Acne scars are arguably more difficult and frustrating to deal with than acne itself. This is because acne scars often take longer to get rid of, and can accompany the acne before you ve been able to get rid of it. So no matter what stage of your acne recovery you re in, those scars are usually still there! When it comes to acne scars, there s some good news, there s some bad news, and there s the truth. And the truth is, there is a way to get rid of your acne scars for good- it just depends on the type of scars they are.
The easiest, most straightforward type of acne scars to treat are the darkly colored, hyperpigmentation spots that result from the inflammation of a blemish. The darkly colored pigment is simply your body s reaction to the pimple, and can be made worse if you pick at it. Why? Because picking means more irritation, which means more inflammation, which means more hyperpigmentation. So, the first order of business as you try to heal those stubborn post-inflammatory pigmentation spots is to absolutely stop picking your face (if you haven t already). The second order of business is to use private label skincare ingredients that help your skin to increase its rate of cellular turnover. This is helpful because it brings in new skin cells to the pigmented area, which allows it to return to its natural hue.
Ingredients like this include botanical retinol, otherwise known as crithmum maritimum extract. Whereas over the counter retinol has unpleasant side effects that make it difficult for people with sensitive skin to use, crithmum maritimum does not produce those side effects but is still effective in increasing skin cell regeneration. Another private label skincare ingredient that works similarly to botanical retinol is vitamin C. Daily use of a high quality vitamin C serum can do wonders for hyperpigmentation spots.
You can also use the essential oils of immortelle, frankincense and rose otto for hyperpigmentation scarring. Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, you can use them neat (undiluted) on each spot, or mix them with your favorite carrier oil or skincare product of choice. A perfect combination would be to mix these either with your vitamin C serum, or with seabuckthorn oil, which contains alpha-linoleic and linoleic acids- two acids that have been shown to lighten hyperpigmentation when applied topically.
When it comes to post inflammatory pigmentation, all it takes is a little time, effort, patience and trusted botanicals to bring your skin back into radiant, clear balance.