How to Remove Acne Scars: 5 Products to Help Brighten Your Skin

For most people, acne problems don’t go away once the acne does. Often, acne can leave marks that are just as difficult to banish as the pimples themselves. According to the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, one out of five people with acne will develop acne scars. Here’s why scarring happens and how to remove acne scars.

In general, scarring occurs when the dermis, the second layer of the skin, is damaged, and the body produces collagen fibers to repair it. This results in a scar, which often has a different texture and quality than the rest of the skin. Based on Harvard Health, inflammation from acne, using harsh products, or picking pimples, triggers the release of melanin. This results in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which causes acne marks. Darker skin tones are more prone to getting dark spots. When the damage is deep or severe, you also get textural scarring or even keloids. 

The key is to avoid inflammation and treat your acne breakouts in a gentle way. Avoid using harsh treatments that can dry out the skin or cause irritation. There is a misconception that the treatment has to sear the acne for it to work. Harvard Health recommends starting with a gentler treatment, such as a mild topical retinoid or acne gel to treat acne without harming the surrounding skin.

Keep in mind that although you may have acne-prone skin, you should only apply these leave-on treatments on affected areas — not all over your face. Avoid popping or squeezing your pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads, because you may be transferring bacteria from your hands, while also spreading the bacteria from the acne to other areas of the skin.

Scarring can also occur if you puncture your skin with your nails or tools.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation fades over time once the inflammation is under control, but you can help your skin out with products that heal, hydrate, and brighten skin. 

If you have acne-prone skin, continue using a cleanser and toner formulated for your skin type to prevent further breakouts and focus on healing. POND’S Acne Clear Facial Foam and POND’S Acne Clear Toner fight pimple-causing bacteria while eliminating excess oil and minimizing oil production. Both contain salicylic acid that gently exfoliates dead skin from the surface and niacinamide, which protects skin from environmental damage, reduces inflammation, improves texture, and brightens skin over time.

Apply a brightening essence and moisturizer to specifically target your acne scars. POND’S Tone Up Milk Essence delivers intense hydration while quickly brightening skin with Instabright Technology. It also evens out skin tone over time.

Follow up with POND’S White Beauty Skin Perfecting Serum Burst Cream, which has a one-of-a-kind formula that bursts into a thousand serum droplets upon skin contact. It’s rich in hyaluronic acid for deep hydration and nourishment and, because of its patented Gluta-Boost technology, brightens skin 10 times better than Vitamin C.

If you’ve been wondering how to remove acne scars, try the products above, which are specifically formulated to brighten skin and even out tone, and continue treating your acne with gentle products.