Acne marks and dark spots are often the product of severe, deep acne and can be very difficult to get rid of.
Treating acne, itself, can be complex and frustrating, from trying over-the-counter treatments to visiting some dermatologists.
However, treating acne is not always enough, as it leaves behind scars that are equally frustrating to treat.
If you have been struggling to even out your skin tone and get rid of acne scars and dark spots, in this article, we are going to discuss:
- Reasons for Acne and Acne Scarring
- Microneedling to Get Rid of Acne Marks or Dark Spots
- Lumecca IPL to Get Rid of Acne Marks or Dark Spots
Reasons for Acne and Acne Scarring
Acne forms when hair follicles get clogged with oil and sebum, creating bumps on the skin, such as blackheads and whiteheads. Most acne breakouts appear on the face, chest, back, soldiers, and forehead, because this is where most glands on your body are.
There are a few biological causes of acne.
First, if your skin is producing excess oil, also known as sebum, this may lead to acne as hair follicles become clogged with the excess sebum.
Second, an acne breakout may appear if hair follicles get clogged by oil or dead skin.
Third, acne can be caused by bacteria, such as on your makeup brushes or pillow.
Finally, acne can appear from deep inflammation in your hair follicles.
Acne can also get worse or be triggered by many biological factors or daily habits.
Hormonal changes can trigger an acne breakout, which is why many teenagers suffer from acne during puberty when there is an increase in androgens in the body. These hormonal changes increase the production of sebum and the size of the sebaceous glands.
Additionally, taking new medications that contain certain drugs, like corticosteroids, testosterone, or lithium, may trigger acne.
Another common acne trigger is diet, especially those high in carbohydrates. It is a common myth that chocolate and greasy food cause.
However, there is still room for research about controlling acne breakouts through dietary restriction.
Finally, stress is known to be a common acne trigger. While stress does not cause acne, if you struggle with acne, being under a great amount of stress may increase the severity of breakouts.
Unfortunately, even after acne has healed, one may be left with scars and dark spots that are difficult to get rid of.
If one suffers from severe breakouts that cause deep lesions, the skin naturally wants to heal by forming more collagen. However, this healing does not produce smooth, perfect skin.
Two types of acne scars may appear after acne has healed.
The first is “hypertrophic or keloid scarring,” which is caused by the overproduction of collagen as the skin attempts to heal itself. This produced raised tissue on the skin, making it look uneven.
The second type of acne scarring is “atrophic or depressed scarring,” which is caused by loss of tissue. There are two types of atrophic or depressed scarring, including icepick scars which look like small holes in the skin, and boxcar scars which look like depressions in the skin, usually in round or oval shape.
Microneedling to Get Rid of Acne Marks or Dark Spots
Microneedling is a cosmetic treatment that involves making small punctures in the skin to trigger the skin’s natural healing response, which in turn, helps produce additional collagen.
As the skin heals itself and produces more collagen, it smooths out, reducing the appearance of acne scars.
Microneedling is best for atrophic depressed scarring as these depressions in the skin require additional collagen.
Treating acne scars with micro-needling is even more effective when done in conjunction with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment. Micro-needling with PRP helps amplify and speed up treatment results and reduce redness and swelling.
PRP treatment includes drawing blood from the skin and separating the blood from the plasma. The enriched plasma is then prepared and injected into the skin or hair follicles.
One of the greatest benefits of treating acne scars with microneedling is that it can be used to treat any skin tone, unlike laser treatments which exclude darker skin tones.
Additionally, microneedling is safe for those with sensitive skin and does not irritate the skin.
Lumecca IPL to Get Rid of Acne Marks or Dark Spots
Lumecca IPL is a non-invasive treatment that is great for treating acne marks or dark spots. The Treatment reduces hyperpigmentation and evens out the skin tone, treating irregularities such as sunspots and acne scars.
IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light treatment, heats the skin, triggering the body to get rid of unwanted cells, such as those making your skin uneven.
IPL targets certain colors in your skin, whether that skin is darker from acne scarring or sun exposure.
Lumecca IPL, specifically, is more effective than other IPL treatments, taking only one to two treatments before results are apparent. It is also non-invasive and more comfortable than most other IPL treatments.
Additionally, Lumecca IPL can be used to treat other irregularities in the skin, such as sunspots and wrinkles, in addition to acne with one treatment.