Hey Emeljine, 😍

First of all, I wanna thank you for your support and also thank you for this wonderful question. 

Unfortunately, acne is a reality that many of us face. Even worse, after the acne breakout has cleared up, it still manages to leave behind those pesky marks that just won’t seem to go away (because clearly, we weren’t tortured enough by the breakout).

To whoever said acne stops after puberty, please come out... I wanna have a lil chat.  👀

The good news is, there are certain things you can add into your skincare routine to help with most post-acne spots. Let’s talk about the 3 types of acne scars: 

Dark scars (PIH - Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation)

As the name suggests, this type of acne scarring refers to the dark spots that you may have after an acne spot has healed. These scars will fade away by themselves with time; however, you can help with this process by incorporating certain ingredients into your skincare routine. 

Look for products that contain skin-brightening ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, kojic acid, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid and arbutin. You should also look for products with retinoids to speed up cellular turnover, which will help the skin cells in your acne scars to renew faster.

Red scars (PIE - Post Inflammatory Erythema)

Sometimes acne can damage the capillaries underneath your skin. These damaged capillaries can cause red marks on your skin after the acne spots have subsided. 

Look for products that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients such as niacinamide, aloe vera, willow bark extract and green tea extract. It’s also important to protect your skin barrier and acid mantle by providing your skin with hydration. To do this, look for humectants like hyaluronic acid or glycerin.

For both PIH and PIE, you can incorporate Face Foam, Aloe Milk Cleanser and Fullmoon Serum into your skincare routine to help lighten up those spots. These products include several of the beneficial skin brightening and anti-inflammatory ingredients that we’ve just discussed.

However, there’s a third type of scarring that’s a bit more tricky to deal with:

Indented scars (ice pick scars, box scars, rolling scars) 

These scars are the worst! And also the most annoying to deal with.

Unlike the two previous types, this type of scar doesn’t affect the tone and colour of your skin. Instead, it affects the texture. It varies from person to person, but these scars typically run deep, leaving behind indentations within your skin.

Unfortunately, topical skincare products won’t help much with these scars. You’d have to consult with a dermatologist or aesthetician to discuss different procedures to deal with them. Some options include dermarolling, chemical peels, laser or microneedling. I can’t stress this enough, but DO NOT attempt any of these treatments at home, as you can easily end up damaging your skin. Be sure to consult a professional!

A final tip for any type of acne scar: Protect your skin from UV damage, which can exacerbate the issue! Don’t spend too much time under the sun, wear protective clothing when you go outside and always use an SPF. 

Last but not least, be patient and don’t give up!

Got any other skin-related questions? #AskGraydon ❤️

__________________

At graydonskincare.com, we're always open! Click here to learn about all the benefits of shopping online with us.