For me, a zit is not just a zit. A zit is a scar in its infancy that will be with me for at least 3-6 months. Thankfully, finally, my hormones evened out and my skin has mostly calmed down and now I only get the occasional zit. But as recently as 9 months ago, this was not the case. Over the years I’ve developed some strategies and tried some truly miraculous products to deal with hyperpigmentation and I’d like to share them with you.
The Basics
- First, use a gentle cleanser and wash twice a day. I use Trader Joe’s face wash and moisturizers.
- DO NOT get fancy. As a matter of fact, I say eschew fancy cleansers entirely. The good stuff is in creams and serums.
- DO NOT over-exfoliate. The temptation is to scrub the scars off of your face. Resist that urge. Twice a week with a scrub or a Clarisonic, is all you need.
- Always, always, always use sunscreen.
- DO NOT make the mistake of thinking you can “tan off” your scars. That just makes them stick around longer.
- Finally, get enough sleep and drink a lot of water. Fading scars and discolorations is nothing more than allowing your skin to repair itself and rest and water are the 2 most important parts of this plan.
Products
Now, if you stuck to the basics above, most likely your scars would fade on their own over about 6 months. But who the fuck wants to wait 6 months? Below are some of my favorite serums and moisturizers to turbo boost the process.
Pro Tip: All of these products are safe for all skin colors, but always test things out on your own skin before buying to check for any individual sensitivities.
Drugstore
1. Neutrogena Tone Correcting Moisturizer
Retinol is the magic ingredient in this cream with SPF, which makes it safe for day wear. A lot of moisturizers have retinol, but Neutrogena figured out a magic formula here, because this will gently and noticeably diffuse the scars on your face in as little as 3 months, if you apply twice a day and follow the rules outlined in the basics.
Pro Tip: NEVER wear a moisturizer with retinol outdoors if without sunscreen. Retinol heightens your skins sensitivity to sun.
2. Olay PRO-X Spot Fading Treatment
I got to try a full-size sample of this last fall when I had what will hopefully be my last episode of skin chaos and it delivered serious results over the period of the trial. This product doesn’t contain retinol and has the added bonus of not having SPF, so you won’t be wearing unnecessary chemicals to sleep at night.
Fancypants
1. Murad Age Spot And Pigment Lightening Serum
As far as I am concerned, this is the gold standard in hyperpigmentation treatments and it fucking should be at $60 an ounce. It’s so powerful that you should only use it for three months at a time then take three months off. Hydroquinine is the most powerful skin lightener on the market and it can poison you if used for long periods of time. I splurged on this product when my skin was so bad that I was buying a new pot of concealer every month. Within a month of adding this product into my regimen, I was leaving home with just a light dusting of powder. If you are fed-fucking-up with your spots or have a big event coming up, this is worth every penny.
2. Aveda Enbrightenment System
Because at heart I am somewhat of a hippie, when my hardworking skin started giving me guff this past winter, I splurged on the starter set of this system. It’s pricey-as-hell but it’s also really effective without any of the problematic chemicals used in the products above. It works best if you only have a few new spots or just want to give the last remnants of your old spots the boot. The major flaw in this system is that it doesn’t come with a moisturizer with SPF. However, by the end of the sample sized products the few new spots on my face were gone and I had once again retired my concealer.
Hope these tips and product suggestions help. If you have any additional suggestions, concerns or just want to share your laments, I’ll see you in the comments.
Images: Neutrogena, Olay, Murad, Aveda
