Hi,
I'm asian and I've had very persistent PIH on my cheeks. A lot of these marks have been there for almost, if not over, a year. Are these permanent? My routine currently consists of using Differin every night. What else can I do to help fade these dark marks?
Typically hyperpigmentation from acne is not permanent because it doesnt go that deep. More permanent hyperpigmentation has a bluish-gray appearance which signifies that it is in the dermal layer. Unfortunately Asian skin tends to hyperpigment more and can last longer when compared to Caucasian skin. You may want to try a skin brightening cream like hyrdoquinone or if you are nervous about that there are hydroquinone free products out there like Lytera, which are good. In addition there are also microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser to help hasten the marks, but I would go to a specialist that has a lot of experience working with asian skin types if you choose this route.
Order acne.orgs aha it is really nice stuff and helps fade marks. I've been using it fr only a week and have seen them lighten a bit already. My red marks linger around for forever too. I'm not sure they have ever faded away. And I use sunscreen daily to ensure they aren't getting darker. So finally I gave up on them fading on their own and ordered the aha. I'm happy I did.
Are you using any benzoyl peroxide?
BP makes my hyperpigmentation last so much longer, even with daily AHA use. When I got off it and was using raw organic honey as a facial wash, they started to fade more quickly. I have also used at home chemical peels and they seemed to help.
I'm not using any BP.
My regimen over the past 4 months has been Differin + Moisturizer (I've also gotten some Vbeam and IPL done to reduce the pigmentation - while better the PIH still exists).
It sucks because on top of my PIH there is very evident scarring on one side of my face (I would say severe rolling and boxcar scars) but I understand that I need to get rid of PIH before the scars.
Would AHA help?