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Case study

Clearing Acne on Deeper Skin Without New Dark Marks

BeforeOctober 2025
AfterJuly 2026

Both photos taken with the skin imaging device, same angle and same light, 9 months apart. Not retouched.

How long
9 months
Visits
17
Products
7

Her acne and her pigmentation had to be managed at the same time, without one making the other worse. With gentle exfoliation and a routine built around barrier repair, we helped reduce her breakouts and even out her tone without new dark marks. A calm, healthy barrier is what helps her results last.

From the treatment room

Deeper skin tones are more likely to develop pigmentation after any inflammation, including irritation from skincare itself. Many acne actives cause dryness and irritation, and on deeper skin that can leave new dark marks or deepen old ones. So we skipped benzoyl peroxide and other harsh actives and made 5% mandelic acid her only exfoliating active. It has a larger molecule than other acids, so it absorbs more slowly and gently. We built the rest of her routine around barrier repair, which actively helps the barrier rebuild and hold moisture. That goes further than barrier safe, which only means a product won’t damage the barrier. The Clear Skin Balance Supplement supported her skin from the inside.

Shared with the client's written consent. Results vary from person to person, and this plan was made for this client, not as a prescription for yours.We can look at your skin together

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We will look at your skin together and work out what is best for your skin and your lifestyle, in person or virtually.

Laziza Strait and Iryna Babenko, the estheticians at LAZ Skincare in Union Square, New York