3 Things You Do All The Time That Causes Acne Scars

Watch out, these little things you may be doing all the time could also lead to those annoying acne scars that never seem to leave!

The scars or spots that linger after a pimple has healed may seem to be unavoidable, but that actually isn’t true. Other than squeezing, popping, or picking at pimples, we’ve broken down the three things you may be doing right now that actually increases your chances of getting acne scars:

1. You don’t reapply sunscreen

After an acne has healed, the dark spots you are left with is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when treating hyperpigmentation is not using sunscreen, or forgetting to reapply it! Many people avoid sunscreen because they think the ingredients in it will cause acne, but it’s all about finding the right sunscreen for your skin.

2. You over-cleanse or over-exfoliate

Double cleansing and exfoliating do help keep scarring at bay, but doing them more than necessary could cause irritation and acne scars to form in the first place. Keep in mind that hyperpigmentation occurs as a result of inflammation on the skin, so when a blemish forms, your goal should always, always be to calm inflammation, and avoid anything that will further aggravate your skin.

Opt for gentle cleansers and exfoliators that won’t bother the skin. We love the Neogen Cereal Real Fresh Foam Cleanser as a gentle cleanser that also helps hydrate and brighten with rice seed extract. Follow up with the By Ecom Pure Calming Cica Cream, which is a refreshing moisturiser with centella asiatica, panthenol and a combination of 3 growth factors (EGF + IGF + FGF) to help improve skin troubles such as acne, blemishes, redness or scars.

3. You’re using the wrong makeup

When you see a pimple forming, your first thought is probably to get a full-coverage foundation or concealer to cover it up. But fact is, most full coverage makeup may contain ingredients that increase inflammation and irritation, which then increases the chance of getting acne scars once a pimple has healed.

Instead, try a BB Cream that is made with acne-prone skin in mind, such as the COSRX Clear Fit Blemish Cushion. This BB cream is super lightweight so it won’t further aggravate your existing acne, or cause hyperpigmentation. The BB cream also contains centella asiatica, which helps heal acne and prevent acne scars from forming.

Do you know any other things that cause acne scars? Let us know in the comments below!