how to get rid of dark spot
September 18, 2020 10:58 AM Subscribe
I did something silly with a zit and now I have a dark spot. Help.
I had a zit on the left side of my chin for a while that turned out to be an ingrown hair. I have a habit of resting my chin on my left hand when I work so I'm sure that contributed to it.
I didn't realize it was an ingrown hair for a while, but after a week of putting acne ointment on it it scabbed up and my boyfriend said that's what happens when he gets ingrown hairs and DO NOT TOUCH IT.
(Morgan Freeman's voice: she touched it.)
In all fairness I didn't do it intentionally; I am pretty sure I did it in my sleep, but I scraped the scab off and now there's a big old dark spot on my chin.
(On the plus side the hair emerged and I was able to pluck it out.)
But I don't want a dark spot on my face and I'm wondering if there are any ointments or serums or what have you that I can use to lighten this spot.
I know I shouldn't have touched it so I would appreciate answers that tell me the best way to try to remedy this as opposed to reminding me that touching zits is bad.
Thanks.
I had a zit on the left side of my chin for a while that turned out to be an ingrown hair. I have a habit of resting my chin on my left hand when I work so I'm sure that contributed to it.
I didn't realize it was an ingrown hair for a while, but after a week of putting acne ointment on it it scabbed up and my boyfriend said that's what happens when he gets ingrown hairs and DO NOT TOUCH IT.
(Morgan Freeman's voice: she touched it.)
In all fairness I didn't do it intentionally; I am pretty sure I did it in my sleep, but I scraped the scab off and now there's a big old dark spot on my chin.
(On the plus side the hair emerged and I was able to pluck it out.)
But I don't want a dark spot on my face and I'm wondering if there are any ointments or serums or what have you that I can use to lighten this spot.
I know I shouldn't have touched it so I would appreciate answers that tell me the best way to try to remedy this as opposed to reminding me that touching zits is bad.
Thanks.
This post was deleted for the following reason: posters request -- frimble
Ok. listen to me. You need to use mineral sunscreen on that little spot every damn day for a long time. If that spot gets any sun it will be there much much longer. I use cs clinical sunscreen and a zinc stick. Colorescience makes nice mineral make up- get some! I will be interested to read other answers about serums etc. but definitely the sun is your enemy here. Don’t miss a single moment where that spot is uncovered in the sun or it will go more brown and be there longer.
posted by pairofshades at 11:23 AM on September 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by pairofshades at 11:23 AM on September 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
I do this all the time, there's no reason to beat yourself up about it.
You don't say anything about your skin. I am Caucasian and they just fade after a few days or at most a couple of weeks. (And I say this as someone who scars very easily.) If you have a different complexion that heals differently or want to feel like you're promoting healing, you can apply vitamin E cream.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:24 AM on September 18, 2020
You don't say anything about your skin. I am Caucasian and they just fade after a few days or at most a couple of weeks. (And I say this as someone who scars very easily.) If you have a different complexion that heals differently or want to feel like you're promoting healing, you can apply vitamin E cream.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:24 AM on September 18, 2020
Ps- I am reading answers now and think I might have over reacted and it will just go away- but until you know for sure be very strict with sunscreen- until you are happy with how it looks. You could even put a small cut out of a bandaid sticker on it if you don’t want to use too much sunscreen.
posted by pairofshades at 11:27 AM on September 18, 2020
posted by pairofshades at 11:27 AM on September 18, 2020
If I even look at a zit on my face funny I get PIH (Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). Give it time for the inflammation & infection to go down before starting any treatment. It will fade in time if you protect if from the sun, but that can take a while (I've had spots last a year or more on parts of my body I don't treat), to speed things up there are a huge range of products that can help at many price points.
My go too products are a Retinoid/Retinol Cream is good. Differen is the one I'd recommend for one without an prescription, very low irritation.
Ambi Fade Cream works great & is very reasonably priced some people are funny about the Hydroquinone, but at the concentrations in this product it's safe if only used in the area required & you stop it when you don't need to use it anymore.
Some sort of facial/skin care acid anything labeled lactic or glyolic acids are a good place to start if you've not used acids in your skin care before.
posted by wwax at 11:43 AM on September 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
My go too products are a Retinoid/Retinol Cream is good. Differen is the one I'd recommend for one without an prescription, very low irritation.
Ambi Fade Cream works great & is very reasonably priced some people are funny about the Hydroquinone, but at the concentrations in this product it's safe if only used in the area required & you stop it when you don't need to use it anymore.
Some sort of facial/skin care acid anything labeled lactic or glyolic acids are a good place to start if you've not used acids in your skin care before.
posted by wwax at 11:43 AM on September 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
I have very fair skin and scar deep pink. Sunscreen, chemical exfoliant, and good moisturizer has made the historical map of all lifetime face zits a distant memory.
posted by phunniemee at 11:55 AM on September 18, 2020
posted by phunniemee at 11:55 AM on September 18, 2020
I would use any good moisturizer, and to reiterate what's been said about: SUNSCREEN. Yes, even if you're going into the North American winter. That bit of skin is probably super sensitive right now. The worst thing you can do is to "treat" it. If you aren't in the habit of using moisturizer daily, start, and if you aren't in the habit of applying sunscreen every morning, start. I would put extra sunscreen on that spot. These are good skincare practices anyway.
Don't feel bad about accidentally doing this, but don't think that somehow messing it with it more is the answer. It needs moisturizer (like, ideally, you'd be able to keep it somewhat wet/damp -- you want to avoid any kind of scabbing or drying to avoid scarring) and protection.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:04 PM on September 18, 2020
Don't feel bad about accidentally doing this, but don't think that somehow messing it with it more is the answer. It needs moisturizer (like, ideally, you'd be able to keep it somewhat wet/damp -- you want to avoid any kind of scabbing or drying to avoid scarring) and protection.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:04 PM on September 18, 2020
Emphatically seconding Differin. I've done what you did approximately 26,000 times in the last 20 years (thanks anxiety) and, being quite fair, I had a lot of dark spots to show for it. Been using Differin for about 6 weeks and have already seen results. Just be sure to wear sunblock consistently, as it can make your skin a bit more sensitive.
posted by lovableiago at 12:20 PM on September 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by lovableiago at 12:20 PM on September 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
If you have darker skin (not just POC, but even Mediterranean) and scar brown rather than pink, maybe your dark spots stick around for a lot longer than what DarlingBri describes. Like for me, that estimate is off by one or two orders of magnitude. The key here is that not every skin type's minor hyperpigmentation will clear with patience alone, which might provide a bit of context into why people's skincare routines are they way they are.
Your first line of defense is to probably leave the area alone; be really careful if you pluck the hair that grows back, because digging around in your skin might kickstart the I in PIH and darken the spot again. What will get you most of the way is avoiding sun exposure without sun protection. If you're not a big sunscreen person, using those little hypercolloid acne dots on the spot is a good idea. They keep the spot from drying out and also provide UV protection. Even cheaper, if it's an area that can be hidden by a face mask, you can use opaque silicone scar tape or zinc oxide tape instead. Continuing to cover the spot after it heals and as it fades can help it return to its normal colour a bit faster because of the continuous sun protection.
If it doesn't go away after several weeks, that's when you might want to start looking into some skincare products in one of these categories:
(1) Products with ingredients that slow down your melanin production, like Ambi which has hydroquinone. It's cheap, it's easy to find, but follow the directions and don't use it for longer than three months. There are less-iffy alternatives to hydroquinone like azelaic acid and topical vitamin C derivatives.
(2) Products with chemical exfoliants to speed up your skin's natural turnover process. Salicylic acid, a BHA that is more intended for unclogging oily pores, is in a lot of drugstore acne stuff so you might have used acids in some form before even if you're not a big skincare person. You probably want something with an AHA (like lactic or glycolic acid as per wwax's suggestion) if you're just trying to fade a dark spot.
(3) Something with a retinoid, like Differin (if you're in the US).
Many drugstore dark spot remover creams contain one or a combination of these ingredients. Those are a good place to start if you're not usually prone to getting stubborn dark spots.
posted by blerghamot at 12:28 PM on September 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
Your first line of defense is to probably leave the area alone; be really careful if you pluck the hair that grows back, because digging around in your skin might kickstart the I in PIH and darken the spot again. What will get you most of the way is avoiding sun exposure without sun protection. If you're not a big sunscreen person, using those little hypercolloid acne dots on the spot is a good idea. They keep the spot from drying out and also provide UV protection. Even cheaper, if it's an area that can be hidden by a face mask, you can use opaque silicone scar tape or zinc oxide tape instead. Continuing to cover the spot after it heals and as it fades can help it return to its normal colour a bit faster because of the continuous sun protection.
If it doesn't go away after several weeks, that's when you might want to start looking into some skincare products in one of these categories:
(1) Products with ingredients that slow down your melanin production, like Ambi which has hydroquinone. It's cheap, it's easy to find, but follow the directions and don't use it for longer than three months. There are less-iffy alternatives to hydroquinone like azelaic acid and topical vitamin C derivatives.
(2) Products with chemical exfoliants to speed up your skin's natural turnover process. Salicylic acid, a BHA that is more intended for unclogging oily pores, is in a lot of drugstore acne stuff so you might have used acids in some form before even if you're not a big skincare person. You probably want something with an AHA (like lactic or glycolic acid as per wwax's suggestion) if you're just trying to fade a dark spot.
(3) Something with a retinoid, like Differin (if you're in the US).
Many drugstore dark spot remover creams contain one or a combination of these ingredients. Those are a good place to start if you're not usually prone to getting stubborn dark spots.
posted by blerghamot at 12:28 PM on September 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
I use an azelaic acid serum about once a week to help with any hyperpigmentation, helps the red spots disappear much quicker (used to take like months before). Also sunscreen every day, hydrate, and get plenty of sleep. Those sound like general wellness tips but at least for me they apply very specifically to acne recovery.
posted by internet of pillows at 4:10 PM on September 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by internet of pillows at 4:10 PM on September 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
If the topicals dont work after a year, (or you just want to have done with it) you can get HPL (spot laser treatment) for about $400. Quick, no downtime, and you can get all your brown spots done at once.
posted by ananci at 6:44 PM on September 18, 2020
posted by ananci at 6:44 PM on September 18, 2020
Peace our dark spot treatment . It’s expensive. It actually works. I am mixed race and get crazy hyperpigmentation even when I don’t touch my zits. I find it works best if my first application is about a week after the spot has healed.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 11:10 AM on September 19, 2020
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 11:10 AM on September 19, 2020
It's been a minute since I've had a zit that's left a mark -- I'm 55 and my woes have more to do with hydrating the dry areas of my combination skin and the mattifying the oily parts.
But I still have spots from pimples of years ago, and I've found that niacinamide (aka Vitamin B3) helps prevent hyperpigmentation. So far I've tried only one product containing niacinamide -- Purito Centella Green Level Unscented SPF 50+ -- but I've been happy with how this sunscreen has worked, and there are a couple of other things I'd like to try.
One is Cosrx Galactomyces 95 Essence ($23/3.38 oz from Ulta), and the other is Shark du Mois ($34/30ml or $11/7ml from Holy Snails; try the Shark Sauce or Bamboo Sauce). BTW, Holy Snails' sample sizes go a long way -- you use only a few drops -- so an $11 expenditure can give you a good idea of whether the product is right for you.
All of these products -- including the Purito sunscreen -- are cruelty free. The Purito sunscreen and Cosrx essence are vegan as well.
Also, each of these has been vetted and recommended by Rio Viera Newton, writing on New York Magazine's The Strategist, based on her own experience with the product.
Rio has eczema, acne and dry skin and tends to pick, which has made her a self-described "skin care obsessive" with an eye for serums, toners, patches, lotions and creams that make a difference. I have never had dry skin, but most of her recommendations have been useful to me. The exceptions: I pass by anything she praises for its ability to soothe her dry skin during the winter.
posted by virago at 2:13 PM on September 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
But I still have spots from pimples of years ago, and I've found that niacinamide (aka Vitamin B3) helps prevent hyperpigmentation. So far I've tried only one product containing niacinamide -- Purito Centella Green Level Unscented SPF 50+ -- but I've been happy with how this sunscreen has worked, and there are a couple of other things I'd like to try.
One is Cosrx Galactomyces 95 Essence ($23/3.38 oz from Ulta), and the other is Shark du Mois ($34/30ml or $11/7ml from Holy Snails; try the Shark Sauce or Bamboo Sauce). BTW, Holy Snails' sample sizes go a long way -- you use only a few drops -- so an $11 expenditure can give you a good idea of whether the product is right for you.
All of these products -- including the Purito sunscreen -- are cruelty free. The Purito sunscreen and Cosrx essence are vegan as well.
Also, each of these has been vetted and recommended by Rio Viera Newton, writing on New York Magazine's The Strategist, based on her own experience with the product.
Rio has eczema, acne and dry skin and tends to pick, which has made her a self-described "skin care obsessive" with an eye for serums, toners, patches, lotions and creams that make a difference. I have never had dry skin, but most of her recommendations have been useful to me. The exceptions: I pass by anything she praises for its ability to soothe her dry skin during the winter.
posted by virago at 2:13 PM on September 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
I meant to say that (in my experience) the niacinamide in the Purito Centella Green Level Unscented sunscreen "helps fade hyperpigmentation." I'm sure it would help prevent hyperpigmentation on a new spot, but as I mentioned, I haven't had one of those in a while.
Also, Purito is a Korean sunscreen that uses filters that aren't approved in the US. For a deep dive on the active ingredients and the effectiveness of same, Leo Louie does an informative review for the retailer Beautytap, in which he draws on the expertise of cosmetic formulator Stephen Alain Ko (who blogs and is on Instagram as KindofStephen) and chemist Michelle Wong (who blogs and is on Instagram as Lab Muffin Beauty Science).
Green Level Unscented SPF 50 costs $13.90 for 2 oz from YesStyle and $18.90 for 2 oz from Amazon. It's much cheaper on eBay if you're ok with longer delivery times.
posted by virago at 2:38 PM on September 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also, Purito is a Korean sunscreen that uses filters that aren't approved in the US. For a deep dive on the active ingredients and the effectiveness of same, Leo Louie does an informative review for the retailer Beautytap, in which he draws on the expertise of cosmetic formulator Stephen Alain Ko (who blogs and is on Instagram as KindofStephen) and chemist Michelle Wong (who blogs and is on Instagram as Lab Muffin Beauty Science).
Green Level Unscented SPF 50 costs $13.90 for 2 oz from YesStyle and $18.90 for 2 oz from Amazon. It's much cheaper on eBay if you're ok with longer delivery times.
posted by virago at 2:38 PM on September 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:22 AM on September 18, 2020 [31 favorites]