Acne
breakouts cause scars and discolorations as part of the healing process. While
most people consider the dark marks to be scars, medically they are not. The
skin discolorations are just a part of healing. These hyperpigmented areas
always fade in time, but it can take several months to a year before they
disappear. Fortunately, these are several remedies that can even out the skin
tone in a shorter period of time. Not all treatments work for everyone, so it
is best to try a few remedies until you find one that works.
Bleaching Cream
Most bleaching cream on the market contain hydroquinone. This is a chemical
bleaching agent that is effective in fading skin discolorations. Other
ingredients in bleaching creams are glycolic acid and kojic acid, both of which
are natural acids.Look for creams and lotions that contain these ingredients.
Other names for bleaching creams are skin whiteners, skin lighteners and fade
creams.
Lemon Juice
One natural way to fade acne discolorations is with lemon juice. As a folk
remedy, lemon juice has often been suggested to fade freckles and age spots.
Lemons contain citric acid which, when applied to the skin, can gently
exfoliate the skin and fade the discolorations over a period of time. Other
products with citric acid you can try are grapefruit juice and lime juice.
Apply the lemon juice to the acne discolorations a few times each day until
improvement is seen.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a known bleaching agent used as an ingredient in beauty
products and for industrial purposes. Peroxide is used to dye hair, whiten
teeth and bleach paper. The hydrogen peroxide sold in drugstores is a mild
solution of only 3 to 3.5 percent. This amount is approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for use on the skin. For best results apply the
peroxide a few times each day.
Chemical Peels
With chemical peels, an acid is applied to the skin discoloration. The acid
burns off the top layer of the skin. For a few days the skin will ooze and then
a scab forms. As the old skin peels away, the new skin growing underneath with
be less discolored. Chemical peels can be done at home, at a salon or in a
doctor's office. The chemicals used by the doctor are the strongest available
and can give you the best results. But a few treatments may be needed. The
downside is that chemical peels done by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon are
expensive. For at-home use a you can buy glycolic acid or lactic acid at an
online beauty supply store. Salons also use these acids but in slightly
stronger concentrations. Salon prices for a chemical peel vary widely.
