Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation are dark and discolored spots that appear on your skin following acne that has healed. The spots are flat areas of skin discoloration also referred to as macules. Depending on your skin color and acne, the spots can be pinkish, red, brown or black. The hyperpigmentation is a response to skin inflammation caused by the acne, which causes overproduction of melanin. Melanin is a protein that is responsible for skin color, and in this case, when in excess, causes hyperpigmentation. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation is not a true scar, and there are available treatments to fade the dark spots.

There are a number of over-the-counter treatments, including a range of effective "brightening" products. Before using such treatment, it would best that your acne is under control, as it would otherwise be less effective as more cases of acne can cause dark spots all over again.

A widely used treatment for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation is hydroquinone cream. It works by inhibiting the enzyme that enables melanin production, and as such, lightens the skin. Hydroquinone creams usually contain other lightening ingredients to give better results, like glycolic acid, kojic acid, tretinoin and other retinoids, and vitamin C. Cream should be applied carefully to the dark spots only, to avoid any unwanted lightening of normal skin areas. Hydroquinone is available as over-the-counter and prescription treatments.

Topical retinoids are another treatment option for dark spots. Retinoids that can be used include tretinoin and tazarotene, and examples of retinoid creams are Retin-A, Tazorac and Differin. They work by increasing cell turnover rates. They are helpful for clearing acne as well as dark spots, making them a convenient treatment for acne sufferers. Treatment may take several weeks to months to start having effects in clearing dark spots.

Skincare products that contain glycolic acid can help get rid of dark spots. Glycolic acid has the effect of exfoliating the skin and lightening dark spots. It also comes with the added benefit of leaving your skin to be smooth and soft. Glycolic acid is available as over-the-counter skin products in the form of cleansers, creams and gels, and higher concentrations available in prescription. Improvement with glycolic acid is gradual and may take several months.

Azelaic acid is another treatment for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It has the effect of decreasing inflammation and increasing cell turnover rates. It can also be used to treat acne as well, in addition to helping fade dark spots. Studies show that it is just as effective as hydroquinone cream in removing hyperpigmentation. It is available as a prescription treatment only, in cream and gel form. It can be used alongside glycolic acid or retinoids.

Aside from over-the-counter products, there are other treatment options, administered by professionals, to treat post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. One option is the chemical peels technique, which involves the application of a chemical to remove the top layer of skin, and get rid of the dark spot. Microdermabrasion is another technique that uses a rotating disc to scrape away the top layers of skin. Laser therapy provides another way to remove dark spots, also by removing the top layers of skin.

As can be seen, there are several treatment options to get rid of dark spots caused by post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. They include a variety of brightening treatments, to treatments that are administered by professionals.