5 Common Skincare Mistakes That Worsen Your Acne Scars
Acne of any sort is horrible enough on its own. But if you have ever battled acne, then the chances are that you have also undoubtedly encountered dreadful acne scars – no matter the type of acne scars, they can be troubling to many and cause undesirable self-esteem issues.
If you would like to know the most typical skin care blunders that can result in acne scars, read on as we break down five of these mistakes to avoid making.
1. Do not exfoliate
Not many people know this, but exfoliation is the key to lightening certain types of acne-related pigmentation. When done correctly, deep exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the surface of the skin’s epidermis to reveal the “newer” cells underneath, leaving your skin looking smoother, softer, brighter, and younger. Exfoliation also has the added benefit of unclogging pores and eliminating excess sebum, reducing the chance of recurring breakouts.
Chemical exfoliants and acids work by stripping away the surface of the skin’s epidermis; depending on the type and how deep the scarring or pigmentation is, this stripping effect can lighten and make certain acne scars/pigmentation less prominent over time.
It is, however, important to note that chemical exfoliants and acids can be very drying and harsh on the skin. When choosing which chemical exfoliator to use, it is important to choose something that is compatible with your skin and level of skin sensitivity to minimise any potential damaging side effects.
2. Only treat acne that is active
Acne scarring can occasionally develop even without having to do anything to the skin. This primarily stems from the fact that even if one leaves their acne alone, more inflamed acne – think deep acne cysts – is more likely to scar than non-inflammatory ones. Hence, if anyone in your family has experienced severe scarring acne, it would be good to opt for treatment as soon as possible for the best results.
Two of the biggest mistakes one should avoid would be not treating acne early and being inconsistent about your acne treatment in Singapore. However, the best way to prevent acne is to attempt to avoid it altogether. Several products on the market can help prevent breakouts from ever happening and are gentle enough for everyday usage.
3. Do not obsessively clean your pores
Despite how satisfying it may feel, using your fingers to clean out your pores may be quite upsetting and painful for your skin, which can eventually lead to scars. A good solution would be to hire a professional skilled in using metal tools and aware of the most effective ways to remove the unwanted substance known as a sebaceous filament (sebum and dead skin cells).
Alternatively, a far more effective approach to safe and gentle, yet offers deep cleansing, exfoliating, extracting, and hydrating your skin simultaneously would be a HydraFacial treatment by The Clifford Clinic. The process of the HydraFacial treatment is relatively simple, with these 5 steps:
1. Cleansing and exfoliation: Removing of dead skin cells.
2. Acid peel: To loosen the dirt from pores.
3. Extractions: Utilizing vortex suction to painlessly clean out pores.
4. Hydration: Vortex-fused hyaluronic and antioxidants to protect and nourish the skin.
5. Protection: To maintain results and protect the skin, HydraFacial daily essentials are used.
HydraFacial is a painless, non-surgical procedure that delivers results with no downtime. Taking only 45 minutes to complete, the treatment is relatively quick and provides virtually no discomfort. Moreover, in order to provide the skin even deeper hydration, the HydraFacial treatment is supplemented with a soothing shoulder and facial massage and completed with a personalized moisturizing mask. Thus, it is ideal for acne-prone skin.
4. Use sunscreen
When one has acne or skin that is prone to acne, they might have a tremendous fear of applying sunscreen as they may believe it will clog their pores and make their acne worse. Moreover, sunscreen often feels heavy and greasy; two things you do not want if you have ongoing breakouts. Apart from that, another myth is that the sun tends to dry out one’s acne, which is completely untrue.
It is especially crucial to apply sunscreen if you are prone to developing acne scars after acne. In fact, the sun’s infrared rays can aggravate acne by causing skin irritation and deeper inflammation. Additionally, exposure to the sun without protection might result in dark scars and spots becoming even darker since the UV rays from the sun break down collagen and increase the formation of melanin in the skin. There are many sunscreen products that are moisturizing and lightweight while still having SPF 50 and will not make you feel sticky or greasy – these products are excellent for acne-prone or oily skin.
5. Do not pop your pimples
Popping pimples is the biggest offense an individual could ever do while having acne. While you might believe that it will disappear entirely just because you are cleansing the face afterward, the truth is that it would not. As we are unable to fully see it, popping a pimple might inflict a lot of harm that we are not even aware of.
The harm popping pimples can inflict are quite severe: First, it might push the infection further into the skin, making it more challenging to cure. Infected skin can also spread to areas of the skin that were not initially inflamed. Finally, the skin will manufacture more collagen in an effort to cure itself, which will cause the skin’s surface to collapse and leave you with an acne scar. Thus, it would be best to resist any urge to pop pimples in the first place.
Final words
With a few minor adjustments to your daily routine, acne scars may be evened out, lightened, and or even prevented. It is all about being aware of the things you do that can traumatize your skin.
If you are looking to get rid of acne scars in Singapore, look no further than The Clifford Clinic! Armed with more than 40 combined years of professional expertise in dermatology and plastic surgery, our certified doctors are experienced in providing trusted and reliable acne scar treatments in Singapore to those in need. With a focus on the top tier and advanced non-surgical and minimally invasive aesthetic treatments, have peace of mind as we deliver a bespoke patient experience and the results you desire. For more information or to book your first appointment, do not hesitate to contact us today.