June is Acne Awareness Month so we are taking the whole month to share our love for all things Aloeclear. In this post our Director of Product Development, Rachel Ross, is back to share her thoughts on acne scarring and what Aloette products you can use to help.

We’ve spent a lot of time so far this month talking about how to prevent breakouts and treat breakouts. But what about after the breakout has occurred? Many of us – especially those of use with the more blemish prone skin – suffer from pesky dark spots and scarring long after the blemish has diminished. Our Director of Product Development Rachel Ross is here to give the skinny on scarring and what you can do to help reduce the appearance.

Q: What are acne scars? Acne scarring is the direct result of deep trauma to the skin related to acne. Unlike hyper-pigmentation (brown spots), which are flat and temporary changes related to inflammation that fade away over time, acne scarring changes the overall texture of the skin and doesn’t always improve.

Q: What causes acne scarring? Is it all my fault? If you are picking away at a blemish, then you are definitely more prone to scarring. However it’s not always the fault of the person when scars appear, and that’s a common misconception. Acne scars result from the body’s natural attempt to heal itself. After a blemish appears on the surface of the skin, the skin will naturally form new collagen fibers to repair the lesion. Raised acne scars can occur when the skin overproduces collagen, while pitted acne scars result when not enough collagen is produced.

Q: What type of acne causes scarring? Generally speaking, inflammatory acne, such as cysts or nodules, are more likely to form scarring than a simple whitehead of blackhead.

Q: Who is more likely to get acne scars? There are several variables that can make someone more prone to scarring than others. Some of it is genetics, while non-treatment and picking and touching the blemish will also play a role. It’s very important to treat your acne right away to prevent scarring with a cleansing system such as Aloeclear, and the use of Stay Pure on the blemish.

Q: How can I treat my acne scars? A series of peels can leave the skin looking smoother and less scarred in appearance and discoloration. I would recommend the Five Minute Facial twice a week to help treat acne scarring topically, as this treatment uses Lactic Acid to exfoliate away built up collagen. You can also learn more about how the Five Minute Facial works in our blog post here.  Hyaluronic acid can also help smooth out skin texture through products such as Ageless Science.  I would also recommend any Aloette products with a high concentration of aloe vera to help soothe and reduce the appearance of redness. For many of our customers who are not acne prone now but used to be, the Platinum collection has helped with scarring. You can determine which collection is right for you in a few simple steps with our Skincare Quiz.

When acne scarring has been on the skin for a long amount of time or is quite severe, one may have to consult a dermatologist for more powerful treatment such as dermal fillers and laser resurfacing. If you are concerned with acne scarring, I would talk to a beauty consultant about the products mentioned above as well as the Aloeclear system to determine if these products would work best for your individual needs.