No matter how well we treat the skin, sometimes acne just pops up. Weather changes, stress, not enough or poor sleep, imbalanced diet, pollution, etc., could all contribute to that. However, the more frustrating thing is post-acne marks, i.e. the red or brown pigmentation left behind.
Can these post-acne marks heal on their own? What are the best ways to help them fade faster?
Read on to find out how to treat post-acne marks properly and quickly.
The human skin is composed of epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. If damages reach the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, then indentations, such as craters, can occur. Whereas post-acne marks refer to the condition where redness (post-inflammatory erythema) and/or brownish color (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) remains even after the acne has healed.
Since crater-type acne scars are difficult to treat with only topical skincare products (although ingredients such as acids and retinol do help to a degree), for the purpose of this article, we will focus on the proper treatment of red and brown post-acne marks.
| Characteristics and Causes
The main cause of red post-acne marks, or Post Inflammatory Erythema (PIE) is prolonged inflammation in the skin caused by the acne. The fact is, more often than not, inflammation persists even when the acne seems to have gone, and when inflammation stays in the skin, the capillaries may dilate and the skin may become thinner. As a result, blood vessels and muscles become more visible, and thus redness persists. In cases where the capillaries are damaged, the area may appear reddish-purple.
It can be difficult to distinguish between acne inflammation and red post-acne marks, but if more than 10 days have passed since the acne pump has calmed down, then there is a high possibility that it has developed into PIE.
It is important to note that unless these PIE are treated in a timely manner, they can turn dark, resulting in brown post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which takes a lot more time and effort to treat.
| Prevention and Treatments
To avoid PIE from the get go, it is important to calm inflammations as soon as an acne appears.
- Do not pick or squeeze, as this will exacerbate the inflammatory condition, and may even cause the inflammation to travel to other parts of the skin, resulting in more damages.
- As soon as an acne seems to be appearing, use a probiotic mask, as topical probiotics, aka the “good” live bacteria cultures, work by secreting anti-bacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances that penetrate bad bacteria and kill them before they trigger an inflammation, whilst providing a protective shield to keep bad bacteria from reaching skin cells, inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and viruses, as well as calming parts of the skin cells that want to react to the bad bacteria, thus stopping them from sending an “attack” message to the skin’s immune system that leads to redness, swelling, patchy skin, or acne-like bumps.
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- Avoid acne treatments with benzoyl peroxide if possible. This is because this ingredient increases oxidative stress and dries the skin by nature, which then increases inflammation and leads to red and brown post-acne marks.
- Instead, use a mask with kaolin or products with salicylic acid to help draw out the inflammations and pus from the pores, so that inflammation doesn't linger in the skin for too long.
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- After masking, wrap a piece of ice using clean paper towels, hold it against the acne for 1-2 minutes max, and repeat a few times a day. Icing your acne has a few effects. First of all, it helps reduce inflammation. By reducing the inflammation within the skin, the size of the acne will also start to shrink. Secondly, ice can help constrict the blood vessels, which can bring down the swelling, as well as redness. Thirdly, it will encourage the clogged impurities to rise to the surface of the skin, so that it can be removed easier.
- Use skincare products with ingredients that can help treat acne, while providing anti-inflammatory effects. These include retinol, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, gotu kola, niacinamide, and many more.
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- Stop using sheet masks, as when the stratum corneum becomes saturated with water, it will become brittle as the intercellular lamellar structure that controls barrier function becomes unstable, and the corneodesmosome degrades. When the barrier function weakens, the risk of penetration of bacteria and irritants gets higher as the damaged barrier can no longer block out them out, resulting in "moisture-associated skin damage", such as acne, sensitivity and even inflammations and infections.
- Also stop doing anything that can cause friction on the skin, as friction causes inflammation. These include washing, touching, or massaging the face with force, rubbing towels against the face, using cleansing brushes and makeup wipes, touching and rubbing your face, etc. Remember, gentle is key, and keep your hands off your face unless absolutely necessary.
If unfortunately red marks remain even after the acne bump is gone, then in addition to using anti-inflammatory and soothing skincare products, it is also time to promote cell renewal and repair.
- By promoting the skin's renewal process and re-regulating the cells' turnover, the damaged and inflamed cells will shed faster, and new, healthy cells can rise to the skin surface. Redness will then be reduced. Ingredients like gentle acids are recommended, as acids work by dissolving the bond between only dead and damaged skin cells so that they can shed much quicker and easier, while leaving healthy skin cells attached. Whilst, physical scrubs, besides removing dead skin cells on the skin surface, also slough away healthy skin cells and may cause micro-tears and wounds, thereby creating an opening for bacteria, and thus are not recommended.
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- It is also important to repair and strengthen the skin barrier, whilst improving firmness and elasticity, especially for those whose skin has become thinner with visible blood vessels on the epidermis. Face oils such as helichrysum, pomegranate Seed, carrot root, sea buckthorn and rosehip oils, as well as ingredients like retinol, peptides like Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, niacinamide, beta-glucan, calcium ketogluconate, and IBR-Chill™, which is derived from Pink Rock Rose Flower, Leaf, and Stem from the Israeli dessert, are all worth considering.
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- Not only can a probiotic mask reduces inflammation in the skin, studies have shown that topical use of probiotic live cultures can significantly enhance skin elasticity by increasing self hyaluronic acid and collagen production, as well as reinforce the barrier function, and increase ceramide levels, which together help with red post-acne marks.
- Besides topical ingredients, clinical studies have shown that intake of collagen and ceromocides supplements can help strengthen the skin and increase elasticity and firmness, which can help make blood vessels less visible, thereby reducing visible redness.
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- When we sleep, our skin cells undergo division, and the golden time for skin repair refers to the period when growth hormones, which promote skin cell turnover, are secreted. If this golden time is disrupted due to bad sleeping quality or not sleeping enough, then the improvement of red post-acne marks can be hindered.
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- In addition to stimulating melanin production, UV rays cause inflammations in the skin, and as red post-acne marks are already a result of excess inflammation, it is important to use sunscreen at all times.
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| Characteristics and Causes
When there is inflammation in the skin, a signal is sent to the melanocytes as part of an immune response. The melanocytes then overproduce the brown melanin pigment in an attempt to protect the skin.
In other words, when the above mentioned PIE are not adequately treated in a timely manner, melanin production will be stimulated as a result. Subsequently, these red marks will turn dark and brown into Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) due to melanin deposition in the skin.
| Prevention and Treatments
The key to preventing brown post-acne marks, is treating PIE, the red post-acne marks, properly and quickly, so that melanin production does not go into overdrive due to inflammation. If unfortunately hyperpigmentation occurs, then there are several ways to help improve them.
- When old melanin cannot move to the top layer of the skin and get shedded off, pigmentation will stay in the skin and refuse to fade. Unfortunately, as we get older, the speed and efficiency of our cell renewal process decrease significantly——from 14-21 days in our 20s, to 28-45 days in our 30s, 45-60 days in our 40s, and 90 days in our 50s-60s on average! By using a blend of AHAs, BHAs and PHAs, unwanted aged melanin can shed off much easier and quicker. Not only will the skin look more even-toned and brighter, what's better, with time, they accelerate cell turnover and increase the amount of collagen, as well as hyaluronic acid production within the dermis, so the skin will appear more plumped, smooth and bouncy. As mentioned above, do not use scrubs to avoid further inflammations.
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- Tyrosinase is the enzyme responsible in synthesizing melanin through melanogenesis. By inhibiting its activities and breaking it down, you can speed up the fading of PIH whilst preventing future spots from forming. Ingredients that can inhibit tyrosinase activity includes Hexylresorcinol, Vitamin C (for example, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate THD), Ellagic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Niacinamide, Iridoids, Cornus Fruit Extract, Ginsenocide, Licorice Root, Noni, Mallow, Yarrow, Broccoli Sprout, Hawkweed, Daisy, Pearl Powder, and Resveratrol, etc.
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- Proven to help with all types of hyperpigmentation, retinol penetrates deep into the skin and reduces melanin by blocking the transcription of tyrosinase, induce desquamation, disperse keratinocyte pigment granules and enhance epidermal cell turnover. It also reduces cell damage, boosts repair, regulates oil production, treats acne, and boosts collagen formation.
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- Not only does UV rays cause inflammations, they also greatly stimulate melanin production, which can worsen PIH. While most people do remember using sunscreen when they go out in the sun, many do not use sunscreen when it's cloudy or when they're staying indoor. Some many even skip it during winter. Whilst UV levels are highest under cloudless skies, and cloud cover generally reduces a person's exposure, light or thin clouds have little effect and may even enhance UV levels because of scattering. Many surfaces also reflect UV radiation and add to the overall UV levels you experience. For instance, grass, soil and water reflect less than 10 per cent of UV radiation, beach sand reflects about 15 per cent, sea foam about 25 per cent, and fresh snow almost doubles a person's UV exposure. Staying indoor does not mean you could skip sunscreen either. Glasses used typically in car, home and office windows are designed to block most UVB rays, but it does not offer protection from all UVA rays. So even if you’re indoors but as long as you’re close to a window, you still run the risk of UVA exposure and skin damage. Therefore, in order to improve PIH, sunscreen must be used everyday, even if you're staying indoor. Also consider using products that can help reverse UV damages and photoaging, which can also help improve PIH by preventing further damages.
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- On top of topical skincare, you may also want to take a pearl powder supplement, which can help with PIH. This is because the conchiolin in pearls not only boost collagen production, but also reduce melanin production by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase remarkably. It can also preferentially bind to the receptors of the melanocytic cell membrane to render endothelin ineffective, so that it can inhibit the proliferation of melanocytes and the synthesis of melanin caused by the release of endothelin due to UV radiation, and inhibit the release of endothelial cells by keratinocytes. In addition, pearl powder can boost the production of glutathione, which directly as well as indirectly inhibits the tyrosinase enzyme.
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- Omega-3, something that the body cannot make and can only get from food or supplements, are a critical part of the membranes surrounding each of the cells in the body, and are vital for body energy levels, as well as the heart, brain, blood vessels, lungs, immune system, endocrine system, as well as our skin. DHA, one of the fatty acids in Omega-3, has also been shown to inhibit melanogenesis through increasing tyrosinase degradation. As inhibitors of tyrosinase activity have been long sought as a treatment for skin hyperpigmentation, supplementation of Omega-3 is therefore a good way to help brighten skin and reduce hyperpigmentation from within.
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