In fact, people often call it "pseudo scarring" because although it leaves a mark on the skin for a while, it does not damage the follicle.
True acne scars occur when there is either a loss of tissue, causing a pitted or depressed area, or an overgrowth of tissue leaving a raised scar. PIH, on the other hand, is flat. It's not pitted or raised, simply darker than the surrounding skin.
The good news is that PIH can fade away over time, even without treatment. But time is the operative word here. It can take three to 24 months for PIH to disappear entirely, or even longer in some cases. The length of time it takes for PIH to fade depends on how dark the spot is compared to the surrounding skin. The bigger the contrast between the dark area and your natural skin tone, the longer it will take to fade.
PIH doesn't always fade away on its own. In some cases, it's more or less permanent. Some treatments will help. Some may not wholly erase dark marks, but they might at least lighten them considerably. Therapy can also help speed up fade time if you're not keen to wait for spots to lighten naturally. Over-the-counter OTC products can help fade more subtle marks. However, for deeper marks or those that have been around for a long time, a prescription cream might be a better choice.
Your dermatologist has a lot of products that can do the trick. If you beat acne, you'll also stop developing hyperpigmentation. So clearing acne is an essential step in controlling PIH. Whatever treatment option you choose, understand that improvement will take time. Alpha hydroxy acids , especially glycolic acid , are a good starting point for treatment. Alpha hydroxy acids AHAs help speed up the skin's natural exfoliation process, which can help improve the look of PIH.
You can find these ingredients in many OTC "brightening" treatments. In addition, leave-on treatments like lotions, creams, and gels will give you better results than wash-off products like cleansers. Other OTC ingredients that can help fade hyperpigmentation include:.
More potent AHA treatments are available with a prescription. AHAs are often used as anti-aging treatments too and will leave your skin soft and smooth. Hydroquinone is a widely used treatment for PIH. Hydroquinone works by blocking the enzyme responsible for melanin production, thereby lightening the skin. These creams often contain additional lightening ingredients, which can give you better results than using hydroquinone alone. Ingredients combined with hydroquinone include:.
Hydroquinone may cause skin irritation for some people, so it's worth talking to your healthcare provider before beginning this type of treatment.
Dermatologists often prescribe topical retinoids to treat acne. That's because retinoids help clear acne by speeding up cell turnover rates. This rapid exfoliation can also help fade PIH. Retinoid creams include:. An added benefit of retinoids is that they lessen PIH as they treat acne breakouts.
Except for Differin, these medications are available by prescription only. Like with other treatments, it may take several weeks to several months to see noticeable results. When using these treatments, be on the lookout for excessive dryness, redness, and irritation, as this can trigger PIH on its own.
Azelaic acid is another medication used to treat acne and PIH. Typically, dark skin requires more treatments. Because dark skin is more prone to produce pigment, we reduce the amount of energy for each treatment. If you decide to take time off work, you can schedule your procedures before a weekend or take a few days off. After your treatment, have your sunscreen ready.
Laser treatments work at a deep level to leave you with beautiful smooth skin, and Rejuvapen delivers great results at a fraction of the cost. Contact us to discover the best choice for your skin! While there are many different ways to treat your skin, you should only entrust the process to an experienced professional trained in caring for skin problems. Keeping … Read More. Acne Marks vs. Acne Scars Most pimples leave behind evidence.
What Causes Acne Scars? First, see what general type of scar you have. Is it: Depressed — Goes down into the skin Raised — Rises from the skin Discolored — Lighter, darker, or redder than your skin tone Once you know the category of the scar, identify the specific type. Here are the three specific kinds: Rolling Scars Rolling scars are broad depressions with sloping edges. Because the edges are rolling, these scars respond great to treatment.
Boxcar scars These scars also left broad depressions in the skin, but the edges of the scar are sharply defined. Ice Pick Scars These deep, narrow scars often look like an open, enlarged pore, or an ice-pick wound.
Raised Scars If you have a raised scar, you likely had a cyst there before. There are three categories of discoloration — and treatment options for each! The Best Acne Scar Treatment Scars form because collagen fills in damaged skin areas in a column pattern that mimics the wound.
Rejuvapen for Acne Scars The most cost-efficient treatment is the Rejuvapen for acne scars. Laser Treatment for Acne Scars Our second primary treatment, the Icon Laser, offers patients the best results for smoother skin. When a lesion gets popped or opened up some other way, the skin has to close back together and cover up the depression.
Often, the skin that closes over the wound changes color, texture, or tone. In other cases, the broken blood vessels from a popped lesion leave a mark on your skin. Sorting through the numerous acne treatments available can be frustrating and overwhelming. Our team of licensed skin care professionals have been helping patients treat both active acne outbreaks and the scarring that can result from lesions.
Learn more about the variety of treatments available. Popping your pimples is the surest ways to develop a scar. Touching, poking, or picking at a lesion adds more oil to the skin and causes deeper trauma — both of which increase your risk of scarring. And trust us, we know how hard it can be to resist popping a zit.
So do whatever you have to to keep yourself from putting that pimple out of its misery. Sadly, even when you practice the hands-off policy, you can still sometimes get scars. Factor 1: Genetics: For some people, scarring is simply in the genes. Ayodele agrees, adding that "the earlier this is done the better, as it's much more challenging to treat old scars. If your scars aren't severe, a chemical peel could be a wise option. What's more, at-home peels have come a long way in recent years, and there are now plenty of excellent options that work on renewing the skin surface, reducing the depth and intensity of acne scarring.
Opt for a pre-soaked pad for ease of use, or try a toner-style resurfacing liquid. These iconic swipe-and-go peel pads have hordes of beauty experts enamoured. Now, there's a version for the whole body , too. Once you've tried and loved Dr. Gross' legendary peel pads , graduate to this in-clinic strength peel.
It's highly potent, so don't apply on skin that hasn't met an acid before. If you don't get on with the go-to exfoliating acid, glycolic as a lot of sensitive types don't consider Medik8's clever new launch. It uses poly-hydroxy-acids, which have larger molecules than AHAs, and so work only on the surface to gently exfoliate without irritation. Rich in humectants, it'll hydrate too.
If you're looking for a quick and affordable fix, it's worth it. When it comes to brightening dark hyperpigmentation, vitamin C should be a key weapon in your skincare arsenal. Exuviance's potent vitamin C formula comes encapsulated within single-portion pods, meaning the actives stay potent until the moment they meet your skin. According to Ayodele, a chemical peel is also a great way to fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, as "it will help the skin to exfoliate quickly and fade the discolouration.
Consider a low-dose at-home product designed for sensitive skin, such as Dr. A poly-hydroxy-acid is also a good, gentle alternative to the often-used glycolic acid, as its larger molecule size means penetration into the skin is reduced.
Containing both salicylic and glycolic acids, this one fades lingering scars while also treating active breakouts. These microdart plasters send a concentrated blend of tranexamic acid, liquorice extract and niacinamide — three stellar ingredients for fading scars — straight to the centre of post-inflammatory pigmentation. Skincare doesn't get much more to-the-point. Tranexamic acid is the industry's newest buzzword, famed for its pigmentation-fading powers. This is the best budget option.
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