How To Heal Acne Marks

A new series has kicked off on my Youtube Channel and this week it is all about POST ACNE CARE. You finally clear your acne but you may be left with marks, scars or even pigmentation and texture. This series is to help you heal all of that and get your skin in the best condition is can be.

So Video 1 lets talk about how to heal acne marks. Here are my tips to fade those pesky red marks which seem to hang around out face for a couple of weeks sometimes months.

                  

So what are acne marks? Do not confuse these with scars! Acne marks are actually a natural healing process. Inflammation causing the redness doesn't always have to be bad thing if it is a result from a spot being popped. Although we don't want it for a prolonged amount of time, temporarily to heal a spot for example it is a good thing. The inflammation is aiding the healing process and is actually speeding up the recovery, it is calling all the necessary components to come to the area to heal and rebuild the skin. I do want to make it clear I am only talking about inflammation after skin has been damaged (like when you fall over and graze your knee) so we can call it superficial inflammation. Inflammation in general and internal we do want to avoid.

But I hate these red marks! They stay around for ages! I hear you say. Well lets talk about how you can speed up this healing process and reduce the risk of scarring and further damage.

Before we jump in I just want to make it clear it is all about supporting the healing process. That is the key. Everything you do should be compliment what is happen and to help nourish and protect the skin.

Lets get into the tips!

1) Exfoliate

There are 2 types of exfoliation which are chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliants are anything containing acids so popular ones are Glycolic, Lactic and Salicylic. More recently especially if you have sensitive skin more people are trying fruit enzymes which is again a chemical exfoliant. Physical exfoliants are the classic exfoliators which you can feel the grain in your finger tips.

So why exfoliate for marks? We want to regenerate and help build new skin and shed off the old. Exfoliating will also help to improve the skins texture (so this is also very key if you have scarring).

TOP TIP: Be gentle with your skin!! If you have active breakouts I recommend you look into the chemical exfoliators as you do not want to aggravate existing breakouts. I also recommending starting off only exfoliating once a week or if that is too much then once every 2 weeks. Some of these ingredients can be very active and strong on the skin so over doing it can cause more harm than good.
If your skin is breakout free it is your choice of physical or chemical. However if you choose physical I recommend trying a product which uses a good grain for example jojoba beads. Jojoba beads are completely spherical which means they roll over the skin and can not scratch the skins surface and cause irritation. Some exfoliators out on the market contain grains which are too abrasive and can damage the skins surface. My personal favourite exfoliator of the moment is the Pai Kukui and Jojoba Brightening Exfoliator.

2) SPF

It is talked about a lot and for good reason! We should be using SPF everyday. However I know how hard it is to find a SPF which doesn't break you out, trust me it is my biggest challenge. The reason SPF is so crucial for healing acne marks is it prevents the pigment getting darker but most importantly the skin in the area is very vulnerable as it is damaged and we don't want to further the damage. I really did notice once I started using SPF every day my acne marks healed SO much quicker!

Some SPF's I enjoy are the Dr Jackson 01 Day cream (my daily moisturiser) and the COOLA SPF 50 sport face cream.

3) Frankincense Oil

MY FAVOURITE ESSENTIAL OIL EVER!! It is literally a miracle worker! One of it's many benefits it speeding up healing acne marks. I pop a couple drops into my moisturiser and it does the trick.

4) Hemp Oil and Rosehip Oil

If you follow my youtube you may know I love Hemp Oil. I swear it changed my skin and from feedback from you guys you have had the same results! I love to cleanse my skin every morning with hemp oil and to be honest I don't think I will ever change this method (well at least I am not planning to). Hemp oil is a 0 on the comedogenic scale which means it is at the lowest risk to clog your pores which makes it perfect for acne prone skin. If hemp oil does break you out I would look into how you are removing it. Oil in general is fantastic for healing the skin and providing all the nourishment it needs but hemp in particular is packed with benefits including all the essentials omega 3 fatty acids. Hemp oil also helps with swelling and general inflammation and redness so it can really help existing breakouts too. If you want to see me using hemp oil click this link to take you to my morning skincare routine.

Rosehip oil is another oil notorious for its skin healing benefits. I personally do not get on with rosehip too well I find it a little too rich for me but it still deserves a mention. It is great also for scarring and a lot of women use it for stretch marks which shows how well it works with our skin. Rosehip formulas can vary so make sure you do your research. Key components you will find are Retinoic acid which is a form of vit A a great antioxidant, which helps skin regeneration in turn helping to heal hyper pigmentation and dark marks. Vitamin C great for collagen production and brightening the complexion. Lastly full of omegas which contribute to optimum skin health.

5) The Inside Out

Of course I am going to touch on what you can do internally to heal acne marks! So although initial inflammation is good if it is hanging around our face for more than a week we need to calm it down! So lets talk anti inflammatory. There are so many choices when it comes to anti inflammatory foods but my personal favourites are turmeric, ginger and coconut. I highly recommend you try adding these ingredients into your meals or you could make a turmeric ginger shot. I take a shot every morning which consists of turmeric, ginger, lemon, pineapple and a sprinkle a pinch of pepper (because this activates the turmeric). Ideally you should also have a fat with it so add a bit of coconut oil and you are on for a winner!!
The more anti inflammatory your diet the quicker the redness is going to heal.

6) Vit D

Such a crucial vitamin for so many different functions in our body. When it comes to our skin vit D is at the top of the list. If you live in a hot climate you should be good for this as our best source is the sun. However if you live in a climate where sun is not a daily blessing I highly recommend you look into a supplement. I personally like the liquid form as it has very absorbing properties and you want make sure you get vit D3. Ever wonder why when you go on holiday you skin seems to be amazing for that period of time? Vit D is your answer.

These are the main points I wanted to discuss but there are a couple more tips in the video if you are interested!

What are your favourite ways to heal acne marks?

Ebony x