You cleared your breakout. But the mark it left behind is still there weeks later. Sound familiar?
Most people assume all post-acne marks are the same thing. They're not — and using the wrong treatment is exactly why so many clients come to me frustrated that their brightening serum "isn't working."
There are two completely different types of post-breakout marks, and they need different approaches.
PIH — Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
PIH is the brown, tan, or dark discoloration left after a breakout heals. It's caused by excess melanin — your skin's pigment — being produced in response to inflammation. When your skin gets inflamed (from a pimple, a scratch, even a facial that was too aggressive), it sometimes overproduces melanin as part of the healing response. The result is a flat dark mark that lingers long after the breakout itself is gone.
PIH is more common and more persistent in deeper skin tones, because melanin-rich skin is more reactive to inflammation. But it can happen in any skin type.
What helps PIH: tyrosinase inhibitors — ingredients that slow down melanin production. These include azelaic acid, kojic acid, arbutin, hexylresorcinol, niacinamide, vitamin C, and licorice root. The serums I reach for most often are the Lira Clinical PRO Lite Serum and Face Reality GlowTone Corrective Serum, both of which target melanin from multiple pathways simultaneously.
PIE — Post-Inflammatory Erythema
PIE is the pink or red mark left after a breakout — not a brown one. It's caused by dilated or damaged blood vessels near the skin's surface that formed during the inflammation of the breakout and haven't fully healed yet. It's essentially vascular damage, not pigment.
PIE is more common in fair skin tones, and it's the type most clients with acne-prone skin are actually dealing with — even though they usually call it a "dark spot."
What helps PIE: anti-inflammatory and vascular-targeting ingredients. Azelaic acid is one of the few ingredients that addresses both PIH and PIE. Niacinamide helps too. Centella asiatica and licorice root calm the residual inflammation. And physical treatments — like LED therapy or certain professional facials — can accelerate vascular healing significantly.
How to tell the difference
Look at the color. Brown or tan = PIH. Pink, red, or purplish = PIE. Simple as that. Some clients have both at the same time — a mark that's slightly pink with a darker center, for example. In that case you're treating both.
The single most important thing for both
SPF 50 every single morning without exception. UV exposure makes both PIH and PIE significantly worse — it triggers more melanin production and prevents vascular healing. Every day you skip SPF is a day you set yourself back. I am not flexible about this rule with any of my clients.
If you're unsure which type of marks you have or which products are right for your skin, text me at (818) 669-0333. I'd rather you get the right answer than spend months on the wrong product.
Jasmine Brinton
Esthetician | Skin Care Expert | Author & Researcher
Jasmine Skin Care + Lash Studio | Valley Village, CA
jazskin.com | (818) 669-0333
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