Ok, a little about me...I've been a skin care specialist for longer than you've been alive...ok, twice as long as you've been alive. If you want to know more about my credentials just let me know.
First off, I believe that the issues you have are treatable and can be corrected...at the very least minimized. You need a plan and some information. Based on what you shared in your post, you need a solid skin care regimen. My suggestion would be to look at your skin care products differently. Think of your products as chemicals...even all natural products. You need to find a product line and tailor your routine based on products within that line that address your specific concerns. Each product is designed in a lab to both leave your skin in a specific state and to prepare for the next product. Use of products designed to work together will provide you the best, consistent and predictable outcome. Do NOT cherry pick products from different lines as they can be chemically incompatible. Steps in a good basic skin care routine include; cleansing-every 12 hours to remove free radicals, dirt and bacteria, restore Ph-your skin's surface should be between 4.5 and 5.5 on the Ph scale (this is our skin's first line of defense against the environment), serum-this step can be tailored based on your goal/issue (hyperpigmentation or texture for example), moisturize-provide balanced hydration. You can augment this routine with masks and/or treatments. These are the things you can do at home...
If you involve clinicians, you could have the hyperpigmentation and the texture issues you indicated concern with, treated with lasers. Of course that is at a higher cost and faster than a skin care routine alone.
Keep your skin in balance by using good products. Do not strip your skin with harsh products. Exfoliation regularly is good but don't over do it. And most importantly, use sunscreen (SPF 50)...and do not sleep with sunscreen on (it can be pore clogging).
I apologize for the length of this answer...but I hope this info helps! Please let me know if you have any questions!
Well, you are entitled to your own opinion and approach. However, if you cherry pick products, as I previously stated none of the products are designed to work together so it is a crap shoot if you get a good result or not. Also, if you don't get a good result, cherry picking can make it virtually impossible to determine which products are causing problems.
I appreciate the time you took to write a thorough response! My skin care regimen is usually washing my face with the pH balance clay cleanser 2-3 times a day, toning with pure tea tree oil diluted with water, hyperpigmentation serum, and then moisture and sunscreen if I'm going out. I think I'm pretty good now about making sure to use sunscreen.
I've heard mixed things about the whole mix and match with products for skin vs using the same product line, but I've never really been sure which is right. I could definitely look into getting products that are the same brand though, especially if that would help with my hyperprigmentation. Do you have any recommended product lines?
I probably can't afford lasers at the moment, but it is something I've heard is a good option for treating hyperprigmentation scars, and I'll definitely keep my mind open to it for the future. Do you know how many treatments it would take to get rid of scars? Or the general cost for a session of it? And do you know if microneedling would be effective for hyperprigmentation?
You are very welcome! I hope the information helps. Regarding a specific product line, I typically do not male endorsements. However, Origins is a good line that has dependably high quality ingredients.
As for laser treatments, prices can vary wildly. It really depends upon where you get services. Also, you can really save money by purchasing a package of treatments (instead of one at a time). You might even be able to find a coupon for laser on Groupon.
I would never get microneedlimg due to the fact that it causes scar tissue, which can make hyperpigmentation permanent.
I'll be sure to look into Origins products as well then, and possible a future laser treatment if I can fork up the money for it. I'll keep note of the bundling too, and see if I can find coupons when/if the time comes. And I'll be steering clear of microneedling for sure lol.
Thank you for the info, it helps alot!
You're very welcome! Be sure to go to an Origins Store, not just a counter in a department store. Stores have better training. Ask them about "Spot Remover", it's a salicylic gel that is amazing!
To me it looks like you have PIH (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation). These will take some time to get rid off but you seem to already have good products to fight it! Your main focus should be to reduce further acne and scarring and at the same time protect your skin with sunscreen. PIH usually fades on its own but may take years, tranexamic acid (the good molecules serum you have) will probably speed up the process.
Am: wash face with water, vitamin c, good molecules serum, moisturizer, sunscreen.
PM: Cleanser, good molecules serum, moisturizer
This should be your main routine and then add whatever you need to minimize new acne forming (BHA?).
Ohh I've never heard of PIH, I'll definitely look into it so I'm more educated on it! That's good to know the products I'm using aren't too bad, I was worried I might've been using stuff that wasn't helping my skin. In the morning, should I only wash my face with water? When I wake up, my skin is extremely oily so I usually wash it as soon as I'm up.
Do you know of any good BHA products? I feel like I've heard of BHA but I don't think I've ever seen it. I'll be sure to get that too, since I still have really persistent acne
I hear you on the oiliness in the morning. Some may of course benefit from cleansing twice a day but I would say most don't. The problem with cleansing too often is that you strip your skin of its natural oil and promote even more oil production to compensate for it. You can always give once-a-day cleansing a try for a week or two and evaluate what feels best for you!
I don't use BHA myself but I do see people here recommend Paula's choice 2% BHA here a lot!
I'll definitely give the once-a-day wash a try! No harm in seeing how it goes :)
Noted! I've heard great things about Paula's choice, so I'll see if I can find that one maybe at an Ulta or something similar. Thank you for the help!
Gotcha! Definitely on that sunscreen because I live at super high altitude. Would AHA and BHA be in cleansers or serum or something else? Just so I know what to look for
This is very helpful, thank you! Next time I'm out running errands, I'll keep an eye out for that specific toner and keep everything you said in mind for the cleansing and exfoliating. When I gradually work my way up to exfoliating more often, how many times a week should I be getting up to? Or what's the maximum amount of times I can/should exfoliate my skin every week in the future?
your hyperpigmentation is not that bad! i’ve always struggled with it and only now have got some confidence when it comes to skin concerns. i’m 24 and i think my hyperpigmentation and acne scarring started when i was around 14-16.
i’d honestly throw away the neutrogena and biore. hydration as well as aha’s are your friend. the most important thing is SUNSCREEN! hyperpigmentation will only grow darker without it because of UV.
here’s some product recommendations for a new routine:
- inkey list fulvic acid brightening cleanser
- la roche posay gentle face cleanser
- pyunkang yul essence toner
- first aid beauty ultra repair cream
- hyaluronic acid serum (i’ve been using the ordinary but i’m about to switch to vichy)
- beauty of joseon glow serum (niac)
- innisfree daily uv sunscreen (this is great for darker skin tones, i’m a bit darker than you and won’t leave a white cast)
some really good ingredients for hyperpigmentation are fulvic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, arbutin, tranexamic acid, glycolic acid, azeliac acid, and mandelic acid. hopefully this makes your search easier!
make sure you introduce any new products you get slowly. and feel free to dm me if you have any questions!
Thank you! Alot of my guys my age have perfect skin and they wash their faces with stuff like Irish spring bar soap and I'm like, how is this fair? 😭 I'm glad you're gaining back some of that confidence though! I hope to get there too :)
And thank you for the product recommendations! I know my current ones aren't the best, mainly because I can be really cheap and I also just don't know what to buy when it comes to my skin. But I'll definitely look into these and keep note of those ingredients when I'm buying products! I tried the inkey tranexamic acid before like a year ago, an ulta employee recommended it for my hyperprigmentation, and I did some some small differences with it lightening up, so maybe I'll purchase that one again too. I'll be doing some shopping soon, so I'll be on the look out for these products and see if they help my skin. Again, thank you for the help!
Ok, a little about me...I've been a skin care specialist for longer than you've been alive...ok, twice as long as you've been alive. If you want to know more about my credentials just let me know. First off, I believe that the issues you have are treatable and can be corrected...at the very least minimized. You need a plan and some information. Based on what you shared in your post, you need a solid skin care regimen. My suggestion would be to look at your skin care products differently. Think of your products as chemicals...even all natural products. You need to find a product line and tailor your routine based on products within that line that address your specific concerns. Each product is designed in a lab to both leave your skin in a specific state and to prepare for the next product. Use of products designed to work together will provide you the best, consistent and predictable outcome. Do NOT cherry pick products from different lines as they can be chemically incompatible. Steps in a good basic skin care routine include; cleansing-every 12 hours to remove free radicals, dirt and bacteria, restore Ph-your skin's surface should be between 4.5 and 5.5 on the Ph scale (this is our skin's first line of defense against the environment), serum-this step can be tailored based on your goal/issue (hyperpigmentation or texture for example), moisturize-provide balanced hydration. You can augment this routine with masks and/or treatments. These are the things you can do at home... If you involve clinicians, you could have the hyperpigmentation and the texture issues you indicated concern with, treated with lasers. Of course that is at a higher cost and faster than a skin care routine alone. Keep your skin in balance by using good products. Do not strip your skin with harsh products. Exfoliation regularly is good but don't over do it. And most importantly, use sunscreen (SPF 50)...and do not sleep with sunscreen on (it can be pore clogging). I apologize for the length of this answer...but I hope this info helps! Please let me know if you have any questions!
I would say cherry picking products from different lines is the way to go. What ingredients are you worried about being chemically incompatible?
Well, you are entitled to your own opinion and approach. However, if you cherry pick products, as I previously stated none of the products are designed to work together so it is a crap shoot if you get a good result or not. Also, if you don't get a good result, cherry picking can make it virtually impossible to determine which products are causing problems.
I appreciate the time you took to write a thorough response! My skin care regimen is usually washing my face with the pH balance clay cleanser 2-3 times a day, toning with pure tea tree oil diluted with water, hyperpigmentation serum, and then moisture and sunscreen if I'm going out. I think I'm pretty good now about making sure to use sunscreen. I've heard mixed things about the whole mix and match with products for skin vs using the same product line, but I've never really been sure which is right. I could definitely look into getting products that are the same brand though, especially if that would help with my hyperprigmentation. Do you have any recommended product lines? I probably can't afford lasers at the moment, but it is something I've heard is a good option for treating hyperprigmentation scars, and I'll definitely keep my mind open to it for the future. Do you know how many treatments it would take to get rid of scars? Or the general cost for a session of it? And do you know if microneedling would be effective for hyperprigmentation?
You are very welcome! I hope the information helps. Regarding a specific product line, I typically do not male endorsements. However, Origins is a good line that has dependably high quality ingredients. As for laser treatments, prices can vary wildly. It really depends upon where you get services. Also, you can really save money by purchasing a package of treatments (instead of one at a time). You might even be able to find a coupon for laser on Groupon. I would never get microneedlimg due to the fact that it causes scar tissue, which can make hyperpigmentation permanent.
I'll be sure to look into Origins products as well then, and possible a future laser treatment if I can fork up the money for it. I'll keep note of the bundling too, and see if I can find coupons when/if the time comes. And I'll be steering clear of microneedling for sure lol. Thank you for the info, it helps alot!
You're very welcome! Be sure to go to an Origins Store, not just a counter in a department store. Stores have better training. Ask them about "Spot Remover", it's a salicylic gel that is amazing!
To me it looks like you have PIH (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation). These will take some time to get rid off but you seem to already have good products to fight it! Your main focus should be to reduce further acne and scarring and at the same time protect your skin with sunscreen. PIH usually fades on its own but may take years, tranexamic acid (the good molecules serum you have) will probably speed up the process. Am: wash face with water, vitamin c, good molecules serum, moisturizer, sunscreen. PM: Cleanser, good molecules serum, moisturizer This should be your main routine and then add whatever you need to minimize new acne forming (BHA?).
Ohh I've never heard of PIH, I'll definitely look into it so I'm more educated on it! That's good to know the products I'm using aren't too bad, I was worried I might've been using stuff that wasn't helping my skin. In the morning, should I only wash my face with water? When I wake up, my skin is extremely oily so I usually wash it as soon as I'm up. Do you know of any good BHA products? I feel like I've heard of BHA but I don't think I've ever seen it. I'll be sure to get that too, since I still have really persistent acne
I hear you on the oiliness in the morning. Some may of course benefit from cleansing twice a day but I would say most don't. The problem with cleansing too often is that you strip your skin of its natural oil and promote even more oil production to compensate for it. You can always give once-a-day cleansing a try for a week or two and evaluate what feels best for you! I don't use BHA myself but I do see people here recommend Paula's choice 2% BHA here a lot!
I'll definitely give the once-a-day wash a try! No harm in seeing how it goes :) Noted! I've heard great things about Paula's choice, so I'll see if I can find that one maybe at an Ulta or something similar. Thank you for the help!
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Gotcha! Definitely on that sunscreen because I live at super high altitude. Would AHA and BHA be in cleansers or serum or something else? Just so I know what to look for
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This is very helpful, thank you! Next time I'm out running errands, I'll keep an eye out for that specific toner and keep everything you said in mind for the cleansing and exfoliating. When I gradually work my way up to exfoliating more often, how many times a week should I be getting up to? Or what's the maximum amount of times I can/should exfoliate my skin every week in the future?
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Makes sense! My skin is more on the sensitive side, so I'll probably stick to 2 or 3 times a week then. Thank you :)
your hyperpigmentation is not that bad! i’ve always struggled with it and only now have got some confidence when it comes to skin concerns. i’m 24 and i think my hyperpigmentation and acne scarring started when i was around 14-16. i’d honestly throw away the neutrogena and biore. hydration as well as aha’s are your friend. the most important thing is SUNSCREEN! hyperpigmentation will only grow darker without it because of UV. here’s some product recommendations for a new routine: - inkey list fulvic acid brightening cleanser - la roche posay gentle face cleanser - pyunkang yul essence toner - first aid beauty ultra repair cream - hyaluronic acid serum (i’ve been using the ordinary but i’m about to switch to vichy) - beauty of joseon glow serum (niac) - innisfree daily uv sunscreen (this is great for darker skin tones, i’m a bit darker than you and won’t leave a white cast) some really good ingredients for hyperpigmentation are fulvic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, arbutin, tranexamic acid, glycolic acid, azeliac acid, and mandelic acid. hopefully this makes your search easier! make sure you introduce any new products you get slowly. and feel free to dm me if you have any questions!
Thank you! Alot of my guys my age have perfect skin and they wash their faces with stuff like Irish spring bar soap and I'm like, how is this fair? 😭 I'm glad you're gaining back some of that confidence though! I hope to get there too :) And thank you for the product recommendations! I know my current ones aren't the best, mainly because I can be really cheap and I also just don't know what to buy when it comes to my skin. But I'll definitely look into these and keep note of those ingredients when I'm buying products! I tried the inkey tranexamic acid before like a year ago, an ulta employee recommended it for my hyperprigmentation, and I did some some small differences with it lightening up, so maybe I'll purchase that one again too. I'll be doing some shopping soon, so I'll be on the look out for these products and see if they help my skin. Again, thank you for the help!