skin journal · acne marks

the pimple lasted three days. the mark it left stayed for months

Every new breakout stopped being about the pimple. It was about the mark it would leave behind. I tried everything, including lemon (please don't). What finally worked was seeing a dermatologist, following her plan, and doing less to my skin, not more.

by Leo, 23, Creative Manager, Makati6 min readreviewed by Skin2Confidence Training Institute
Leo's right cheek on day one and at week 4
day one (left) and week 4 (right). both taken at night on my phone, no filter.

Concealer before I stepped out, even for a quick errand. Angling my face away in group photos. Checking my cheek in every car window. If you've had marks, you know the routine.

And I fought them the way I fought everything: harder. Harsh soaps. Scrubs. Drying spot gels every night. A lemon slice once, because the internet said so. My skin got red, then tight, then darker in exactly the places I was trying to fix.

I wasn't fading my marks. I was making new ones while I tried.

the thing nobody told me

A friend dragged me to a consult with Dr. Mara at Dermstead. She didn't recommend anything until she had looked at three things: my skin, my type of acne, and my lifestyle. Then she told me what I actually had: moderate acne, a mix of pustules, papules and comedones. Not just "pimples."

She also told me most of what I had on my cheeks were marks, not scars. Flat, just color left behind after inflammation. They could fade, but not while new breakouts kept coming and my skin stayed irritated.

Her plan had two parts. First, an oral and a topical treatment that she prescribed and supervised herself. Second, a simple, gentle skincare routine to go with it. And she told me what to stop: no more scrubbing and washing my face over and over. A gentle cleanser twice a day is enough for most people. Overdoing it just irritates the skin.

The last rule surprised me most. Some acne treatments make your skin drier and more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen every day is not optional. Even when it's raining.

4 weeksstart to finish
2x a daygentle cleanse, no more
0scrubs, soaps or lemons
The doctor's plan did the heavy lifting. My job was to keep my skin calm and leave it alone.

the routine, exactly as i used it

This is the skincare side of my plan, the part you can buy. My prescription treatment isn't on this list on purpose. That came from Dr. Mara, for my skin, and it needed her supervision.

  1. Hydra B5 Purifying Foaming GelHydra B5 Purifying Foaming GelAM and PM. my one gentle cleanser, twice a day, no extra washes.shop
  2. Vita K-Cica Peeling and Repairing PadsVita K-Cica Peeling and Repairing PadsPM, after cleansing, a few nights a week, on the schedule Dr. Mara set. a gentle exfoliating toner pad with cica and niacinamide. swiped, never rubbed.shop
  3. Vita K-Cica AC Clear Treatment SerumVita K-Cica AC Clear Treatment SerumAM and PM, patted in after cleansing. lightweight, made for acne-prone skin, and helps calm redness.shop
  4. Vita K-Cica Max Calming and Recovery CreamVita K-Cica Max Calming and Recovery CreamAM and PM, my moisturizer. cica, vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid to soothe skin that felt dry and tight, without feeling greasy.shop
  5. Hydra B5 Exosome Tone Up Purple Correcting Sun CreamHydra B5 Exosome Tone Up Sun Creamevery morning, even on rainy days and days I stayed home. Dr. Mara's non-negotiable.shop

(the three middle steps are the vita k-cica line by Prettyskin. cleanse, moisturize, protect: that's the whole idea.)

four weeks, on my own face

weeks 1 to 2

The prescription treatment and the gentle routine, nothing else. No scrubs, no spot gels, no extra washes, which felt wrong at first. By the end of week 2, fewer new bumps were coming up along my jaw and my skin stopped stinging after I washed it. The red marks were all still there, but nothing new was getting angry.

Leo's left cheek and jaw at week 2
week 2. fewer new bumps along the jaw. the red marks are still there.

week 3

Same plan, no changes. Dr. Mara told me sleep, stress and food affect skin differently for everyone, so I tried to sleep earlier too. This is the week I saw it in daylight: the redness across my cheeks had calmed down a lot. What didn't change was the texture. Those dips on my cheeks are scars, not marks, and no product was going to fill them.

Leo facing the camera in daylight at week 3
week 3, in daylight. the redness calmed down. the texture is still there.

week 4

Most of the angry bumps from day one are gone. There are still small red marks, a couple of new spots, and the dips on my cheeks. Four weeks calmed the breakouts. The marks are fading slowly, and the scars are a clinic conversation.

Leo's left cheek on day one and at week 4
other side. day one (left) and week 4 (right), both at night.
week 2 · fewer new breakouts week 3 · redness calmer week 4 · most bumps gone, marks still fading

my honest verdict

It isn't instant, and it wasn't the products alone. The prescription treatment did the heavy lifting on the acne. The gentle routine kept my skin calm and comfortable while it worked, and the sunscreen protected it. The first thing I noticed wasn't lighter marks. It was fewer new breakouts. At week 4 the marks are still there, but they stopped multiplying. Fading the rest is going to take months, not weeks, and I'm okay with that now.

If you have acne, don't do what I did. Don't experiment with products you don't know, and don't reach for the strongest thing on the shelf. See a dermatologist first, get a proper diagnosis, and let them build your plan. And never skip the sunscreen.

I just wanted to leave the house without checking my cheek first.

get my routine

the vita k-cica serum, pads and cream from my plan, plus the cleanser and sunscreen i used every day.

shop the k-cica serumshop the cream
official & exclusive PH distributorauthentic from Koreafree shipping over ₱5,000

want a routine built for your skin?

In-house dermatologistavailable via email

My skin isn't your skin. Tell the Prettyskin Lamelin dermatologist your concerns and they'll personally recommend a Lamelin or Prettyskin routine tailored to you. Send a clear photo in natural light and list what you're using now. If you have active acne, they may suggest an in-person consult first, like I had.

concerns we help with

acne marksacne scarsdark spotsrednessdamaged skin barrierpost-procedure care
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what people ask me

did the k-cica products clear your acne by themselves?

No. My acne was moderate, so Dr. Mara put me on prescription treatment, and that did the heavy lifting. The K-Cica routine was the gentle part of the plan. It kept my skin calm, hydrated and comfortable while the treatment worked.

can i just buy the routine and skip the doctor?

For mild breakouts, a gentle routine and sunscreen are a good start. If you have a lot of inflamed bumps like I did, see a dermatologist first. Prescription treatment always needs a doctor's supervision, and the right plan depends on your type of acne.

how long before you saw a difference?

Around week 2, when fewer new bumps came up along my jaw. By week 3 the redness had clearly calmed down. The marks themselves take longer.

what if i have dips, not marks?

Flat marks can fade over time. Dips and pits are scars and need in-clinic treatment, like Dermablate at Dermstead. A gentle routine still helps your skin recover around it.

is lemon really that bad?

Yes. It irritates the skin and can leave marks darker than before. Calm skin fades faster than irritated skin.

Created in partnership with Prettyskin Lamelin. This reflects Leo's personal experience; individual results vary. Leo's results came from a dermatologist-prescribed and supervised treatment plan together with the skincare routine shown. Prescription treatments are not sold by Prettyskin Lamelin and should only be used under a doctor's supervision. Prettyskin Lamelin products are cosmetics and are not a treatment for acne or acne scars. Patch test new products. Daily broad-spectrum sun protection is required. Photos are unedited, cropped only.