In a bright, quiet room at SKNN Bencao in Green Hills, 17-year-old Jillian sits across from Dr. Eleanor Piroquel. She is recounting a year-long battle that has played out not just on her skin, but in dermatology clinics, hormone tests, and the relentless pressure of being a high-achieving student. Her story is one shared by millions of teens, yet her search for a cure has led her down a less-traveled path: the world of herbal skin restoration.
This is Part 2: Skin Analysis—Unang Hakbang ng Paggaling—and it’s more than a consultation. It’s a detective story, where the clues are stress levels, hormonal shifts, and a skin’s own silent language. It’s where modern medicine’s limitations meet ancient wisdom’s promise.
The Perfect Storm: Stress, Hormones, and Breaking Skin
Jillian’s acne appeared like an unwelcome guest in November. “It worsened in November last year,” she recalls. The trigger? A perfect storm of adolescence. She was deep into a radio broadcasting competition, shouldering academic pressure at a school with strict grade requirements (a 2.75 minimum to compete), and navigating the social-emotional whirlwind of being 17.
“I guess the biggest factor was that I was removed from that competition because of my academics,” Jillian shares, the disappointment still palpable. Dra. Elinor Tee Roquel nods knowingly. “Our skin can’t lie. For example, you saw your crush and you blushed… It will come out.” The mind-skin connection is the first pillar of her diagnosis. Stress, she explains, isn’t a mere abstraction; it’s a physiological event that compromises the skin’s immune barrier, making it reactive and vulnerable.
The Conventional Carousel: Treatments That Didn’t Stick
Jillian’s journey mirrors a common, frustrating cycle. She first went to a dermatology clinic in Makati for 12 sessions over several months. The results were fleeting—clear skin for a month, then a rebound, especially before her period. This pattern pointed to hormones. An OB-GYN visit suggested possible Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and she was prescribed Diane pills.
Seeking more aggressive intervention, a second dermatologist put her on Isotretinoin, a powerful but often harsh medication known for causing an initial “purge.” The acne persisted. “What’s good about that is, I think it complies, but it comes back,” Dra. Roquel observes diplomatically. “It comes back and comes back.” The message is clear: suppressing symptoms without fortifying the skin’s foundation is a temporary fix.
A New Paradigm: Herbal Restoration as Foundation-Building
Enter the core philosophy of SKNN Bencao: Herbal Restoration. Dra. Roquel doesn’t dismiss Jillian’s previous treatments. Instead, she frames herbal care as the essential groundwork those treatments lacked.
“We will use herbal materials to bring your natural skin back to its glory days… We start from the skin immunity so that your skin has a fight.”
This approach is revolutionary in its simplicity. The goal isn’t to bombard the skin with strong actives, but to restore its natural resilience. By using gentle, plant-based formulations, the skin’s barrier is repaired, its microbiome balanced, and its innate ability to heal is revived. “So that, if you go back to our dermatologists, whatever they want to do, your skin will accept it. It won’t be shocked anymore.” Herbal care, here, is not an alternative, but a prerequisite.
The AI Witness: Documenting the Journey with Technology
Bridging tradition and technology, Dra. Roquel introduces the AI Skin Analyzer. This isn’t just a fancy camera; it’s an objective witness. It gathers detailed skin data, grading Jillian’s condition against peers her age. “This will tell a story about your skin, a story that it cannot deny,” Dra. Roquel explains.
This tool serves two purposes: First, it creates a baseline, documenting the “before” with cold, hard data. Second, it will measure progress in future sessions, turning subjective improvement into quantifiable results. It’s a commitment to evidence, aligning with Dra. Roquel’s background as a “laboratory doctor.”
Flavon Pro: The Internal Ally
The discussion seamlessly integrates internal wellness with topical care. The spotlight turns to Flavon Pro, a supplement made from yerba buena, moringa, lagundi, and a high concentration of vitamin C. It’s touted for benefits supporting the liver, heart, and mind, and for reducing bodily inflammation. Crucially, the segment includes a mandatory disclaimer: “Flavon Pro is not a medicine and it should not be used in the treatment of any disease.” This highlights the clinic’s careful navigation of wellness promotion within regulatory boundaries. The product represents the holistic belief that clear skin starts from within, nurtured by natural, locally-sourced botanicals.
The First Step of Healing: Understanding
As the session concludes, the real treatment hasn’t even begun. The “Unang Hakbang ng Paggaling” (First Step of Healing) has been achieved: comprehensive understanding. Jillian’s acne has been contextualized—not as a standalone flaw, but as a manifestation of stress, hormonal flux, and immune response.
Dra. Roquel ends with gentle, maternal advice: “Don’t pinch it, okay? Because it’s just a little bit. Actually, it’s already beautiful.” It’s a poignant moment that reframes the entire interaction. This isn’t just about eradicating pimples; it’s about restoring a young woman’s sense of self and teaching her skin to be strong again.
Jillian’s journey, now documented and understood, is ready to move from analysis to action. Her path forward is one of collaboration—between her and her skin, between modern analysis and ancient herbs, between the struggles of being 17 and the hope of feeling clear and confident in her own skin. The healing, truly, has begun.#
