The acne stains left on your face after lesions heal are patches of residual inflammation. They're often referred to as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH, and depending on the pigmentation of your skin, they can range in color from pink to purple or tan to dark brown. Unlike acne scars, nothing is needed to get rid of these stains. Given time, the discoloration eventually fades on its own. However, you may not see an improvement in your skin for a number of months, so treatment is available to speed up recovery.
Step 1
Cover exposed skin with sunscreen before heading outdoors. While sunscreen won't help fade acne stains, it prevents the patches of discoloration from becoming more noticeable, cautions the American Academy of Dermatology. UV light can darken postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, which could offset any steps you're taking to lighten the stains.
Step 2
Rub hydroquinone into the acne stains. Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching agent that slows the production of excess melanin prompted by the residual inflammation, explains the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. With daily use, the acne stains should fade.
Step 3
Apply a retinoid to the acne stains. Instead of hydroquinone, your dermatologist may suggest using a retinoid, such as tretinoin, adapalene or tazarotene, to improve the acne stains. Much like hydroquinone, these medications slow the production of melanin and cause the spots to fade.
Step 4
Undergo facial skin rejuvenation. If topical medications prove to be ineffective, facial skin rejuvenation often improves acne stains. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion are both facial skin rejuvenation techniques known to improve PIH. The procedures remove the surface layer of the skin, reducing the patches of inflammation and breaking up the clusters of melanin.
Step 5
Ask your dermatologist about cryotherapy. Although not as commonly used as other methods, freezing the patches of hyperpigmentation can also break up the melanin and cause the spots to fade.
Tips and Warnings
- The American Academy of Dermatology recommends applying sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher 20 minutes before exposing your skin to the sun or other sources of UV light. Some skin lightening products used to fade postinflammatory hyperpigmentation contain more than one active ingredient. It isn't uncommon for hydroquinone, corticosteroids and retinoids to be combined into a single topical medication, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Depending on the darkness of the acne stains, more than one skin rejuvenation session may be needed to improve the appearance of your skin.
Things You'll Need
- Sunscreen SPF 30
- Hydroquinone
- Tretinoin
- Adapalene
- Tazarotene
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