Signs your skin is improving (even if you're not clear yet!) - The Treatment Room

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Treatment Room – “Signs your skin is improving (even if you're not clear yet!)”
Host: Tessa Zolli
Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, licensed esthetician and acne specialist Tessa Zolli encourages listeners by identifying concrete signs that their skin is becoming healthier, even if they are still experiencing some breakouts. She tackles the emotional rollercoaster of acne journeys, dispelling misconceptions about healing timelines and emphasizing the importance of celebrating incremental progress. Tessa draws from her expertise (and personal experience) to help clients recognize wins beyond simply having a completely clear complexion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Skin Healing is Nonlinear

Clearing acne is a process, not a quick fix.
Progress is not always linear; there will be ups and downs due to the complex nature of skin.
Patience and consistency are critical: “It’s not Amazon Prime. It’s not clear at the touch of a button.” (Tessa, 01:31)

2. Sign 1: Breakouts Happen Less Frequently

A reduction in how often new breakouts occur is a major indicator of improvement.
Acne-prone individuals may still periodically break out, but over time, breakouts should become less frequent and less severe.
Skin congestion takes up to 90 days to surface, so instant results are unrealistic:

“Did you know it can take up to 90 days for congestion to surface in the skin?” (Tessa, 04:18)
Celebrate even small reductions in breakout frequency.

3. Sign 2: Skin Heals Faster

Faster healing time for pimples and reduced lingering pigment or cysts signals improved barrier health.
Improved healing means the skin is getting the nutrients and support it needs.
Treating acne isn’t just about clearing pimples—it’s about strengthening the skin so it can heal itself:

“Acne is actually trauma to the skin.” (Tessa, 07:25)

4. Sign 3: Confidence Increases

Clients start to feel less self-conscious and more comfortable in their skin.
Small shifts, like enjoying makeup for fun instead of as a necessity, signal progress:

“That small shift from just feeling like you have to use makeup as a crutch... to just reaching for makeup because you want to feel fun... is such a subtle but powerful sign of progress and we need to celebrate it.” (Tessa, 09:44)
Clients may become less preoccupied with checking their skin or feel more at ease in social situations.

5. Sign 4: You Can Travel Without a Skin “Meltdown”

Healthy skin becomes more resilient to changes in environment, routine, or travel stressors.
Practical tips: Bring your own clean pillowcases, use gentle detergents, maintain nutrition and sleep, and stick to your skincare routine.
Client milestone:

“When a client says, ‘I traveled the other weekend... and for some reason [my skin] didn’t [break out] this time'—that is a sign we’ve gotten it clearer and we’ve gotten it stronger.” (Tessa, 13:26)

6. Sign 5: Skin Is Less Oily or Dry

Improved skin balance; less excessive oiliness or dryness during the day.
Achieving a “middle ground” in skin texture signals progress.

7. Sign 6: Smoother Texture and More Even Tone

Noticeable improvements in skin smoothness and reduced red marks, even if some acne remains.
Signs that the skin is repairing itself and hydration is improving.

8. Sign 7: Less Irritation and Sensitivity

Many mistake sensitized (compromised) skin for naturally sensitive skin.
Improved barrier health means less redness, stinging, or product reactivity.
Ability to tolerate actives increases with barrier repair:

“If you feel like, you know, you are struggling to use acne treatments because your barrier is in shambles... work with someone who can help build up your barrier and help introduce the right active for you in a gentle way.” (Tessa, 19:13)

9. Sign 8: Skin Feels Softer and Plumper

Hydrated, softer, plumper skin needing less moisturizer reapplication shows improved health.
Hydrated skin has more light reflection and fewer signs of flakiness or dullness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On expectations:
“It is not going to be that as soon as you start the program, you are clear. But what you will notice is over time, the breakouts are happening less and less often...” (Tessa, 05:18)
On acne and emotional wellbeing:
“When I was struggling with my skin...I couldn’t enjoy, you know, an hour at dinner, I couldn’t enjoy a day at a pool party...without running to the bathroom to check my skin.” (Tessa, 10:37)
On barrier health:
“It’s not just about treating acne, it’s also about treating barrier health.” (Tessa, 21:15)
On actives and irritation:
“The first active I ever tried was a mid strength tretinoin. And was my skin ready for that? No...My barrier was not healthy enough.” (Tessa, 18:25)

Timestamps of Key Segments

00:40–03:00: The acne journey and why it’s not linear
03:01–06:20: Frequency of breakouts and what improvement looks like
06:21–08:00: Faster healing and what it means for skin health
08:01–12:20: The impact on confidence and enjoyment of makeup
12:21–14:05: Travel and skin resilience
14:49–17:10: Signs of balanced oil/dryness, improved texture, and tone
17:11–21:40: Sensitivity, irritation, actives, and overall skin softness/plumpness

Tone & Language

Tessa is positive, supportive, and reassuring. She interweaves personal anecdotes and humor (“It’s not Amazon Prime!”) with practical advice. Her approach is empathetic, demystifying the complexities of skin health for both professionals and acne sufferers.

Conclusion

This episode empowers listeners to notice and celebrate their skin’s improvements beyond just “getting clear.” Through relatable stories and actionable tips, Tessa reframes progress, emphasizing the importance of skin barrier health, healing timelines, and emotional wellbeing throughout the acne journey. Fans are encouraged to reach out for one-on-one coaching if they seek more personalized support.

Transcript

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Tessa Zolli (0:40)

Hello, guys. Welcome back to the Treatment Room podcast. I'm your host, Tessa Zolli, licensed esthetician, acne specialist and nutrition coach. I specialize in coaching my clients all virtually and getting them the clear skin of their dreams. So in today's episode, I wanted to talk about signs that your skin is improving even if you are not 100% clear just yet. So with clearing acne, this can be a process. It's definitely not an overnight thing. I try to be really honest, very real, very upfront, very transparent with my clients that we are embarking on a little bit of a journey. It's probably not going to be 100% linear progress all the time. There may be ups and downs, and that is just because we are treating an organ. This is, you know, our skin, it's our body. It's complex. It's not Amazon Prime. It's not clear at the touch of a button. And in today's modern world, most things are. So that can be really difficult when the thing you want most is not something you can attain super, super quickly. So I want to talk to you guys about some signs that you are on the right track to keep you encouraged. Even if it's not 100% perfect yet, try to keep giving it time, stay patient, stay consistent, trust the process and we will get there. But let's talk about some signs that your skin is getting clearer and healthier. The first one being that your breakouts are starting to happen less frequently. And that might sound super obvious, but it's not always obvious, especially when new clients are very excited and optimistic. This happens often. Even though I give my whole spiel, I let the client know how acne works. It starts with a plug in that hair follicle due to excess skin cells, maybe up to a billion skin cells, combining with oil and bacteria plugging that pore. We inherited that tendency, that predisposition to being acne prone. But for some reason, when we start a Program. Sometimes we are confused when we still happen to get a breakout in the second week of said program. And you know, people come to me and ask, is this normal? Yes, unfortunately it is very normal because we are acne prone and we are not curing acne. Acne will still happen, but especially at the start of this process when we're working on the barrier health, we're not using Actives consistently just yet. We probably have quite a few triggers to get under control. This takes time. Did you know it can take up to 90 days for congestion to surface in the skin? So even if day one of the program you were completely, you know, on top of all your lifestyle changes, all your nutrition changes, say you started using your Actives and, and still you could have breakouts because it takes time to clear out that retentive matter. So it's not going to be that. As soon as you start the program, you are clear. But what you will notice is over time, the breakouts are happening less and less often and probably they are less and less severe. So if you used to notice you woke up with a new friend or every other morning, or once a week, you are noticing new breakouts. With time, with the right treatment, you are probably going to notice this frequency starts to become maybe twice a month, then it's once a month and less and less after that. So this is a huge sign that your skin is starting to clear. We're starting to reduce all that buildup in the follicle and it's definitely something to celebrate. Celebrate all the little wins that will keep you encouraged through this process. And remember, when you get a breakout, it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean your plan isn't working. It doesn't mean it's not right. It is just part of the process. And believe me, I can say this all day and then if I get a breakout, I need to remind myself of the same thing. Sometimes it just happens because we are acne prone and sometimes it's not necessarily a sign that anything is wrong, it's just normal and it should hopefully become less and less over time. So celebrate that. The second sign is that your skin heals faster. So cysts and stubborn pigment can be very, very bothersome because they just linger. One thing to deal with a pimple for a couple of days, but when it is lingering for weeks and months on end, that could actually be a sign that we need more nutrients, we need more hydration, we need more support for your barrier health so that your skin can recover Faster. So when you do start a program, and even if you're still having some occasional breakouts, but you're telling me, you know, I still am getting a couple of breakouts, but I'm noticing they heal so much faster, the pigment doesn't linger, and I'm not getting as large of cysts anymore. This is a great sign that your skin has the right nutrients, hydration and care to thrive. And there is a misconception in treating acne that it's just about treating acne, but it's actually also about supporting the skin barrier, supporting skin health so that your skin can heal and recover from trauma, because acne is actually trauma to the skin. Okay. Sign number three is that your confidence is growing, even in subtle ways. And this is the cutest. I notice this sometimes that in the initial meeting, you know, a client is so shy and self conscious, they can barely look in the camera, or they're looking in the camera, but they will look at themselves rather than me. Because they're checking their skin, they're self conscious. Even though I see everything, I'm. And I'm here for you, I'm here to support you. I am never judging you. I can tell people are self conscious. And as the program goes on, as we treat your skin with time, I love seeing that confidence of not thinking as much about what I'm seeing when you are on a FaceTime. I can even tell when clients take their check in pictures. I can see that cheeky little smile. I can see the light coming back into your eyes, and that genuinely makes me so, so happy. Something I also love hearing is that you feel like you are wearing makeup for fun, not because you have to. And that is something I relate to so much. When I was struggling with my skin and I just had so many closed comedones, so many tiny breakouts covering my forehead and my cheeks. I couldn't enjoy, you know, an hour at dinner, I couldn't enjoy a day at a pool party, anything like that, without having it subconsciously ingrained in me to run to the bathroom to check my skin. And it was compulsive. Like, I wanted to check and check and check and cover and cover and cover. Like, even if there was nothing there, I would reapply. And I was so fearful that somebody would notice my skin and see texture and see bumps, see acne, because it feels like if they can see that, they can see my flaws. And it feels very vulnerable, especially if you were just getting to know somebody, but you can definitely even still feel that way. Around some of your closest friends and family members. So that small shift from just feeling like you have to use makeup as a crutch and you have to hide and camouflage to just reaching for makeup because you want to feel fun, you feel like putting it on, that is such a subtle but powerful sign of progress and we need to celebrate it. But I completely understand when my clients come to me and, you know, they almost feel guilty about wearing makeup and there's absolutely makeup we can wear when we are acne prone. That is important. That's something I help all of my clients with. I'm a big advocate for mineral makeup because it is a healthy way to enjoy makeup that does not congest your skin. But I always say tinted moisturizer is the goal. Sign number four. This is also very personally relevant to me. Sign number four is that you can actually travel without having a skin meltdown. So who can relate to this? I used to feel when I was in the pits with my acne, I used to feel like, oh, I don't want to go anywhere because book a flight, I might as well book five new breakouts. I might as well book my skin barrier falling apart. And I just used to think that was kind of normal. Annoying, but normal for me. And it really isn't. It is a sign that your skin is very weak and it's very congested. And with healthy skin, we want it to be resilient. We want it to be able to withstand mild changes. So when we travel, you know, your climate changes, maybe the water you're using changes, your sleep schedule, your circadian rhythm, your nutrition, maybe the chemicals or laundry supplies you are exposed to on sheets and towels. A lot of things can change, but your skin should be able to handle some small changes while still looking and feeling strong and balanced. And this involves both having a plan for clearing out congestion and keeping the barrier really strong and healthy. I do always encourage my clients to try to stay on track back with their nutrition and their healthy lifestyle changes as much as possible because there are going to be some elements that we can't control. So especially if you are just starting your acne journey and you are traveling, it's important to try to keep things as consistent as you can. Maybe bring your own clean pillowcases that do not use bleach or heavy fragrance in the laundry. I like to recommend free and clear acne friendly detergent. Make sure when you are eating, you're going out for a meal. Still try to prioritize your acne friendly proteins. First, try to get greens and fiber and healthy fats when you can, knowing there might be some meals that are not totally perfect, but we just try to do our best when we can. Still try to get quality sleep, still gets seven to eight hours of sleep, even if it means changing your bedtime. But all of these little things, even finding ice at the hotel when you can to keep icing your breakouts and of course not skipping your skincare routine just because you're traveling or you're on holiday. Stay consistent with as much as possible. But I love this compliment that. Well, it's a compliment to me. They probably don't even think of it that way. But when a client says, you know, I travel the other weekend and it was so crazy, I'm used to my face falling apart and just breaking out non stop. But for some reason it didn't this time and again that is a sign. We've gotten it clearer and we've gotten it stronger. So it can handle travel, it can handle you living your life. Because you should be able to this holiday.