How I Cleared My Acne in Less Than a Year

In September 2025, I visited the Belo Medical Group in Greenbelt, Makati for a consultation with Dr. JP Jalandoni. I entered the clinic thinking I had combination skin that leans towards dry, only to find out after a skin analysis that it’s actually more oily. He then gave me a rundown of my present skin issues and the possible causes behind them.

Right off the bat, Dr. JP expressed that the journey to better skin is a team effort. The clinic will do what they can, but I would also have to make adjustments in my lifestyle—the number of hours I sleep, the amount of sugar I consume, the kind of makeup I use, and so on. This helped me prepare for the road ahead, and I looked forward to forming new habits that reflect discipline and commitment.

He instructed me to start my skincare routine from scratch, sticking with only the basics such as a glycolic bar of soap, a clarifying toner, an acne-drying cream, a retinoid, sun protection, and a dermatologically approved moisturizer to be applied when needed. I was also prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic for a month to target acne-causing bacteria.

For my first session in October, three treatments were on the agenda. We began with Glycopeel Cleaning, a facial designed for oily and acne-prone skin. Natural fruit acids are used to address various concerns, such as pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. Dead skin is exfoliated, and acne-causing bacteria are eliminated.

The treatment involves pricking out acne, which was the only painful part of the entire process. For the uninitiated, this refers to the act of piercing the blemishes to professionally extract them and drain accumulated pus. This also helps relieve pressure and speed up healing. Seeing what they’ve taken out of my skin afterward made the pain worth it.

I then transferred to a different room for AdvaClear. Apart from inflamed acne, I was suffering from uneven marks and visible texture. The non-invasive laser treatment targets the glands, bacteria, and vascular structures that cause and sustain breakouts, addressing acne at its root. Dr. JP lightheartedly assured me that this treatment would be nowhere near as painful as the previous one, and he was right. AdvaClear was quick, too, being ideal for people who want to address numerous skin concerns but don’t have the luxury of time.

Inara capped off the session with an LED light therapy that further destroys acne-causing bacteria and decreases inflammation and pore size. This helps limit my skin’s oil production in the long term. Inara only involves lying down with your eyes closed, allowing the LED light to do its job while you relax for around 20 minutes. Suitable for the fast-moving nature of the publishing world, the treatments recommended to me involved little to no downtime.

A few weeks after the first session, my skin already showed great improvement. My blemishes had flattened and lightened, and were no longer as glaring as before. I went back to the clinic for my second session in November and my third in December with the same list of treatments. Given that my skin was improving as the days went by, the pain began to lessen as well.

By January, my skin no longer had as much active acne as before, and so a new combination of treatments was introduced. The session began with the Botanicals Facial, which is an all-natural exfoliating scrub to remove skin impurities gently. This also helps improve overall skin health and texture.

This was followed by BioRePeel. Since it is a chemical peel, I was not allowed to use retinoids three days prior to the appointment. The treatment utilizes a mixture of skin-loving ingredients, such as trichloroacetic acid to treat acne scars and hyperpigmentation, and hydroxy acids to exfoliate the surface and penetrate the pores to help clear acne. These were also combined with vitamins and amino acids to further protect and nourish.

A peel may sound intimidating, but it was a gentle process formulated to nurture delicate skin. We capped the session off with AdvaClear.

I was instructed to take a break from lasers after that session in January, but to still continue with my monthly facial. However, my schedule became fuller than expected for the following months, and it was already April by the time I returned.

Despite this, my skin remained calm and clear, with no drastic blemishes or concerns appearing. The results after each session were sustainable, lasting for long periods of time since they addressed my concerns from their root.

For the fifth and final session, my skin was exfoliated and moisturized with another round of BioRePeel, revealing a fresh, healthy layer of skin. AdvaClear, which is the world’s only solid-state laser, was also used to target my remaining marks. It produces two wavelengths in a single spot, and that allows it to address a wide range of conditions, including overactive oil glands.

Months have already passed since my last visit, but my skin continues to be nourished and healthy.

The consistent visits to receive professional care, combined with my newly formed habits of discipline, led to results that proved to my younger self that things do get better—even if they take a little more time.