What is Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?
August 7, 2013 1 Comment

What is Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?

Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation is a type of condition that happens when the melanocytes, which produce pigment, create an abundance of melanin. Dark spots that are black or brown in color will begin to develop where lesions from acne once were. Anyone who has this condition will likely be very disturbed and frustrated.

The condition of Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation is not just something that only people with acne can contract. It can also result from certain medications, allergies, certain types of skin infections, burns, and some diseases of the skin. People who have acne can contract this condition through reactions from some medications to treat acne.

Read: Does Lemon Juice Fade Acne Scars?

One of the most common acne treatments is known as benzoyl peroxide. It can cause skin irritations that can move to pigmented areas of the skin. Statistics show that one in 20 people experience sensitivity to benzoyl peroxide. This sensitivity can result in further skin irritations developing and leading to Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. This is especially true in those that are dark skinned.

Today many doctors prescribe retinoids for the treatment of acne in patients. Some people will experience moderate to severe skin irritation with this product use. This can predispose those patients to Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. Because people with high pigment in their skin are at such a risk, many doctors will not even consider prescribing retinoids for those patients. In some cases, retinoids can be used to treat pigmentation inflammatory cases, but not very often.

When retinoids are the cause of pigmentation issues, they may go away when they are stopped. In cases of hyperpigmentation that is a result of acne treatments, this is not necessarily the case. In any case, the first step is to immediately stop whatever type of treatment is causing said irritation. Secondly, begin wearing a high SPF sunscreen to protect the skin from further damage from the harsh rays of the sun. Hyperpigmented skin has two enemies: ultraviolet light and irritation.

Read: How Does the Sun Affect Scars?

Some physicians may recommend a treatment with hydroquinone, which is a topical cream that can lighten the pigmentation by a reduction in pigment production. However, hydroquinone does not come without additional problems or issues. In some animal studies it has been known to increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Some patients have reported that after long-term use they have experienced darkening of the skin instead of lightening. The preservatives in hydroquinone cause some people to have allergic reactions. It is advised that if you are a user of hydroquinone, it is best to apply a very small amount to the area that is pigmented only.

To hide pigmented areas until they can lighten, it is recommended that a good concealer be used. The lightening could take up to a year. Some other treatments for Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation would be glycolic acid and chemical peels. Before any treatments are implemented it is a good idea to schedule a consultation with a dermatologist. This way you can be advised on the appropriate treatment for any condition.

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Filed Under: Acne Scars, Acne Tips, Dark Scars, Face Scars, Get Rid of Dark Spots, Get Rid of Scars, Hyperpigmentation, Scar Healing Tips, Uneven Skin Tone Tagged: , ,
Camouflage Makeup for Scars and Skin Disorders
June 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Camouflage Makeup for Scars and Skin Disorders

Camouflage make-up is the art of covering up imperfections in the skin such as acne scars, and skin discolorations such as white patches on the skin, dermatitis that reddens the skin, and surgery scars. It’s also called medical make-up, corrective camouflage make-up or camouflage make-up.

In an Italian study, dermatologists had a lot of compassion for those with scars from acne and surgery or trauma as well as those with skin disorders, and wanted to see if they could make a difference in how children and adolescents viewed themselves if they used corrective camouflage make-up.

They worked with 15 children between the ages of 7 and 16 and their parents and taught them all how to use corrective concealers to improve their skin and scar appearance. Six of the children had acne vulgaris which can cause pitting of the skin or red scars.

The type of concealers used were water-resistant camouflage concealers. They were light to very opaque in color. The concealers and make-up were the same ones used during medical treatment and the same ones recommended by doctors after surgery during the healing process.

The parents of all the patients were thrilled with the ability of the camouflage concealers to improve their child’s appearance. The dermatologists at the Dermatology Clinic at the University of Catania in Italy were so happy with the results that they mentioned in their report that this type of ‘treatment’ should be used during long-term treatment and in those who don’t get results from conventional medical therapy.

In another study, a nurse offered a make-up lesson to 86 patients who might benefit from concealing scars and discolorations on the skin. There were 25 patients of the 86 who had acne, 10 with rosacea, and 14 with scars in the study. The rest had other skin disorders. The patients applied make-up at home daily for a month.

Those with acne and scars had the highest improvement in quality of life scores. And 95% of the patients continued to apply the makeup after the study ended, indicating that they may have wanted to continue experiencing the results.

Always try your best to get the most healing possible in your scars… and then go for the make-up to ‘refine’ your skin to get the best results.

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Filed Under: Acne Scars, Acne Tips, Face Scars, Get Rid of Scars, New or Old Scars, Scar Healing Tips, Skin Care Tips Tagged: , , ,
What Can Make Scars Worse?
June 5, 2013 1 Comment

What Can Make Scars Worse?

Scars can worsen just from what happens in the early stages of wound healing or in the later stages when the scar is maturing.

In the early stages of healing, five factors affect how bad the scar will turn out:

  1. The type of wound, whether it has jagged edges or is a clean cut such as a surgical incision
  2. How the wound was taken care of after it happened
  3. Whether or not the wound was infected
  4. Whether or not the person is smoking in the early stages of wound healing
  5. If the wound is exposed to sun

In the later stages of healing when the wound has healed, the scar will start to mature. There are four primary influences on how the scar will end up looking:

1. Individual factors

Age plays an important role. The younger you are, the easier it is for the skin to heal itself. Scars have a greater chance to look good the younger you are when you get them.

Similarly, skin type you have also affects the way a scar heals. The darker your skin, the greater the chance there is to form hyperpigmented scars that look darker than usual. Also, the darker your skin, the more likely it is that you will form a keloid scar or a hypertrophic scar.

If you have health issues such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, the changes in the body that result from these diseases cause poorer wound healing. This could result in scars that are more prominent and look worse.

One last individual factor that affects how scars look is the smoking habit. The nicotine in cigarette smoke causes blood vessels to shrink. This decreases blood flow. When a scar gets less circulation, it doesn’t get the nutrients it needs and doesn’t heal as it should.

2. External factors

If you want to create a dark scar – one that is hyperpigmented – then make sure it gets a lot of exposure to the sun! Sun exposure first makes scars redder, and then they get darker with more and more exposure. The darker the scar is, the more visible – and uglier – it will look.

3. Allergic reactions

One of the most common allergic reactions that can happen in the area of a scar is an allergy to vitamin E. We’ve all been taught that vitamin E is important for healing but researchers discovered that many people are allergic to the topical vitamin E. Any time you have an allergic reaction, you’ll also have more inflammation. And more inflammation worsens scar healing, creating worse scars.

4. Where the scar is located

If a scar is located over a joint, then the movement of that joint will cause a scar to stretch. The result is a scar that widens over time. A wide scar is more visible than one that is thin.

Now that you know how these factors can influence scar healing and the way a scar matures, you may have have a little more control over the way your scars end up looking long term.

Even if your scar is over a year old and has matured, don’t worry, there’s still hope! With the help of the latest scar treatment technology, it’s still possible to fade scars.

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Filed Under: Acne Scars, Get Rid of Dark Spots, Get Rid of Scars, Hyperpigmentation, Hypertrophic Scars, New or Old Scars, Scar Healing Tips, Skin Care Tips, Surgery Scars Tagged: , , , ,
4 Tips for Concealing Acne Scars
June 3, 2013 Leave a Comment

4 Tips for Concealing Acne Scars

Concealing acne scars is achievable for an almost flawless complexion by implementing a few tips and tricks.The scars can cause pitting or be slightly raised and give your face the look of anything but soft, smooth skin. Like any scar, acne scars can take time a long time to fade and deep ‘ice pick’ scars never truly go away. (Take our Acne Do’s and Don’ts quiz!)

Most scars do improve and become less noticeable over time. Some fade a lot, others unfortunately only fade a little. As we’ve talked about in other posts about scarring in general, lots of factors come in to play. Since this “maturation process” can take up to 2 years, you won’t know for sure how much your scars will improve until then. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances:

Add a Scar Removal Formula

There are plenty of scar treatments on the market to choose from. Check the ingredients to make sure the ingredients are “skin friendly” and non-comedogenic if possible. Hypoallergenic formulas are the way to go but even these can sometimes cause a break-out. It’s important to make sure you test any new product on a small are of your skin first to make sure you can tolerate it. Some products also contain ingredients (like vitamin C or licorice) that can help fade dark acne marks.

Read: Does Lemon Juice Fade Acne Scars?

Make-Up Concealing Techniques

Dermatologists and doctors are investigating into the benefits of concealing scars with makeup as a way to improve quality of life. In France, 129 patients with various skin diseases, including those with acne scars and acne rosacea, were taught how to use make-up to conceal and “correct” their complexion. They applied the camouflage make-up techniques learned directly from a cosmetician for a month.

There were no negative side effects and nothing bad to report from using the corrective concealer and make-up. All patients looked significantly better in their skin appearance and they reported their quality of life improved significantly.

This new area of investigation is called medical corrective make-up, corrective camouflage make-up, and camouflage make-up.

Know the Expert Make-Up Tricks

When using make-up to conceal scars, different make-up artists use slightly different techniques. Here’s a chart on the concealer colors that are used most often to hide different colors of scars.

Color of the Scar Color of Concealer to Use

Red scar Green concealer

Pink scar Green concealer

Brown scar Yellow concealer

Purple scar Yellow concealer

White scar Regular makeup

You can purchase different color concealers from various make-up companies.

Use Make-Up Layering Techniques

When using make-up to conceal acne scars, use layering techniques. Here’s a suggested routine to use:

    1. First use your scar removal formula. Having this closest to the skin makes sense as you want as much healing to occur in the skin.
    2. Next cover the acne scars with the colored concealer.
    3. Then use a make-up base color that matches your skin tone.
    4. Finally, follow the color concealer chart above to find a concea few shades lighter than your regular skin tone to dot on top of the acne scars for the final layer of acne scar cover-up.

Now look in the mirror. You’re looking great! Tips from the experts really help!

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Filed Under: Get Rid of Scars Tagged: , , ,
Take Our Quiz on Acne Do’s and Don’ts
May 20, 2013 2 Comments

Take Our Quiz on Acne Do’s and Don’ts

Quizzes are always fun so here goes… see how you do with this acne do’s and don’ts quiz:

1. What’s the recommended number of times to wash your face during the day?

2. What’s the best type of makeup to use if you have acne?

3. What happens to your acne if you go to sleep with makeup on?

4. How can you keep acne scars clean so they don’t become infected?

5. True or false: Picking a scab improves healing and prevents scarring because it exposes the new skin underneath the scab.

6. How does aerobic exercise help improve acne scars?

7. Peroxide is often recommended for acne. Is this a good idea or not?

8. How vigorously should you scrub your face when you wash it?

9. What type of diet is best for someone with acne?

10. What’s one of the worst habits you could have if you want clear skin or to heal from acne scars?

Answers:

1. Twice daily. If you wash only once, it’s not enough. If you wash three or four times a day, you risk removing some of the protective healthy oils found on the skin.

2. Non-comedogenic makeup.

3. Your acne could worsen because the makeup will clog the pores.

4. Wash them with anti-bacterial soap, but make sure that the soap isn’t too harsh on your skin.

5. False. Refrain from picking scabs since this can worsen scarring.

6. When you exercise, the oxygen level in the blood increases and then brings more oxygen to the acne scars. This can improve scar healing.

7. Using peroxide is not a good idea. Peroxide is a free radical that can harm healthy cells. It may be used as a ‘cleaner’ but not on the face and not on acne scars.

8. Not vigorously at all. Be gentle. This way you won’t contribute to creating more breakouts.

9. A diet that supplies the essential skin nutrients is best. You would want one high in vitamin C foods because vitamin C is essential for new skin synthesis. You’ll also need to eat foods high in copper and zinc, since these nutrients have been shown in the studies to soften scars. Also, make sure your diet contains enough protein which is also needed for creation of new skin.

10. Smoking. This habit decreases your vitamin C levels in the body so you have less vitamin C available for healing acne scars. It also decreases the amount of oxygen that gets to the skin.

How well did you do with the quiz? Were you surprised by any of the answers?

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Filed Under: Acne Scars, Get Rid of Scars Tagged: , ,
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