How Long Acne Marks Last: Red vs. Brown, Tracked in Monthly Photos

6 sourcesLarge or systematic studies 1Small or observational studies 3Medical societies & agencies 2Reviewed Oct 1, 2026Next review Apr 1, 2027See sources Evidence criteria

Acne marks can last from a few months to more than a year, so take one photo a month under the same conditions and use those photos to see how quickly the color is getting lighter.

Two hands in yellow knit sleeves holding a phone in a pale yellow case upright by a window with a sheer curtain

Item	Detail	Basis
How common	58.2% of 324 acne patients in seven Asian countries had dark marks after acne	2016 PMID 26813513 · B
How long	In the same survey, at least half lasted a year or longer, and 22.3% lasted 5 years or more	2016 PMID 26813513 · B
Who squeezed	69.0% of 262 acne patients in the Middle East said they picked at or squeezed their acne	2019 PMID 30426810 · B
What to log	The facial area, too much sun, and squeezing or scratching were risk factors	2021 PMID 34880967 · B
Sun check standard	A sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher is advised	Korean Dermatological Association, melasma page · institution

Why take photos only once a month?

Color does not lighten fast enough for your eyes to pick up a change over a few days. In a 2020 trial (PMID 32478879) that exposed the arms of 33 women to blue light, the pigment that formed had still not returned to its starting level after 28 days, and the Korean Dermatological Association, a professional society in Korea, says dark marks after acne can last a year or longer.

A glass hourglass in the middle of a yellow background, with sand from the top running down in a thin stream and building a small mound below — Changes over a few days are hard to see, so the photos are spaced a month apart.

Why do chin and cheek marks linger longer than other spots?

We found no study comparing speed between areas, but a 2021 study (PMID 34880967) named the facial area, sun, and squeezing or scratching as risk factors. If you rest your chin in your hand during class or touch your cheek while on the phone, mark it in that month’s row.

How long before back acne marks look lighter?

There is no timing data for the back on its own, so, as with your face, collect photos taken a month apart for several months and compare them. Set up two mirrors facing each other or ask someone at home to help, and use the same pose each time so the months line up.

Acne mark calendar

Month	Photo day	Days you wore sunscreen	Days you touched or squeezed
Start	Evening of the 1st, after washing
Month 1	Evening of the 1st	/30	/30
Month 2	Evening of the 1st	/30	/30
Month 3	Evening of the 1st	/30	/30
Month 6	Evening of the 1st	/30	/30

We found no evidence comparing how fast red marks and brown marks lighten, so the two colors get separate columns. Flag any month that included a summer vacation or an outdoor field day.

Four rose petals in a row on a yellow background, going from deep pink to a dry pale beige — Only when photos taken a month apart sit side by side can you see the color slowly wash out.

When is it time to show your photos to a dermatologist?

If the surface of a mark starts to look sunken in your photos, have a dermatologist check whether it is a scar.
If the color and number of marks stay the same for more than 3 months, bring your calendar photos to a dermatology visit.
If brown patches spread widely, even to places where you never had acne, it could be a different pigment condition, so get it checked at a clinic.

Two square clay tiles on a yellow background; the left one is stained pale pink in the center and the right one is pressed in — Marks with only color left and sunken marks are handled differently, so once you see a dip, have it checked at a clinic.

Evidence behind this calendar

A 2016 survey of 324 acne patients in seven Asian countries (PMID 26813513) found that 58.2% had dark marks after acne and 22.3% had them for 5 years or more.
A 2019 survey of 262 acne patients in the Middle East (PMID 30426810) found pigmentation in 87.2%, and 52.6% said it lasted a year or longer.
The Korean Dermatological Association advises using a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher (in its explanation of melasma).

Frequently asked questions

Why do marks on the chin and cheeks last longer than other areas?

We did not find a study in our sources that compared how fast marks lighten by body area. A 2021 study of risk factors for dark marks after acne (PMID 34880967) named the facial area, too much sun, and squeezing or scratching. If you tend to rest your chin in your hand or touch your cheeks, mark that on your calendar too.

How are old acne marks treated at a dermatologist's office?

First, have a dermatologist check whether it is a mark that has only color left or a scar with a sunken surface. The approach is decided at the visit after looking at your skin, so bringing several months of calendar photos makes it easier to show how long the mark has looked the same.

How long do back acne marks take to fade?

We did not find timing data that looked at the back on its own. In a 2016 survey of 324 acne patients in seven Asian countries (PMID 26813513), at least half of dark marks after acne lasted a year or longer. For your back, too, take a photo of the same spot once a month and compare over several months.