This isn't news to anyone, but I feel it bears repeating: Acne scars suck. Anyone who has suffered from post-pimple hyperpigmentation knows this truth to be self-evident. And, post-puberty, they affect every age and skin color. They manifest as red or brown marks that can last weeks — and sometimes, for the really unlucky, months. As someone from that unlucky category, I can confidently tell you that I have tried every — and I mean every — remedy known to man.
I'm also a realist: I know the only permanent ways to eradicate this woe immediately are lasers and Retin-A. But those options continue to be out of reach for the majority of those who are afflicted with this stupid, infuriating skin condition. (What? I'm not bitter.)
That said, quite a few at-home, non-prescription products do a damn good job of fading those marks faster, to get you back to the even-toned complexion you had before that massive breakout. And, for the most part, they don't cost an arm and a leg. As anyone who has spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over the years in a fruitless effort to win the war on zits knows, that's a huge selling point. While these products, for the most part, have no real effect on actually preventing blemishes, we know that fading those dark marks is half the battle.
Ahead, check out 17 tested scar lighteners that are the everyday heroes of our beauty arsenal. And, if I missed any, let me know in the comments what you swear by. Knowledge is power.
The grown-up guide to dealing with acne. Read more from The Acne Diaries here.
This one comes with a hefty price tag, but it's well worth the money. The serum targets spots fast and leaves your face with an immediate glow.
Shiseido White Lucent MicroTargeting Spot Corrector, $130, available at Shiseido.
Products labeled as brightening — or, whitening in some Asian countries — often get a bad rep. But they're acne scars' worst enemies as they're formulated to rid your visage of pesky marks. This treatment from GlamGlow isn't necessarily something you can use every day, but you can whip it out weekly in addition to the other mainstays on this list.
GlamGlow Flashmud Brightening Treatment, $69, available at Sephora.
One of the big issues with acne-scar treatments is that you have to do some serious sleuthing to find the right products — very few brands mention "acne scars" on their labels. Most use ambiguous descriptions and names that hint at brightening, evening the skin tone, or addressing hyperpigmentation.
One of the few exceptions is this straight-to-the-point tube from Clean & Clear. It uses a known acne-fighting ingredient — salicylic acid — to help treat pimples and lessen post-breakout marks. A two-for-one deal, for the price of a coffee and a croissant from that fancy spot down the block — you can't beat that.
Clean & Clear Advantage Mark Treatment, $7.97, available at Walmart.
Modeled after the most popular treatment in aesthetician-to-the-stars Kate Somerville's Beverly Hills clinic, the original DermalQuench Liquid Lift has the bonus, unadvertised side effect of minimizing the duration and healing time of zits.
The latest iteration has the added benefit of retinol. While it's touted as a wonder anti-wrinkle ingredient, it's also less commonly noted for its hyperpigmentation-disappearing powers. The lightweight texture and unique delivery system also make it kind of fun to apply.
Kate Somerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift + Retinol, $98, available at Kate Somerville.
This cult classic proudly boasts on its box that it can diminish scars, stretch marks, and uneven skin tone, as well as signs of aging and dehydrated skin. Pretty lofty claims to live up to.
While I can't personally attest to the whole stretch-marks thing — which is what it's best known for — I can tell you it's one of the most effective hyperpigmentation healers on the market. Ignore the '70s packaging, because cheesy as it may look this stuff is more effective than many products twice its price tag.
Bio-Oil Specialist Skincare, $15.99, available at Target.
Okay, okay: This one is on the pricier end of the spectrum. However, it's one of the few products that I think is worthy of its $100 price tag. Again, not the most obvious scar treatment — but "illuminating" and "skin-perfecting" are just fancy marketing terms that mean it treats bumpy, blotchy, marked-up skin.
I particularly like how soft it makes my skin feel, as well as the pleasant, subtle scent of rose — not at all overwhelming or perfume-y. I use it at night and wake up to what those marketers would call glowy, dewy, perfected skin.
By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum, $117, available at SpaceNK.
Hydroquinone is effective at fading dark scars and other post-breakout marks. It's a common active ingredient in skin-lightening formulas, including this gel from derm-created line Murad.
A few things to know: Apply it to just the affected area (or it could lighten the rest of your complexion, too) after washing your face and before applying your moisturizer. Also, most derms will warn you about "rebound pigmentation" when using hydroquinone, which means that if you use it for too long (more than six weeks is a common estimate) it could start making the area darker instead of lighter. Stick to a six-week run on each scar for the best results — and always wear SPF!
Murad Post-Acne Spot Lightening Gel, $60, available at Sephora.
This fading gel from Renée Rouleau is another one of those "says what it does" treatments. It won't work on existing zits, but it's specifically formulated for post-breakout skin — which means you know exactly when and how to use it. And when it comes to a problem people in the industry don't really address, a product like this is a big relief for the millions of us who deal with the issue on a day-to-day basis.
Renée Rouleau Post-Breakout Fading Gel, $30.50, available at Renée Rouleau.
This Kiehl's dark-spot corrector is a super-light serum that helps to both zap acne scars and even out your skin tone. It uses activated vitamin C, which has been proven to combat discoloration effortlessly.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, $49.50, available at Kiehl's.
I've written the beauty equivalent of a Jane Austen romance about this sheet mask. I can't stop shouting its name from the rooftops, because it is that crazy-good.
What makes it so special is that it provides instant relief. Slap on this sucker for 20 minutes before bedtime, then remove it. Let the serum sink in, then fish around in the packet for some extra serum and press that into the skin for a double layer of goodness. Your marks will look much less prominent after you initially remove the mask, but I've found that the next morning you'll see an even more amazing skin transformation.
If I'm feeling thrifty (read: always), I'll save the leftover serum and use it the next evening and the subsequent few evenings, depending on how long it lasts. If you're feeling REALLY crafty, you can also save that excess serum to make another mask by applying it to the skin and then layering peeled-apart cotton pads on top — like so. Talk about getting your money's worth.
Talika Purifying Bio Enzymes Mask, $12 for one, available at DermStore.
SkinCeuticals has a long, storied history of creating science-based formulas that kick major ass at preventing, protecting, and repairing the skin. This lighter texture of a cult-favorite product straddles all three of those categories by protecting against free radicals, evening out the skin tone, firming your complexion, and diminishing both dullness and dark spots.
Another interesting tidbit: According to the brand, once it sinks in, you can't wash or rub it off for at least 72 hours. It definitely falls into the super-duper long-wear category, that's for sure.
Two warnings for newbies — it stinks, and it can cause breakouts in some. The distinctive odor, caused by the potent mix of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin, can be a bit much to handle — but trust me when I say it's worth enduring. And you do get used to it eventually, so there's that.
SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF Gel, $163, available at SkinCeuticals.
Medicated pads bring me back to the days of standing in front of my mirror and furiously rubbing at my acne with an Oxy pad. Thank god I finally learned to stop doing that. Noted dermatologist and acne slayer Dennis Gross, MD, has created a much more sophisticated, effective, and way less harsh product that gives you the convenience of pre-soaked pads without all the burning pain.
Salicylic acid is again the star ingredient here, and it's used to clear pores, soothe new breakouts, flatten blemishes (key in helping you conceal them more effectively), prevent new ones from cropping up, and fade those pesky dark marks. It gets pimples at every stage of their life span — which with this product is mercifully quicker than that of your average breakout.
Important to note: It can cause some stinging, so start off using it once a week and see how you feel.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare One Step Acne Eliminating Pads, $38, available at Sephora.
Products with vitamin C almost always trumpet their brightening abilities. And yes, the ingredient is great at making dull skin look more vibrant. The unadvertised perk is that, in the right product formulation, it can also work gangbusters on erasing redness.
PTR's overnight mask uses camu camu berry, which the brand claims has 30 times the vitamin C of an orange. I don't know about that (must have forgotten my vitamin-level detector at home), but I do know I have never used a vitamin C product this effective at treating acne scars.
One night of wearing this, and a severe cheek breakout (screw you, hormones) was significantly less noticeable the next morning. I used it five nights in a row and kept seeing even better results.
It plateaued after that, so I've been switching it up with the By Terry serum for a twice-weekly treatment. My skin future has never looked brighter.
Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C x 30 Vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Mask, $62, available at Sephora.
Another power pigment eradicator is glycolic acid. Less sticky and irritating on sensitive skin than salicylic, glycolic purges pores of blackheads, exfoliates the dead skin that can lead to clogged pores in the first place, and lightens existing pigmentation.
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, $90, available at Sephora.
Clinique markets this dark-spot corrector as "even better," and we're inclined to agree. Although its main purpose is to treat sun damage and age spots, in clinical trials it also showed a significant improvement of acne scars. Use it twice a day (be sure to wear sunscreen!), and you can expect to see results after four to 12 weeks.
Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector, $49.50, available at Macy's.
As you know from our constant musings on the subject, retinol has long been praised for its ability to both keep skin clear and gradually even skin tone. (Plus, a whole lot more.) There are countless options to try, but we have a fondness for Hollywood aesthetician Shani Darden 's formula. It doesn't dry out skin, even though it's packed with 5% retinol and 5% lactic acid.
Resurface by Shani Darden Retinol Reform, $95, available at Shani Darden Skin Care.
Or, for a drugstore serum with a hit of retinol, we like this formula from Neutrogena. It has the powerful ingredient, plus hyaluronic acid to help keep skin hydrated.
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum, $21.99, available at Neutrogena.
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