How to improve post-acne scars: a step-by-step plan

Week 1: baseline and simplify

Scan or photograph cheeks, temples and jawline where breakouts used to sit. Strip the routine to vitamin C serum in the morning and gentle cleanse at night, plus SPF. Stop picking, add SPF 50 and begin azelaic acid or retinol slowly.

Week 2: add one active

Introduce retinol. Start two nights per week, then three after a fortnight, evening only; typical sensation: light dryness or tightness during the first weeks, never burning.

Everything else stays the same so you can attribute changes.

Week 3: hold steady

Resist adding more. If skin is comfortable, you can raise frequency by one night. If it stings, drop back — flat marks fade with sun protection and patient brightening, but depressed scars need professional treatments.

Keep avoiding sun on healing marks and aggressive peels at home.

Week 4: review and decide

Compare week-one and week-four scans of cheeks, temples and jawline where breakouts used to sit. A full verdict needs twelve weeks for flat marks; indented texture improves only slightly with skincare, so decide whether to continue, not whether to quit.

If progress is stuck, change one factor — for example azelaic acid in place of the current active — and restart the clock.

Where to look when tracking post-acne scars

Skin rarely changes everywhere at once, so score each zone separately and note the date.

Strengths, timing and clashes at a glance

Keep this beside the bathroom mirror. It summarises how to use each shortlisted ingredient without reopening the whole guide.

Frequently asked questions