What is hyperpigmentation?
Pigmentation is a general description of coloring due to any pigment. Hyperpigmentation describes the appearance of skin that become darker than the surrounding skin. One common type of hyperpigmentation is postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is caused by increased melanin production, as a result of skin healing following inflammation or injuries, including acne and breakouts. Hyperpigmentation can also result from increased melanin production in response to increased UV light.
How to get rid of acne scars and hyperpigmentation naturally
This is our suggested routine for fading blemishes for non-medical conditions. It works for flat acne scars and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Remember to be consistent with this routine for 6 months to a year in order to see results. If you have moles, spots or blemishes due to exposure to UV light, always seek diagnosis and treatment from your dermatologist instead.
Morning skincare routine
Start with the COSRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence (Style Korean)(Althea)(Beautynet Korean)(Jolse). This contains 2% niacinamide, which is great for brightening skin tone. For more information on the importance of niacinamide in your routine, see our post on dealing with breakouts. Make sure to pat this well into your skin to enhance absorption.
Then apply The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. As the name implies, this contains 10% niacinamide, which has helped a lot in fading our post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Niacinamide above 5% may be too irritating to use all over the face, so apply it only as a spot treatment to fade pigmented areas.
If you don’t want to use niacinamide exclusively, we recommend alternating The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% with the Cocokind Turmeric Spot Treatment, which has also helped us to lighten pigmentation.
As a last step, apply sunscreen of your choice. UV radiation can cause pigmentation, speed up the skin’s aging process, worsen post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and increase the risk of skin cancer. The type of sunscreen you choose will depend on your skin tone, skin type, and preference.
By the way…some of the skincare we recommend are available on iHerb, which we use to buy a lot of our organic skincare. You can use our code AEJ0519 at checkout to get 5% off.
Night time skincare routine
After cleansing, start with a chemical exfoliant. In our opinion, the best exfoliant to use is the COSRX AHA Whitehead Power Liquid (Olive Young)(Style Korean)(Althea)(Beautynet Korean)(Jolse). Despite the name, this is not so much for targeting whiteheads, but more as a general exfoliant. It is both gentle and effective, but have patience - we found that it has been effective at fading our pigmentation when used 3-4 times a week for a year.
COSRX also has a similar product called the Cosrx Mela White Ampule which also fades acne scars, but it a little pricier. This contains an extra ingredient called Allantoin, which has moisturizing properties suitable for irritated, dry or scaly skin. We find that both these products feel pretty similar, so we tend to go for the more affordable Whitehead Power Liquid.
If you prefer trying something different, other exfoliants to check out are The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% and the KraveBeauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA. These are also relatively gentle on the skin (using something harsher may risk damaging the natural skin barrier), but try not to use any exfoliant on a daily basis. They all contain AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), which act on the skin surface, unlike BHAs, which penetrate deeper into the skin. We often find BHAs can be too harsh for the skin when used long term. For more on the different types of exfoliants, see our post on the Korean ten step skincare routine.
Next, we apply The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA. This is a precursor of hydroxyquinone, so we don’t recommend using this product until you have read up on the potential side effect. Use this at night to be safe, and rinse it off before going outside in the morning. Also don’t use alpha arbutin for more than three months at a time. Why? See our post on dealing with breakouts for more information.
Finally, apply the Azclear Lotion 20% w/w. This contains 20% azelaic acid, which not only helps fade redness and pigmentation, but also can help counter inflammation. It comes as a pasty lotion that leaves a slight white cast, so it’s good to apply it before bed.
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P.S…this is probably obvious, but the information presented doesn’t constitute medical advice - always check with your own doctor!
