,” which means most clients pay out of pocket.
Here’s the ironic part: Accutane (isotretinoin) is often covered by insurance, even though it works toward the same basic goal as AviClear® – reducing oil production to control acne. Understandably, that leaves a lot of patients scratching their heads.
Insurance Doesn’t Always Mean It’s the Less Expensive Option
When people hear “Accutane is covered by insurance,” they naturally assume it’s the cheaper route. But that math doesn’t always hold up once you look at the full picture.
A typical five-to-six-month course of Accutane usually comes with monthly dermatologist visits, monthly bloodwork, prescription costs, time off work or school, travel to appointments, and often a whole shelf of skincare products just to manage the side effects. And that’s on top of the years many patients already spend cycling through prescription creams, antibiotics, and over-the-counter products before they ever walk through our doors.
By the time clients find us for AviClear, they’ve often put thousands of dollars and countless hours into acne that keeps coming back anyway. And honestly, the money is only part of the cost. There’s also the years spent feeling frustrated—avoiding photos, canceling plans, feeling self-conscious every time a new breakout shows up.
A Story We See More Often Than You’d Think
One client, in her mid-thirties, came to us after fighting acne since she was a teenager. She’d tried nearly everything—Accutane, prescription creams, antibiotics, every acne product on the shelf. Some things helped for a while. None of it stuck.
When she first sat down with us, she said, honestly, “At this point, I’ll try anything. What do I have to lose?”
Rather than piling more products onto her routine, we looked at what was actually happening. She’d fallen into a cycle we see constantly: a breakout appears, she reaches for stronger acids and drying spot treatments, her skin dries out, her body overcompensates by producing even more oil, and that oil triggers the next breakout. Round and round it goes—and over time, it wears down the skin barrier, making everything worse.
So we simplified. We pared her routine down to one active topical and built a gentle foundation with iS Clinical products—a cleanser, moisturizer, SPF, and weekly Active Peel Pads. She joined our membership program for monthly facials while working through her series of three AviClear® treatments.
As her skin barrier healed, the changes came steadily: her skin started holding moisture properly, inflammation eased, and healing sped up. About four months after her final AviClear® session, her skin looked healthier than it had in years.
She still gets the occasional breakout around her cycle—that’s normal. But those blemishes heal fast now, because her skin is balanced again. The constant, severe breakouts that once ran her life are gone. Honestly, watching her confidence come back has been just as rewarding for us as watching her skin clear up.
AviClear® vs. Accutane®
To be clear, Accutane has helped a lot of people, and for certain clients, it’s absolutely the right call. But it also demands careful medical monitoring, because the side effects can be significant: extremely dry lips and skin, dry eyes, nosebleeds, muscle and joint pain, increased sun sensitivity, elevated cholesterol, changes in liver function, serious birth defect risks during pregnancy, and—in rare cases—mental health challenges.
Everyone responds differently, and any treatment decision should be made together with your healthcare provider. Our job at Collab Medspa isn’t to tell you what to choose. It’s to make sure you understand all your options so you can decide what’s right for you.
Is AviClear® Worth the Investment?
We think a lot of clients are asking the wrong question when they ask “how much does AviClear® cost?” A better one might be: how much is years of acne costing me?
Because acne doesn’t just affect your skin today—left unmanaged, it can lead to scarring, pigmentation, and years of corrective treatments down the road. If we can help clear acne earlier and build healthier skincare habits along the way, we may also be helping you avoid future expenses like microneedling, chemical peels, and scar-focused laser treatments. Healthy skin simply heals better, scars less, and stays balanced longer. That’s always the goal.
You Don’t Have to Pay All at Once
We know paying for treatment upfront isn’t realistic for everyone, which is why Collab Medspa offers financing through CareCredit® and Cherry®. Both let you spread the cost into manageable monthly payments instead of one lump sum, and applications are quick—many clients get an instant decision. Our goal is simply to help you find a plan that fits your skin goals and your budget.
What About HSA or FSA Cards?
Here’s some good news: AviClear® does qualify as an eligible expense under most FSA and HSA plans, since it’s an FDA-cleared medical treatment for acne. That said, our credit card merchant system doesn’t always process these cards automatically, simply because of how the transaction gets coded on the back end.
If that happens, don’t worry—we won’t just tell you it didn’t work and leave it there. We’ll go the extra step and write a letter directly to your FSA or HSA administrator on your behalf. So far, every single client who’s needed that letter has been fully reimbursed. It just takes a little extra paperwork on our end, and we’re happy to handle it.
Who Is a Good Candidate for AviClear®?
AviClear® works especially well for patients with mild to severe acne, particularly those who’ve tried multiple treatments without lasting results. That said, it’s not the right fit for everyone.
If you’re only dealing with occasional breakouts, we’ll often recommend starting simpler first—a personalized skincare routine, regular professional facials, daily SPF, better habits like cleaning your pillowcases and washing your makeup brushes more often. Sometimes that’s genuinely all it takes.
We also believe in not letting clients spend money that doesn’t make sense. If someone wants to try just one AviClear® session, we usually suggest waiting until they’re ready to commit to the full series—one treatment alone rarely delivers the results people are hoping for. We’d rather you wait than invest in something that won’t get you where you want to go.
More Than Clear Skin
At Collab Medspa, we think about acne treatment as more than just eliminating breakouts. It’s about confidence; walking into a room without worrying about your skin, going on a date without feeling self-conscious, showing up to work feeling like yourself, taking family photos without hesitation. It’s about living your life without acne taking up so much space in your head.
We’re not just here to run three laser treatments and call it done. We’re here to build a real relationship with every client who trusts us with their skin—to guide you honestly, and to recommend what’s actually best for you, not just what’s easiest to sell. We want to be part of your journey, not just a stop along the way.
Ready to Learn if AviClear Is Right for You?
If acne has been part of your story for a while and you’re looking for honest guidance on what to do about it, we’d love to talk. Schedule a consultation with Collab Medspa, and let’s build a plan around your skin, your goals, and your life.
