What to do for Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation - Part Two

First of all, here’s what not to do.



Things NOT to Do

1. Whoever told you NOT to tan was absolutely spot-on. You should be diligent about using a broad spectrum sunscreen to prevent tanning. Tanning occurs when the sun’s UV rays trigger the body to produce melanin (just like pimples and papules can do), so tanning would worsen your condition!



2. Topical Vitamin E is sometimes used to help heal scars (though there are now stronger topical ingredients that speed scar healing). But as we both mentioned, your PIH macules are NOT scars, so topical Vitamin E will not help. Taken as a supplement, Vitamin E is known to be a good antioxidant which fights free radical damage (cell oxidation). Free radicals play a small role in triggering melanin production. So Vitamin E taken internally might help prevent (but not fade) PIH.



3. Try to keep your hands away from active pimples. NO picking; NO popping. In addition to opening the way for infection, picking and popping increase the incidence of PIH.



You’ll find the rest of my response to Enrique, along with some before and after photos, here.



Tags: postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, to tan or not, melanin, acne scarring, soy for even skin