Post-Acne Marks Explained: Hyperpigmentation, Redness, and Scarring
By Sarina Rubin
June 02, 2025
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Your skin tells a story—long after a breakout has healed. A dark spot that lingers, a red patch that won’t fade, or an indent that sticks around longer than expected ... these marks can be just as frustrating as acne itself.
But not all post-acne marks are created equal. Whether you’re trying to fade brown marks, red marks, or improve your skin’s texture, knowing your skin type and the type of scar you’re dealing with matters just as much as the products you choose.
Here’s a breakdown of the three most common types of post-acne marks—hyperpigmentation, post-inflammatory erythema (PIE), and acne scars—plus guidance on telling the difference and supporting your skin through each one.
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Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
The lingering dark spot.
What it looks like:
Flat, smooth brown, gray, or purple-toned spots left behind after a breakout—especially on deeper skin tones.
What causes it:
After inflammation or trauma (like a pimple or picking), your skin produces excess melanin, which shows up as discoloration. This melanin production is more common in darker skin tones and can result in long-lasting dark marks or brown spots.
How to treat it:
- Brightening agents like niacinamide, licorice root, alpha arbutin, or vitamin C are ideal for skin of color—especially when paired with sun protection to defend the top layer of skin from further sun damage.
- Gentle exfoliants like azelaic acid, mandelic acid, or PHA
- Daily SPF to keep dark spots from darkening
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Patience—fading can take weeks to months.
Good to Know: PIH isn’t permanent scarring. It’s pigment—and with the right approach, it will fade.
Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)
The stubborn red or pink mark
What it looks like:
Flat, pink or red spots that stick around after inflamed breakouts or cysts—common in fair to medium skin tones.
What causes it:
PIE is the result of broken capillaries and inflammation, not melanin. It’s not a pigment issue, which makes it different from PIH. It’s more likely to appear in lighter skin tones or fair skin.
How to treat it:
- Calming ingredients like niacinamide, centella asiatica, or ceramides
- Red or near-infrared LED light therapy to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation, and support the healing process, especially when paired with calming skincare
- Vascular laser treatments like Vbeam or pulsed dye laser (PDL)
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Consistent sun protection—yes, even on cloudy days
Tip: If your skin marks are pink instead of dark, you’re likely dealing with PIE—not PIH.
Acne Scars (Atrophic Scarring)
The texture changes
What it looks like:
Indented or raised areas where the skin’s texture has changed. They may show up as depressed atrophic scars (like ice pick, rolling, or boxcar scars), or, in some cases, hypertrophic scars or keloid scars—especially in individuals with darker skin tones who are more prone to raised scarring.
What causes it:
Deep inflammation damages the lower layers of the skin and disrupts collagen production during healing. These marks aren’t just surface discoloration—they’re structural.
How to treat it:
- Professional treatments like microneedling, laser resurfacing, or chemical peels
- Prescription-strength Tretinoin (always choose an acne-safe formula)
- Avoid picking—this helps protect the surface of your skin and preserve the structure of your healthy skin underneath.
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Expect gradual improvement over time, not overnight fixes.
Good to Know: Acne scars can be long-lasting and require a series of treatments—but with the right support, you can see significant improvement.
Not Sure What You’re Dealing With? Use This Cheat Sheet:
|
Mark Type |
Color |
Texture |
Most Common In |
|
PIH (Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation) |
Brown, gray, purple |
Flat |
Darker skin tones |
|
PIE (Post-Inflammatory Erythema) |
Pink or red |
Flat |
Fair skin and lighter skin tones |
|
Acne Scars |
Skin-toned or shadowed |
Indented or raised |
All skin types |
Good to Know: It’s normal to have more than one type of post-acne mark or scar at once.
What Else Helps?
Here’s what else you can do to support your skin.
Build an acne-safe routine
The best way to treat post-acne marks is to prevent new ones from forming. That starts with gentle, acne-safe skincare and consistent habits.
- Use a non-stripping cleanser with calming ingredients like chamomile and calendula.
- Incorporate active ingredients like azelaic acid, salicylic acid, niacinamide, and AHAs—check each one with an ingredient checker to make sure it’s acne-safe.
- Wear sunscreen daily to prevent marks from worsening or darkening.
- Minimize stress, move your body, sleep well, and eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods.
- Treat your skincare routine like a ritual—it’s care, not punishment.
The Takeaway: Know What You’re Treating, So You Can Treat It Right
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for post-acne marks—but when you understand the difference between pigment, redness, and scarring, you can choose products and treatments that actually make sense for your skin.
At banu, every formula is made to support acne-prone skin before, during, and after breakouts—with no pore-clogging ingredients, ever. So you can build a skincare routine that’s not just about clearing acne—but healing what comes after.
Skin takes time to recover, and that’s okay. Progress doesn’t always mean perfection. But treating your skin with patience and consistency gives it a better chance to truly heal.