How to Get Rid of Acne Scarring, According to a Derm

First things first, some basic pimple and pigmentation 101. As Hernandez explains to me, a pimple is an infection that begins deep within our pores and can be triggered by a variety of factors including excess oil, dead skin cells, and/or bacteria that gets trapped inside. As a pimple grows larger and becomes inflamed and swollen, so does the pore, which stretches and expands to create a pocket that plays house to the infection. Essentially, acne scars (or as Nazarian calls them, "stains") are the direct result of damaged pores and portray the injured skin tissue post-pimple after the follicular wall has been ruptured.

As I've experienced personally and as Nazarian is quick to bring up, acne scarring—aka “post-inflammatory pigmentation” can be just as—or even more—distressing than the pimples themselves. And in more severe cases pitted and textural scars can occur after more serious breakouts, creating pits and dimples in the skin.Â

"Whether the pigmentation is simply left over from the pimple or from picking and squeezing, acne scars are difficult to treat because everyone's skin heals differently, and some may require multiple and various types of treatments to achieve full correction," explains Nazarian. "Also, the skin takes time to heal and to respond to the treatments—it doesn't happen overnight! This requires a commitment to the treatment over time to see the full result."

By:

Erin Jahns