LASER CENTRE · VICTORIA PIH RECOVERY™
The breakout healed. The dark mark stayed.
When inflammation ends but pigment remains, the answer is not automatically a stronger treatment. It is a smarter sequence. Victoria PIH Recovery™ combines acne and inflammation control, barrier-conscious medical skincare, tropical photoprotection and selected procedures, including Smart Picosecond when the balance of risk and benefit is right.
PIH Mapping assessment SCR 900 · deductible from your programme
PROGRAMMECalm · Control · Correct
FIRST STEPNot always a laser
SUPERVISIONDr. Eric Licea, MD
CONDITION
PIH
Flat brown to grey-brown marks after inflammation
PROGRAMME
5 phases
Calm, control, correct, protect, maintain
LASER ROLE
Selective
Adjunct in selected persistent cases, not automatic first-line
ASSESSMENT
SCR 900
Deductible from your programme
DARK MARK OR SCAR?
Many people searching for “acne scar treatment” actually have pigment, redness, texture or all three. Each one is mapped separately, because each one is treated differently.
PIGMENT
Flat brown, dark brown or grey-brown discoloration left after inflammation. The surface is usually smooth.
REDNESS
Red or pink marks are vascular and inflammatory rather than melanin-driven, and need a different strategy.
TEXTURE
A structural change: depression, indentation, tethering or a raised scar. Pigment treatment alone cannot correct it.
MIXED
Active acne, PIH, redness and true scars often coexist. Each component is mapped on its own.
Colour ≠ scar. Texture ≠ pigment. They should not be treated the same way.
WHAT DID YOUR ACNE LEAVE BEHIND?
A quick guide to the right pathway. Your PIH Mapping assessment confirms it, because many marks are mixed.
LIKELY PATHWAY
Victoria PIH Recovery™
Flat brown or grey marks after a breakout are usually pigment-dominant PIH. We calm the skin, control what is still inflamed, then correct and protect.
Book my PIH Mapping assessment (opens the booking system in a new tab)BREAKING THE INFLAMMATION → PIGMENT CYCLE
Inflammation can stimulate melanocytes to make and transfer more melanin. When the breakout, irritation or injury settles, that excess pigment can stay in the upper skin or deeper, leaving a persistent mark. If the trigger continues, new marks keep appearing while older ones are being treated.
Treating dark marks while inflammation keeps creating new ones is like mopping the floor while the tap is still running.
That does not mean waiting until every breakout has gone: acne treatment and pigment care often run together, and procedures are timed to how inflamed the skin is.
01Inflammation
02Excess melanin
03Persistent mark
Break the cycle
MORE THAN ACNE
Acne is the most common cause, but the same pigment response can follow many other triggers. It can occur in any skin tone and is more frequent and often longer-lasting in melanin-rich skin.
The fastest way to keep creating dark marks is to keep creating inflammation.
VICTORIA PIH MAPPING™
PIH Mapping looks at active inflammation, pigment pattern, colour and depth clues, skin type, barrier health, acne activity, previous procedures and previous PIH, with standardised photography so progress can be compared.
Don't chase the pigment while the skin is still creating it.
Book PIH Mapping™ (opens the booking system in a new tab)THE VICTORIA PIH RECOVERY™ FRAMEWORK
PIH treatment is not only about fading yesterday's mark. It is about preventing tomorrow's.
THE PROGRAMME IS THE PRODUCT
Calm the inflammation. Correct the pigment. Protect the result.
HOW PIH IS TREATED
Evidence supports a multimodal approach: control the acne early, treat the pigment with tolerable skincare, protect from light, and add procedures only where they earn their place.
A tolerable, consistent programme: acne-control therapy and pigment-modulating actives chosen for your skin. Prescriptions only after individual assessment.
A product that lightens pigment on paper can backfire if it irritates enough to trigger more PIH.
In Seychelles, part of the treatment. Broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapplication, shade and, where useful, tinted iron-oxide formulas for visible light.
The best sunscreen is the one you can tolerate and use every day.
Selected superficial peels can help as an adjunct, depending on acne activity, barrier, skin type, recent sun and PIH history.
The endpoint is controlled pigment improvement, not peeling for its own sake.
Considered for selected persistent PIH, usually when foundational care and trigger control have not done enough.
Response varies, and laser itself can provoke pigment.
SMART PICOSECOND · WHERE IT FITS
Published reviews support laser and energy-based devices as possible adjuncts for selected PIH, including resistant cases, but results vary and treatment-induced darkening can occur. In skin of colour, laser is generally positioned after or alongside topical care, not instead of it.
Picosecond pulses last trillionths of a second, but that does not mean “zero heat” or “safe for every skin type”. Wavelength, energy, spot size and endpoint are individualised.
WHEN TO CONSIDER LASER · ILLUSTRATIVE
TREATMENT INTEGRITY
MELANIN-RICH SKIN · INFLAMMATION-AWARE PIGMENT CARE
PIH affects melanin-rich skin more often and can last longer. The same biology that produced the mark means overly aggressive treatment can create another one.
The goal is not to attack pigment. It is to interrupt the inflammation → pigment cycle.
HAVE YOU MADE IT WORSE TRYING TO TREAT IT?
That does not automatically mean you need a stronger treatment. It may mean the skin needs reassessment. Sometimes the first step is to stop escalating, calm the skin and rebuild a plan it can tolerate.
Assess my treatment-induced pigmentation (opens WhatsApp in a new tab)ARE YOU A PIH RECOVERY CANDIDATE?
Medication history, pregnancy, breastfeeding and procedure-specific contraindications are always reviewed individually.
GOOD FIT
STABILISE FIRST
DIFFERENT PATHWAY
THE POST-ACNE DARK MARK PATHWAY
Five common situations, five different starting points.
Active acne + new dark marks
Control the acne and prevent new PIH while starting a tolerable pigment strategy.
Acne controlled + flat brown marks
The focus shifts to pigment correction and photoprotection.
Dark marks + red marks
Melanin-driven PIH and vascular redness are separated and treated on their own terms.
Dark marks + pitted scars
Pigment and structure are different problems, coordinated with Acne Scar Revision.
Worse after previous treatment
Barrier and inflammation are reassessed before any further procedure.
YOUR PIH RECOVERY JOURNEY
We track two things: how existing marks fade, and how many new ones appear. The plan escalates, simplifies or changes direction based on your response.
STEP 01
Separate PIH from redness, scars, melasma and other pigmentation.
STEP 02
Inflammation, distribution, skin tone, barrier, previous PIH and treatments, with baseline photography.
STEP 03
Treat active acne and triggers and reduce irritation, often alongside pigment care.
STEP 04
Tolerable medical skincare, with a peel or laser added when appropriate.
STEP 05
Broad-spectrum and, when suitable, visible-light protection.
STEP 06
Assess after any reaction settles before repeating or increasing treatment.
A REALISTIC TIMELINE
There is no universal timeline. Some marks persist for months or longer, especially deeper or repeatedly inflamed pigment.
EARLY PHASE
New inflammation is controlled and the routine becomes comfortable enough to follow.
FOLLOWING WEEKS
Marks may start to look less intense as treatment and protection continue.
FOLLOWING MONTHS
Persistent marks can keep improving gradually; deeper pigment takes longer.
PROCEDURAL REVIEW
Procedures are considered or adjusted on progress, never booked automatically.
After a procedure, temporary redness, warmth or a short-lived darkening of treated pigment can occur. Darkening is possible, not proof that treatment “worked”. Never pick or force flaking skin.
WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT?
Fewer new marks matter as much as fading the old ones.
WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE
WHAT WE WILL NOT PROMISE
PROGRAMMES & INVESTMENT
You are buying control, correction and prevention, not a pack of laser sessions. Programme prices are confirmed at your PIH Mapping assessment.
START
Diagnosis, active inflammation, scar versus pigment, barrier, photoprotection and your plan.
SCR 900
FOUNDATION
An 8 to 12 week phase of acne and inflammation control, medical skincare and photoprotection.
At assessment
RECOMMENDED
Foundation, progress reviews and selected adjunctive procedures when appropriate.
At assessment
ADVANCED
For persistent or mixed PIH and recurrent triggers, with staged reviews.
At assessment
PROCEDURAL
Peel, laser or a combination, priced by area only once candidacy is established.
At assessment
COMBINED
Pigment and structural scars planned together with Acne Scar Revision.
At assessment
OUR TREATMENT-INTEGRITY PROMISE
PIH Mapping exists to decide whether your next step should be acne control, barrier recovery, topical pigment therapy, photoprotection, a peel, laser, scar treatment, or simply more time with the right plan.
If your PIH needs less treatment, that is what we will recommend.
WHY VICTORIA AESTHETICS
Physician-supervised by Dr. Eric Licea, MD, in Mahé.
PIH, redness, melasma and acne scars are separated before treatment.
Prevent new marks while treating existing ones.
Tolerability and procedure-related pigment risk are built into the plan.
Laser is never used to replace basic disease control.
Peels and laser are tools within the programme, not the programme itself.
UV and visible light planned for life in Seychelles.
QUESTIONS
Not sure what type of mark you have? Send us a photo on WhatsApp and our clinical team will guide you to the right assessment.
Not necessarily. Flat brown or grey-brown marks are usually pigmentary, while acne scars involve a structural change in texture. Many patients have both.
Inflammation can stimulate excess melanin production. This tendency is especially common in melanin-rich skin and can be amplified by picking, irritation and light exposure.
Often both are addressed together, but controlling active acne is essential, because every new inflamed lesion can create another mark.
Some PIH fades gradually, but it can persist for months or longer, particularly in darker skin or after deeper or repeated inflammation.
Not automatically. In skin of colour, laser is generally an adjunctive or second-line option, because response is variable and treatment can itself provoke pigmentation.
It may have a role in selected persistent cases, depending on pigment depth, skin type, previous response and the protocol. It is not automatically first-line.
Selected superficial peels may help as an adjunct, but excessive irritation can worsen PIH. Peel choice and timing are individualised.
New inflammation, barrier disruption, too much treatment intensity, sun exposure or a different underlying diagnosis can contribute. Reassessment is more useful than automatically repeating treatment.
Yes. UV and visible light can worsen hyperpigmentation in skin of colour, so photoprotection is a core part of PIH treatment.
Tinted products containing visible-light-filtering pigments such as iron oxides can add protection that is relevant to hyperpigmentation in some patients.
More irritation can mean more PIH. A tolerable, consistent routine is usually better than layering several strong actives.
There is no universal timeline. Improvement is often gradual over weeks to months, and deeper or repeatedly inflamed pigment can take longer.
They are mapped separately. Pigment treatment improves colour, while structural scars may need subcision, fractional resurfacing or another scar-specific approach.
Yes. Any sufficiently inflammatory skin event, including a peel, laser or aggressive facial, can trigger PIH, especially in predisposed skin.
POST-ACNE DARK MARKS · PIH · SKIN OF COLOUR · MAHÉ, SEYCHELLES
Victoria Aesthetic & Wellness Clinic · Bel Etang Building, Hermitage Road, Mont Fleuri, Mahé, Seychelles
PIH MAPPING ASSESSMENT
SCR 900
INCLUDES
Medical disclaimer: Educational information only, not a substitute for individual diagnosis or medical advice. PIH treatment depends on the underlying inflammatory condition, pigment depth, skin type, barrier status and previous treatment. Prescription therapy and procedures have contraindications and risks; peels and laser can cause irritation, worsening pigmentation, lightening or other adverse effects. No programme can guarantee complete clearance, a fixed timeline, zero recurrence or zero treatment-related pigmentation.
CONTACT US
Your wellness journey is important to us. We believe in open communication and partnership with our patients. Share your experiences, ask questions, and let us know how we can best support you. We're always here to listen and provide the information you need.
You can make an appointment right now, or fill out the form and you'll receive an answer as soon as possible.
CLINIC ADDRESS
Bel Etang Building, Hermitage Road,
Mont Fleuri, Mahé, Seychelles
PHONE
+248 2 511 268
Call us+248 2 511 268
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VICTORIA AESTHETICS & WELLNESS CENTRE
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CLINIC HOURS
Monday–Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
General medical disclaimer: Educational content only — not medical advice, diagnosis, or a guarantee of individual outcomes. All treatments at Victoria Aesthetic & Wellness Clinic are offered under strict physician supervision, with individual assessment, informed consent, and documented follow-up.
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