how to fade acne marks & scars as quick as possible

you've finally won the battle of the blemish but are now left with a post-battle wound in the form of a red or brown mark, or worse, scarring. we're often asked by clients, "what's the quickest and safest way to treat acne scars and discoloration?" but before we get into that, let's start by understanding what you're dealing with...

discoloration

the discoloration you get after a pimple is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. it's a flat red or brown mark that will typically fade on its own but can take several months if left untreated. when you pop a pimple, you're opening up the skin which then has to close itself back together. broken blood vessels can also be caused by popping and result in a mark

superficial breakouts that rupture near the skin's surface usually heal without scarring. acne scars, however, form when there's a deeper break in the follicle causing damage to the dermis. they're typically the product of an inflamed lesion, such as a cyst (long-standing, painful nodules deep within the skin). these types of breakouts cause injury to the tissue, leaving the skin with permanent scars that are notoriously difficult to treat

how to deal with discoloration...

sunscreen: sun exposure can worsen discoloration and make it appear more prominent, so always keep your skin protected with SPFretinoids (retinol/retin-A): stimulate the production of fresh/new skin cells and encourage damaged/aging cells to speed up their renewal process, which helps fade discoloration, fight acne and resurface the skin's texture for a smooth, even-toned complexion. however, they’re not designed for the faint-of-heart so make sure you’re educated on how to use them before jumping the gun. you can see a great explanation of what retinol is here as well as a vid on how to apply: hererecommendations: for the more experienced / for the more natural *pregnant safe version*vitamin C: vitamin C, also known as the "brightening antioxidant," not only protects your skin from free radical damage but also inhibits tyrosinase (an enzyme that stimulates melanin production)recommendations: DRY SKIN / OILY SKIN / SENSITIVEhydroquinone: is the only lightening treatment officially approved by the FDA. it whitens skin cells and prevents melanin/pigment from forming. please note: a product with a 2% solution may take 2 to 3 months to fade a dark spot. however, refrain from using a prescription strength as it can be too aggressive and make the problem worsephotofacial: for stubborn marks, a photofacial is our go-to. it's a skin treatment that uses light-based technology to penetrate pigmented tissue and damage it. the light is converted to heat energy, which causes the melanin to shatter. once this happens, the shattered melanin particles are absorbed by the body to drastically diminish or fade discoloration *the number of treatments needed varies* see post on that: HERE

how to deal with scaring...

acne scars come in many different forms and are best handled by a professional since they require more intense treatment rather than over-the-counter options

microneedling: also known as 'collagen induction therapy' uses a device with fine needles to create tiny punctures in the skin. these punctures create controlled micro-injuries to stimulate collagen production as well as create channels for active ingredients to be delivered into the dermis *an ongoing series of treatments will be required depending on the depth of scars*dermal fillers: are made up of hyaluronic acid (a powerful moisture-binding acid that can hold 1,000x its weight in water to restore & replenish the skin) and can be injected into the depressions in the skin to help even the skin's texture. however, this is a temporary solution and will require follow-up treatments to maintain the resultsskin resurfacing treatments: such as our go-to facetune laser, works by creating millions of thermal micro-injuries in the upper layers of the skin, which in turn stimulates collagen and elastin production and removes dead skin cells *patients often require 3 or more treatments spaced a month apart for optimal results*chemical peels: can help improve skin discoloration and texture by exfoliating the top layer of dead skin cells, reducing the appearance of scarring *the strength and type of peel used will depend on the depth of the scar*mix & match: a combination of the above treatments can work in unison to target & treat