STAGE 4 — POST-ACNE MARKS & SCARS
Does This Sound Like You?
- Skin feels rough or bumpy to touch
- Blackheads (dark dots in pores)
- Whiteheads (small white bumps)
- Oily T-zone without redness
- Very few or no inflamed pimples
- Skin looks congested but not angry
- Tiny bumps under the surface (microcomedones)
Does This Sound Like You?
PIE
Post-Inflammatory Erythema
- Flat red or pink marks where acne healed
- Marks blanch white when pressed (vascular, not pigment)
- Usually fade over 3-6 months naturally
- Can persist 1+ years if inflamed long
- More visible on fair skin
PIH
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
- Flat brown, tan, or dark spots where acne healed
- Do NOT blanch when pressed (melanin-based)
- Caused by melanocyte activation during inflammation
- More visible on medium-to-dark skin tones
- Can persist 6-12 months naturally
Atrophic Scars
Pitted, Indented
- Depressed/pitted texture (icepick, boxcar, rolling scars)
- Result from collagen loss during deep inflammation
- More noticeable with lateral lighting
- Permanent without professional treatment






