# Acne scars??



## Crystsal (Mar 31, 2011)

Hello everybody. As my other post about acne...do you guys know anything that can get rid of acne scars? And now that my acne is getting lesser...but sadly they are leaving very dark marks. -_-. Does anybody know how to get rid of this? I don't have insurance and not enough money to pay a visit to a dermatologist. And please nothing that is costly. Thank you. And what do you guys use? lol. 

Oh...and another thing...blackheads and whiteheads..or those pimples that are under the skin but nvr come out...do you know anything that can get rid of it?

And I'll try almost anything. Natural products or store buy.


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## Cygnus (May 1, 2011)

Haven't tried any of these tips myself, but you may find them useful: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/five-ways-to-reduce-acne-scars.html
As for pimples, I mostly use benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid is another good one. You can find products containing these at pretty much any drug store.


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## Neutrino (Apr 11, 2011)

Well... I went to the doctor about my acne, and also about the "scars" that were seemingly everywhere. But she informed me that they weren't actually scars. She said that they're pock marks or something, and that they'd fade and go away after about a year. And they have. They were pretty dark, but now they're almost all gone  maybe that's what you have?

As for acne treatment stuff, I'm on a prescribed medication called Minocycline, and it has helped very much but it is pretty pricey. The other thing I'm using is Clindoxyl Gel, which I think is cheaper. Not sure if it needs to be prescribed... 

Then I wash my face in the shower with soap. Then I wipe my face with a wet cloth several times throughout the day.

Good luck


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## Cygnus (May 1, 2011)

Good advice, but I've been told by my dermatologist to avoid washing my face with soap. It's very harsh and dries the skin out, which actually leaves it more susceptible to acne. I use a soap-free cleanser instead.


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## purplefruit (Jan 11, 2011)

i have the same problem. i know i'm an old fogey not a teen  but had acne since i was 9 years old. my dermatologist said that i have to clear the acne first then get rid of the scars. it took forever. i went for a year and a half and still had acne, and had to give up because of the cost of the medication.

i wash using SpectroJel twice a day. i don't know that you guys have it in the states. I think Cetaphil is another non-soapy, mild formula which is equally as effective.. Don't use soap, and don't bother with stuff like Neutrogena or Nivea. It's all a sham.

i use benzoyl peroxide like cygnus said. once or twice a day depending on my skin, which ranges from oozing oil to flaking off dry. the product is pretty cheap. comes in 2.5% or 5% strength. this comes in gel form which leaves the skin more lubricated, or cream which dries out more. personally i use 5% cream, i couldn't find the 2.5 gel :lol my acne is decreasing (hopefully for good) so i only use BP as sort of a spot treatment at this point, and not too much. i smear it all over my chin, upper lip and forehead, as this is where the acne is still flaring up. then i rub a tiny amount on my nose and on my right cheek where i have a small, stubborn patch of acne and scars. this helps, lemme tell you. my cheek which had what i thought was permanent acne and scarring is nearly smooth after 4 months. a small tube has lasted me the whole 4 months because i use a tiny amount.

for teh scarring i use this:










it's pretty expensive (i think 50 USD) and you have to use it very sparingly. but it WORKS. one bottle lasts me about a month and a half but i was trying to use it on my bacne too (which isn't going away. that's another story)....so i'd suggest only using it on your FACE. i shall do the same using my next bottle. i use this once or twice a day.

i sometimes moisturize on top of the Clinique because it's not effective enough on its own if my skin is in its extra dry state.. i don't use anything special to moisturize, just spectroJel again, or clean and clear. i do this in the morning and sometimes before bed. (sometimes too lazy to do it at night). jojoba oil is recommended as a moisturizer but i found it made my face too oily. and it's too expensive.

and i exfoliate by scrubbing my face and other acne areas with Lush Ocean Salt, which i do no more than once a week. $30 but it lasts long and comes in a big container. it's a bit rough so don't do it often. and don't use products afterward because it's a natural scrub and therefore quite rough on your skin.

also, sunlight helps. :lol i went on a sunny vacay last year, lots of sun and probably better air than i'm used to. and my face was clear. came back home and shortly after, i looked gross again. my doctor also suggested that sunlight is good.

long post :um but this regime seems to be working, for me, toward clearing the scars.

good luck


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## emptybottle2 (Jan 18, 2009)

Products with hydroquinone seem to be the most highly recommended. I think the stuff the actually works need to be prescribed by a dermatologist.

I used an expensive lightening gel much like the Clinique one and I didn't notice a difference in how quickly the scars faded. All I do now is exfoliate twice a week (more than that is overkill). Just invest in good, non pore-clogging foundation and concealer.


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## mooncake (Jan 29, 2008)

If what you have aren't actually indented or raised, then they're not actually scars. If I'm allowed to post links (hopefully it's ok!) then I'd recommend having a look through the forums here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Red-Dark-marks-left-acne-f34.html You'll find a lot of information on what's likely to work/what isn't, and generally just a lot of useful tips on what you can do to speed up the fading of your red marks. The good news is, though, that they most likely _will_ fade with time. There are things you can try by which to speed the process up, but there's always the risk that you could irritate your skin and cause it to flare up again. Although annoying I know, I'd try not to worry about them too much. Congratulations on your acne clearing up!


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## RUFB2327 (Sep 28, 2008)

If they are just dark/red marks they will most likely fade over time without using any products. These types of mark aren't actually scars

If your skin is uneven in certain areas, like indents in your face, than those are scars and most likely you will need work done to your face to get rid of them


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## purplefruit (Jan 11, 2011)

emptybottle2 said:


> Products with hydroquinone seem to be the most highly recommended. I think the stuff the actually works need to be prescribed by a dermatologist.
> 
> I used an expensive lightening gel much like the Clinique one and I didn't notice a difference in how quickly the scars faded. All I do now is exfoliate twice a week (more than that is overkill). Just invest in good, non pore-clogging foundation and concealer.


i'm black, which predisposes me to difficult scarring. i've still got scars from when i was like 5 years old. they don't fade. strangely my prescriptions of retin-a and differin weren't even working. the clinique definitely doesn't speed things up, as it has taken a few months to see improvement. but absolutely nothing was clearing up before i used it. it's not worth the price, i hate the cosmetic industry and generally don't like to support companies by purchasing expensive 'high end' products. but at this point nothing else has worked.

i looked into hydroquinone but i would never use whitener on my skin as i do not want to change my skin colour.

so i just thought i'd throw it out there. :yes


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## Ricebunnyx3 (Sep 1, 2010)

mooncake said:


> If what you have aren't actually indented or raised, then they're not actually scars. If I'm allowed to post links (hopefully it's ok!) then I'd recommend having a look through the forums here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Red-Dark-marks-left-acne-f34.html You'll find a lot of information on what's likely to work/what isn't, and generally just a lot of useful tips on what you can do to speed up the fading of your red marks. The good news is, though, that they most likely _will_ fade with time. There are things you can try by which to speed the process up, but there's always the risk that you could irritate your skin and cause it to flare up again. Although annoying I know, I'd try not to worry about them too much. Congratulations on your acne clearing up!


I have black acne scars that aren't raised or indented and I've had them for years....


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## friendlykylie (Jul 28, 2011)

i know a good brand. it's called Metaderm. it's a scar lightening cream and it's not also expensive. it has no hydroquinone! that's why i like this cream. if you're interested you can check for more details in their website.


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## pollster (Oct 4, 2009)

I've heard that hydroquinone is not good for African skin. Not sure where I heard that, or even if it's true...

The dark marks left behind from acne are not scars in the true sense. They are PIH - post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Any exfoliating product with acids (e.g. glycolic acid, lactic acid) will help. But it naturally takes time. Unfortunately these marks need to go through their natural process of healing. But exfoliating can help increase cell turnover.

Cheap alternative: Apple Cider Vinegar has helped for some, and some say it also helps them with their actual acne. It's acidic. It smells like vinegar (duh), but it can dissipate once it soaks into the skin. Particularly if you follow up with something else like a moisturizer etc.

Also, any other non-hydroquinone skin lightening products can help, as they work to decrease melanin production in the skin. e.g. vitamin C, licorice extract, etc. etc. There are lots of skin lightening products out there.

But acids will also help you with your blackheads/whiteheads/under-the-skin bumps problem.



Eliza said:


> also, sunlight helps. :lol i went on a sunny vacay last year, lots of sun and probably better air than i'm used to. and my face was clear. came back home and shortly after, i looked gross again. my doctor also suggested that sunlight is good.


Sunlight kills bacteria that causes acne. So it can reduce active acne. It may also make your skin look more even toned due to the tanning effect. But this is only temporary, and you are doing more harm than good in the long term. Underneath, you are creating sun damage that will start to show as you age. Take it from me. If you do a lot of tanning/sun exposure to help your skin now, it will show up in ways you will regret when you hit 30 and beyond. Maybe not true for everyone, but definitely true for many.

Wear sunscreen. Decreasing melanin production will help your PIH in the long run.

EDIT: sun exposure will also have the detrimental effect of causing your oil glands to over-produce. While you're doing it, your skin may seem drier and less acne prone. Once you stop, more oil due to drier sun-exposed skin will make you break out / plug up.


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## stevejones (Oct 29, 2011)

Guys. before taking any type of remedies, the first thing you need to know is your skin. Depending on the type of skin, remedies changes. Therefore, go to a skin specialist and take treatment.


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## stevejones (Oct 29, 2011)

pollster said:


> I've heard that hydroquinone is not good for African skin. Not sure where I heard that, or even if it's true...
> 
> The dark marks left behind from acne are not scars in the true sense. They are PIH - post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
> 
> ...


You are saying that sunlight can kill the bacteria responsible for acne. But what will happen if the skin is photosensitive? The fact is, you can't give a specific or universal treatment for Acne. It varies depending on the quality of skin.


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## hearts that kill (Jul 7, 2011)

Ah, I'm very into home remedies and most of the time they work so you should try Google-ing for some acne scar home remedies! 

Here are some things that might help: Rubbing potato on your acne scars. Honey, tomatoes, and lemon are also good for reducing the appearance of the scars. These things have all helped me!


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## Colton (Jun 27, 2011)

This thread reminded me that I have to take my Accutane!

I've been on Accutane for about 4-5 months. It helped with my pimples a lot (although I still get one occasionally). The only bad part is that it can really dry out your lips and face but that is easily fixable with lip balm and moisturizer. Also it doesn't seem help with my hyperpigmantion (sp?) marks, but I'm hoping those will fade over time.

DON'T SCRUB WITH HOT WATER AND SOAP! I did that and it really ruined my skin!


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## peachteax3 (May 6, 2011)

haha just saw this thread while I have my face mask for acne scars!! Have you heard of bubzbeauty on youtube? She posted a video on DIY acne scar mask and it works very well!! Here's the video!


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I worry about acne scars the older I get.

I do get cystic acne, too.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

I have permanent acne scars on my freakin face. Hate this. I feel like wearing a mask in public every time.
This is a good mask that I've been looking at:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## thumpinglady (Mar 12, 2012)

*Acne scars just need lots of care and the right cream !*

I can very well understand your stress with acne scars from my own dark days 4 years back. Acne Scars can be real messy when it comes to your facial look and other people's stark remarks. I tried many creams for scars, oil based and chemical based but i should say it really detoriated the problem. Maybe my skin was very sensitive and the dark scars became more serious.

That was when my neighbor referred the Invicible Scars Treatment cream. I was a little finicky in the beginning but in two weeks the scar marks started really fading.Hope that helps.


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## Help please (Dec 9, 2011)

Laser surgery
Chemical peels
Co2 treatment etc...

I'm in the same boat, and I've been doing a little research.


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## kethexx (Mar 15, 2012)

Whether or not you have acne, it's important to wash your face daily to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and excess oil from the skin surface. Use warm, not hot, water and a mild facial cleanser. Using a harsh soap (like deodorant body soap) can injure the already inflamed skin and cause more irritation


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## Help please (Dec 9, 2011)

I'm on benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin (anti biotic) the internal meds are bad for me in the long run, but I am taking the risk, until my acne goes normally (age 17)


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## GD8 (May 7, 2011)

Microdermabrasion is supposed to get rid of acne scars but I think your acne has to be completely gone before you can do it


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## Jene (Jan 13, 2012)

RESIST Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator from Paula's Choice worked well for me. It's a moisturizer, but it doesn't clog pores, and it's fine for oily skin. It's supposed to fade acne scars and even out the skin tone, which it did for me. I would also check out Paula Begoun's book called Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, where she points out all the lies that the cosmetic industry tells us, and then gives thousands of ingredient-based reviews on cosmetics and skin-care products. Anyway, hope this helps!


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## Cj4 (Dec 8, 2013)

Crystsal said:


> Hello everybody. As my other post about acne...do you guys know anything that can get rid of acne scars? And now that my acne is getting lesser...but sadly they are leaving very dark marks. -_-. Does anybody know how to get rid of this? I don't have insurance and not enough money to pay a visit to a dermatologist. And please nothing that is costly. Thank you. And what do you guys use? lol.
> 
> Oh...and another thing...blackheads and whiteheads..or those pimples that are under the skin but nvr come out...do you know anything that can get rid of it?
> 
> And I'll try almost anything. Natural products or store buy.


Regarding your question about acne scars, There is a clinical study currently enrolling healthy males or females between the ages of 18-65 at NJPS in Montclair NJ. Their number is 973 509-2000. There is no cost to you. I hope this helps.


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## Cj4 (Dec 8, 2013)

Call NJPS at 973 509-2000. They are currently enrolling patients with acne scars on the face (I.e., the crater, deep type scars). There is no cost to the volunteers and I think it's a lazier procedure. Hope this helps and spread the word.


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