Spot Scars: How To Get Rid Of Acne Scars For Good

If you've been through the frustration of having acneand come out the other side, the last thing you want is a constant reminder of that time. Yet countless women end up struggling withhormonal acne and scars long after the blemishes have disappeared. Spot scars and pigmentationcan take time to fade, but the good news is that there are some exceptional products that will help speed up that process.

Help is at hand, and understanding your spots will help you work out which types are most likely to leave a scar, and understanding how and why we get scars can help put a stop to that cycle, once and for all. We spoke to Dr Howard Murad, a certified dermatologist and founder of Murad Skincare to help us get to grips with them.

What are acne scars?

Dr Murad told us 'Acne scars are most often the product of an inflamed spot. If an inflamed blemish occurs when the pore is already full of excess oil and dead skin cells, the pore swells, causing a break in the follicle wall. As the blemish begins to clear, the body will naturally begin to repair the damage and, during this process, will begin to produce collagen.'

'A scar may form when too little or too much collagenis created. For example, a depressed scar is typically the result of too little collagen, whereas a raised scar may form if too much collagen has been produced. Also, some people are naturally more prone to scarring than others, as genetics is a large determining factor.'

So are women more susceptible to adult acne than men? Despite having a full-fledged skincare routine, women tend to have more skin problems. Dr Murad explains why. 'Generally, women’s hormones fluctuate more often than men’s, resulting in more hormonal breakouts than men. It’s not that women are more prone to scarring than men, but they may suffer more hormonal breakouts which, in turn, could lead to scars if the blemish isn’t cared for properly.'

How can we get rid of acne and spot scars?

'The best way to deal with acne scars is to help prevent their appearance in the first place. Picking at the skin makes scarring much more likely, and sun exposure also aggravates scarring," Dr Murad explained. "Topical products can be used to treat acne scars that appear as dark spots of pigmentation. However, for scars that actually affect the texture of the skin, you may need to see a dermatologist and have them treated with a laser.'

'Exfoliation also helps speed cell turnover and diminish the look of acne scars and uneven skin tone. Chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid, retinol and AHAs help remove the most upper layers of the skin, giving the skin a more even appearance. Professional microdermabrasion is an intensive form of physical exfoliation that can help significantly reduce acne scarring too.'

Dr Murad's final piece of advice is firm but fair: 'To help prevent scarring, try to reduce inflammatory breakouts and fight the urge to squeeze a pimple at all costs. Picking at breakouts or scabs, which protect the skin while it heals, will make you far more likely to end up with a scar.'

With that in mind, here are our favourite healing treatments below that help with red marks, acne scars and pigmentation.

The Best Acne Scar Healing Products

How to combat spot-prone skin, adult acne and hormonal breakouts.

Grazia talked to Young LDN's Senior Aesthetician, Roxanne Lanthier and Jenna Schauder, about how to handle hormonal acne breakouts that can cause red marks and scarring and what types of ingredients to opt for depending on your different skin types. 'Hormonal acne in adults normally presents in the lower area of the face, which includes the jawline and lower cheeks, while acne during puberty is more localised on the T-Zone.'

Roxanne explains to us that hormonal acne is caused by hormonal fluctuations of oestrogen and progesterone, which in turn can affect women's testosterone. 'It is believed that these fluctuations, which can also be linked to the menstrual cycle, led to an increase in the sebum production which is the main contributor to acne.'

'High levels of continued stress raise cortisol which also increases the oil production and increases inflammation. The actual cause of acne is still unknown, but doctors and dermatologists believe it is due to too much oil production that clogs the pores. The type of acne differs from person to person but can be either a combination of white and blackheads, pustules, cysts, and nodules.'

Roxanne also provided us with helpful steps to include in your skincare routine to combat breakouts before they arise. 'Incorporating a retinol a few nights a week is also very beneficial in helping stimulate the skin and help to reduce any scarring the breakouts could have caused and unblocking the pores. We recommend avoiding any products with any essential oils, silicons, certain vitamin C products and highly fragranced or perfumed products.'

'In combination with facial treatments, we can also recommend taking Skin Accumax, which is a supplement high in Vitamin A, C and E that, when taken regularly, supports skin health and improves problematic skin.' Another supplement that is good for breakout-prone skin is Welleco Skin Elixir){href='https://www.naturisimo.com/products/new-welleco-the-super-skin-elixir-capsules)' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener nofollow' class='add-referrer-link'}.

We asked Roxanne what her favourite products for acne-prone skin were, and she recommended the [Circadia Micro Honey Exfoliating cleanser]{href='https://shop.youngldn.com/products/circadia-micro-exfoliating-honey-cleanser' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener nofollow' class='add-referrer-link'}, which contains gentle beads for manual exfoliation and is effective at keeping the skin balanced, reduces excess sebum production and is anti-microbial due to the honey content.

She also suggested the ZO Skin Health Oil Control pads,which contain a blend of acne and PIH fighting ingredients as mentioned in the list above, and for more cystic acne, Circadias Night Time Control which is a 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, can be used as a spot treatment a couple of times a week to help to kill the Acne bacteria and dry out the excess oils.

How to pick the right skin care acid for red marks and scarring according to your skin type

When it comes to choosing a treatment for different skin types, Young LDN Aesthetician Jenna tells us that Salicylic acid is particularly beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin. Using a product that includes this acid will help break down the top layer of skin cells and buff away dead skin, which helps deal with acne and blemishes. If you are looking to treat red marks left from acne, Mandelic and Lactic acid are ideal for sensitive and combination skin types.

Additionally, Glycolic acid is good for brightening the skin and treating acne, acne scars, and pigmentation. It is also effective for ageing and mature skin and is best used for combination and nonsensitive skin types.

If you are still struggling with breakouts even after having any skin treatments and using the correct home-care acne products, we recommend you have a consultation with a doctor or dermatologist to see if you have any underlying conditions that are causing or contributing to your acne. In some cases, they will prescribe antibiotics or other medications, and in severe cases, a course of Roaccutane to treat it.