Treat, Prevent, and Fade Hyperpigmentation Acne Scars
Today I would be talking about how to Treat, Prevent, and Fade Hyperpigmentation Acne Scars. How you can treat and prevent Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and what ingredients to use to treat PIH acne scarring. I had to do this post at the last minute to build a foundation for the next one, which I will mention at the end. I also have a few tips to share with you and hope you enjoy your time here. Another thing I would want to point out is that don't neglect your skin in your 30+s, because that is the time you get the toughest acne and toughest marks to get rid of. So I would recommend you to start treating your skin in your 20s+ if not earlier. So this post would help you in both anti-aging and spots. So read along on how to fade acne scars.☺
Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation
is the darkening of the skin in the form of patches or spots. These patches are
formed by excess melanin, the brown pigment that results in brown spots.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
PIH
is the red or brown marks or spots you get after your breakout. Your
acne is an inflammatory wound. So your skin adds melanin over it as a natural
occurrence to protect it.
PIH acne scars get darker for two reasons; either exposure to UV rays or deeper skin tones.
How to Prevent PIH
- Use a gentle cleanser
- Add retinol in your skincare routine
- Use a mild moisturizer (fewer add-ons, no fragrance)
- Use a good physical sunscreen
Prevention is better than treatment. You need to treat your active acne to prevent PIH.
How to Treat Hyperpigmentation and Acne Scars
- Start treating your scars from the time you get them
- Avoid UV rays
- Use products specific to acne scars
- Give your skin the time it needs
With the right products and time, you can lighten those dark spots. Use ingredients and products to prevent breakout and fade acne scars. Also, layer fewer products during your breakout to avoid further inflammation.
Eight Skincare Ingredients to Fade PIH Acne Scars
Use skincare ingredients to fade acne scars that intend to target lightening and reducing the production of the skin
pigment i.e. melanin. Below are the eight pigment inhibitors that fade PIH acne scars plus blemishes, melasma, atopic dermatitis, and shingles.
1. Vitamin A (Retinol or
Retinoids) – An active ingredient that increases skin cell turnover, evens out
pigmentation, treats acne, and is anti-aging.
2. Vitamin C – The most
powerful antioxidant that fades hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and especially
melasma. It also prevents the skin from UV damage and is anti-aging.
3. Alpha hydroxy acids
(AHAs) – Acids such as glycolic and lactic acids, exfoliate the outermost layer
of skin and evens out pigmented skin tone.
4. Arbutin – Prevents the
production of melanin.
5. Galactomyces (or
fermented yeast) – A gentle brightener and hydrator.
6. Snail mucin –
Brightener, hydrator, and anti-aging. (more in the next post)
7. Licorice – A gentle
brightener, and anti-aging.
8. Kojic acid – A gentle
brightener.
As all skin types are different, it is recommended to always carry out a patch test, especially for stronger ingredients.
Hyperpigmentation and acne scars take time to go away. And that is why I cannot emphasize it enough that you need to treat it on time and stay patient. I hope you enjoyed this post. If you did, Pin it, and share it. Check out my dedicated skincare board on Pinterest. The next couple of posts are also centered on skincare but after that, I intend to give this niche a little break and do a few posts on lifestyle and shopping. So let me know your thoughts and what you would like to see in the upcoming posts. Don’t forget to subscribe to my Blog for the latest content. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Thank you so much for being here. Stay safe. Bye! ❤
Related Posts:
This is great. I have been using brightening creams and serums from Korean brands and have just started trying Differin's Scar Gel. I have been getting facials specific to brightening, too. I think it's also a mix of trial and error.
ReplyDeleteS .x https://samsramblings91.blogspot.com/
it's definitely a mix of trial and error. Great to hear about your skin care. I also love K-beauty! <3
DeleteI think 'give it time' is such an important tip! Sometimes we want things to be fixed NOW and try our best to try and do that and in the process make it worse!
ReplyDeleteKatie | katieemmabeauty.com
Yea! I second that. Glad you liked it! <3
Deletei have a lot of redness and a few acne scars from my teen years. this post was very informative.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Hope it helps you! <3
DeleteI've suffered from acne for most of my life. Now that I treated it, I started using vitamin C. However, I still have some deep scars that I'm afraid to treat with lasers.. I hear that it is not always safe and efficient.
ReplyDeleteI also have a few pitted scars. And yes their treatment is fillers if not lasers. But the catch is that fillers also last a year or two so no point i think. Unless some dermatologist tells otherwise. But you could consult your case maybe. <3
ReplyDeleteVery informative, I don't think I have it but this has everything possible to deal with it. Thank you or sharing!
ReplyDeleteHehe, thanks for going through the girly stuff. You are lucky being of the opposite gender so you can't relate to that much! :D
DeleteThis is great info! I have very fair skin with freckles so every little spot shows. I knew about Vitamins A & C, but not the others. I will have to look more closely at ingredients next time. I'm actually terrible about cleansing and moisturizing daily so I need to get better at that too.
ReplyDeleteHeidi sweetheart, anytime you wanna directly ask me about products/ingredients etc you can, would help happily <3
DeleteThose are great tips - I used to have a bit of acné when I was young but it wasn't that bad :)
ReplyDeleteIts actually great when someone doesn't. skin life gets easier, lol. Glad you liked it! <3
DeleteLove this article! I only got acne in my late 20s and have no idea how to deal with the scars so this has been really useful, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it! <3
DeleteI thank God I don't have acne and haven't experienced since. But for hyperpigmentation, I have this especially on my under eyes. It's so annoying since I don't know how to make them look lighter. Now I know after reading this article! Gotta use a better cleanser and take more vitamins. THanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletewww.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Woah woah! That's lucky thank God. Try picking up eye cream also with any of the above ingredients. that could also help. <3
DeleteThis post is really informative, thank you. Hopefully with these tips and some patience, I'll be able to see some improvement!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do. Glad you found it helpful! <3
DeleteThis is such a helpful post! I didn't know retinol was good to use for acne!
ReplyDeleteDepends on how brands market them. Sometimes they want more focus on another key ingredient. But technically its a game changer, it will clear up acne, white spots, black spots, even pigmentation. <3
DeleteI've dealt with hyperpigmentation and acne for most of my life, so I've definitely run the gamut when it comes to trying to heal my skin. I've found that a combo of hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, and lavender/frankincense essential oils are really beneficial (obviously not ALL at once, most times). I also use less acne-targeted products because they can be too harsh. Instead, I use soothing products with lots of moisture! This post is full of great suggestions.
ReplyDeleteyea every skin type is different and works differently. Thanks for the love! <3
DeleteGreat post! I have a few acne scars, so this was post was really helpful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteglad you liked it! thanks <3
DeleteThe list of active ingredients is very useful, as it is first important to focus on active agents and than on brands.
ReplyDeletethere is only one active ingredient i.e. vit a, the rest are not to worry about. :) thanks for reading <3
DeleteThis was such an interesting read! I have had acne scars and found that retinol cleared out the most evident one a lot. i really want to try vitamin C as I know it's a great product for your skin. Thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeletethanks a lot for being here Christina! appreciate all the support! <3
DeleteThank you for sharing this information and recommendations. I don't have a lot of acne, but lately with the constant wearing of the mask I've been getting acne breakouts. Now I have black spots on my face. I'm in the process of looking for solutions. I knew about Vitamin C and Retinol. I have to make a choice because it is not recommended to use Retinol with Vitamin C. I have heard a lot about the virtues of Retinol so I will probably choose this solution. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteCorinne
Thanks a lot for being here Corinne. I can suggest you that you can use both. Retinol is a PM product and Vitamin C is a AM product. You can use vitamin c during the day and retinol before going to sleep. Vitamin c would be a great addition to remove early scarring. I did details on both in my previous post which i have linked under this post too with the name "the ordinary review". Hope that further helps. <3
DeleteI definitely deal with hyperpigmentation and struggle with treating it. I use vitamin C but will have to try retinol!
ReplyDeleteit always take time. I had a bad acne case. It took me 2 to 3 years to fix my skin. Thanks for being here <3
DeleteI currently have not added retinol to my regime but I am definitely going to. I struggle with acne scars also during and after breakouts.
ReplyDeletexo Erica
yea do what you fin dsuitable. thanks for being here <3
DeleteThis is such a helpful post, I have acne scars and I find it so hard to find products that help get rid of it so this was really helpful! X
ReplyDeleteglad you found it useful! thanks <3
DeleteVery interesting! I'm going through a retinol acne treatment right now so this is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing xx
ReplyDeletewww.lynnmumbingmejia.com
thanks for being here Lynn <3
DeleteReally great post that I know will help a lot of people who suffer with hyperpigmentation xx
ReplyDeleteglad you liked it! thanks for reading <3
DeleteI've been wearing SPF to help protect my skin a little during the day :) thank you for sharing these recommendations x
ReplyDeleteglad u liked them <3
DeleteI suffer with scaring from my spots and it is so upsetting to see sometimes. Thank you for sharing this information.
ReplyDeleteLauren
i hope it helps Lauren. Can you give me your blog link so i can check? <3
DeleteThis is a great post. I've been thinking about adding retinol into my routine, but I'm so worried about whether I'll purge and how bad it might be. I think it would probably be beneficial in the long run, though.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
thanks Irene I hope it helps! <3
ReplyDeleteWould you recommend me getting glutathione injections or chemical peel? Because my skin just doesn’t respond to any products and me being tired is an understatement 😯😯
ReplyDeleteMarilyn I would suggest that in case you feel clueless over what your skin wants then this would be your best time to see a dermatologist! Since I can't visibly see to suggest anything. But I would still say that injections could be too strong a dose for you, if without consultancy. Go for it if the dermatologist suggests. I would say the safer option in your case is Vitaminc C, you can decide between high concentration or low. Also chemical peels are glycolic acid usually. So just get products with AHA in them, again high and low concentrations available. Keep it simple. I hope this helps. And thanks for reading <3
DeleteThis is so informative. I’ve recently gotten into skin care and I’ve learned so much from your post so thank you a lot for sharing 💫 Will definitely keep this as a to-read often to remember taking care of specific skin issues.
ReplyDeleteZinelr, xx
thanks a lot zinelr that this could help. glad to know <3
DeleteThis is a very informative post with great suggestions. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletethank you Jodie. glad you liked it! <3
DeleteThe past few years my skin has changed and I seem to have scarring after spots and it takes a while for them to fade. I have been using some vitamin c oil. Thank you for sharing these other suggestions.
ReplyDeleteLauren Bournemouthgirl.com
Thanks a lot for your link and for reading. I hope this helps. <3
ReplyDeleteI love this. I was looking for some ideas on how to combat hyperpigmentation. I have ugly acne scars that I want to get rid of.
ReplyDeletei hope this helps you Tangela! thanks for reading <3
DeleteGreat advice. I've been used lots of Korean serums and including cica for calming and adding in more retinol.
ReplyDeleteSarah
www.volubleblogger.com
thanks a lot for reading. same here i get their products only too. <3
DeleteHyperpigmentation is a common issue and I personally suffer with acne scars- but these are great tips! Thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeletethanks Eleanor you liked them. Hope these help. <3
ReplyDeleteThis was such an informative post! I have started using Vitamin C serum and can already see a huge difference after a couple of months on my skin, need to try retinol out. As you said time and patience are keys! x
ReplyDeletethank you for reading Christina. It does take time no doubt. <3
DeleteThis is great information! I’ve been trialing some products to lighten dark spots and hoping to find something that helps. Thanks for sharing the ingredients I need to look for.
ReplyDeletethank you so much. Glad you liked it. <3
DeleteI went through hell treating my cystic acne when I was in my mid- to late teens. It left me with a number of scars that I've had various treatments for (luckily nothing too numerous or serious considering the severity of the acne I had). I haven't used anything specific on them as it's been so ling but I should probably look into using something for them. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteanything that you like to pick and do for yourself, glad it helped Molly. thanks for reading. <3
DeleteGreat tips! I've been trying to tackle PIH. Licorice, Vit C, and Snail Mucin are some of my fave skincare ingredients. Recently, I've added Retinoids to my PM routine too.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I've been trying to tackle PIH. Licorice, Vit C, and Snail Mucin are some of my fave skincare ingredients. Recently, I've added Retinoids to my PM routine too.
ReplyDelete