How to treat acne scars on the body and face?

Having acne on your face and/or body skin can leave undesirable acne scars. Thus, it is important to prevent acne scars from forming when you have acne. The things you can do for it are to stop picking your pimples, treat the acne as early as possible, give your acne proper treatment and do not forget to use sun protection. However, no matter how hard you try to prevent acne scars from forming, there’s no guarantee that it won’t appear.

Here’s your guideline to treat acne scars on your face and body skin! First of all, let’s get to know the type of acne scars and their two categories; true scars and non-true scars: Non-true scars are temporary hyperpigmentation which can later be categorized into two types:

Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

It is a type of dark-brown pigmentation due to overproduction of melanin. It is more common to happen in someone with darker skin type (Fitzpatrick skin type IV-VI)

How to tackle them at home

1.Use your sunscreen every single day

When it comes to PIH, sunscreen is definitely unnegotiable. You have to wear sunscreen daily with a minimum of SPF 30 and broad spectrum protection! Apply them daily even when it rains / snow outside, and reapply often whenever you’re sweating or having any outdoor activities. Reapplication every 3-4 hours are preferable.
- Product recommendation : Dear Klairs, all-day airy sunscreen

2.Brightening ingredients

Look for ingredients like retinol, niacinamide, or licorice root extracts to help regulate the pigment formation and brighten the skin.

- Product recommendation: I’m from rice serum

3.Exfoliating ingredients

Lift off those pigmented skin layers by regularly exfoliating your skin. Exfoliating for 2-3 times in a week can fasten the process of fading that acne marks

Antioxidant

Vitamin C, green tea, and resveratrol are great examples of antioxidants that can help fight off free radicals and thus brighten the skin.

- Product recommendation: Dear Klairs, freshly juiced vitamin charging serum

Post Inflammatory Erythema

Meanwhile PIE is a red-pink discoloration due to the damaged / dilatation of blood vessels in close proximity to the skin surface due to inflammation. It is more likely to happen in someone with lighter skin type (Fitzpatrick skin type I - III)

How to tackle them at home

Unlike PIH, studies on PIE are still very limited. That’s why it requires a lot more patience and consistency for it to show result.

1.Use your sunscreen every single day

Just like PIH, PIE requires you to use sunscreen every single day. Choose a product with a lightweight texture and hydrating finish on the skin so that you are more than happy to apply them in generous amounts daily.

- Product recommendation: I’m From, Rice sunscreen

2. Skin barrier repairing product

Look for ingredients that reduce redness, inflammation and could help strengthen the building block of your skin barrier. Look for ceramides, hyaluronic acid or cholesterol.

- Product recommendation: By Wishtrend, cera barrier soothing ampoule

3. Antioxidant

Your skin will always love a good antioxidant boost that helps to protect your skin from the unwanted external stressors causing free radicals formation. Apply them every single day and you’ll notice that your skin will be much plumper and brighter

- Product recommendation: Dear klairs, freshly juiced vitamin drop

4.Soothing / anti-inflammatory

Products that can reduce your skin temperature can help reduce inflammation and redness on your skin. Applying a sheet mask that has been stored in a refrigerator can be your SOS product whenever you need a quick pick-me-up for your skin

- Product recommendation: Dear klairs, rich moist soothing tencel sheet mask

Other in clinic treatment not to be missed that can fasten the process:

Chemical peeling
Energy-based: Laser resurfacing, rejuvenating laser
Dermabrasion

Atrophic (True) scars are acne scars that look exactly like scars with loss of collagen that result in irregular skin texture. Based on the shape of the scars they can be divided to three types in general: Icepick, Rolling and Boxcar

Ice Pick scar : The type of scar with the narrowest diameter yet lies deepest into the dermal surface. Even Though it looks small in appearance, they are often confused as pores and one of the hardest to tackle.

Rolling scar : Just like its name, it looks like a truck just rolls on your skin, leaving irregular indentation with a width between 4-5mm. They are pretty broad and shallow in appearance.

Boxcar scar : Similar to rolling scar, this one looks like a squared-shape stamp just puncture your skin, leaving a box-like indentation with a width between 2-4mm, they have clear-cut edges with various depths.

If you have atrophic scars, skincare only can’t treat your acne scars properly. It is recommended to seek treatment immediately especially on the early stage where it seems like your acne tends to leave atrophic scars.