Hyperpigmentation, or Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) is the medical definition for the area of discolouration that is left following an inflamed area of skin. PIH can be left by many kinds of damage to the skin, but one of the most common is what we’d call ‘acne scars’ or macules – the kind of marks that can be left behind after a severe acne outbreak.

How Hyperpigmentation treatments can help acne scars

These macules range in colour and noticeability, depending on your skin tone and the depth of the PIH on your skin surface. The affected areas can range from pink to purple, red or brown. These acne scars can persist long after the original spots have cleared up – which is obviously quite an annoyance for those who’ve finally managed to overcome their acne. It seems unfair to be confronted with yet another problem, right?

Well, there’s good news. Hyperpigmentation doesn’t actually qualify as a ‘proper’ scar, compared, to a more severe one like a cut to the skin. This means that given enough time (which can be between 3 to 24 months), it usually heals itself. Understandably, this is too a long a time for some people. So there’s more good news, it’s also far easier to treat PIH than true scarring.

However, if you need a quick fix, a reasonable quality concealer should do the job in the interim while you treat the hyperpigmentation. Another important point to remember is to apply sunscreen to the affected areas if you’ll be spending time in the sun, and even if you already have dark skin. Sunlight can darken the macules further and make them more pronounced.

There are also some other ways to treat acne scars – ranging from over the counter, to more drastic (as a caveat, it is best that your acne is under control before you begin treatment).

Skin Lighteners

Skin lighteners work by brightening the tone of the macule to match your normal skin tone, effectively concealing it for good. Skin lighteners like NeoStrata Enlighten Pigment Controller and Exuviance OptiLight Essential 6 Serum are very effective. Stronger, prescription only solutions usually provide a larger dose of Hydroquinone, which usually works faster but can have dangerous side effects.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation helps tackle the macules by increasing the speed by which skin turns over and replenishes itself. This means it speeds up the rate that your body replaces the pigmented area with new, unaffected skin. This often works by applying Facial Peels, which are a kind of chemical exfoliation. There are a variety of such peels, from ones that can be applied at home, to ones only available via your dermatologist. These work by removing the top layer of skin and unclogging the pores. Sometimes, or with overuse, these exfoliates can irritate the skin or exacerbate other skin problems.

Facial Procedures

These are usually the most expensive and drastic measures. However, they’re usually extremely effective and work very quickly. They include Microdermabrasian and Laser Resurfacing. These treatments can occasionally be too effective, causing the treated skin to be lighter than the unaffected skin.

Other remedies

There are of course a number of different, more ‘natural’ remedies. Though usually less harsh than other methods, they’re not always effective. These include green tea (consumed as a drink) as well as tea tree oil, lemon juice, and sandalwood paste.

After considering all the options the safest and most reliable method would have to be the skin lightening treatments combined with natural remedies and a healthy lifestyle.