Okay so i used to have PERFECT skin.
seriously, while all of my friends were going through their teenage skin issues mine went unscathed. and then i hit college smh.

i dont have bad acne thank god, no craters or gross cystic mutations and all that fun stuff. but i have been getting pimples ALOT this year and when they pop they obviously leave scars. now my forehead has a bunch of black dots all over it, i've also got it going down my hair line and a little on my cheeks.
IDK what to do. i thought it was because i had started drinking coffee on the regular, so i stopped and that didnt help. i'm guess it might be stress since i'm in college AND have two jobs, so maybe thats whats causing it? idk.

i just want to get rid of the scarring. i've taken to wearing make up lately because i hate the way my face looks without it, btw i dont really like having to wear a face full of make up all the time since i've heard that foundation can cause skin issues

anyone know any good treatments that might help fade the scars? preferably something organic since i'm not really into the idea of putting fade creams on my face.

i've used vitamin E oil and cocoa butter on leg and arm scars in the past but idk they've never worked for me much (or it could be that they take forever and a year to work idk). any help at all would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!!

I am not an orger of color,but made this site will be helpful to you.

http://www.ayushveda.com/.../scars.htm

Have you changed your hair products or soap? Do you now wear a hairstyle that brushes your face? Have you switched any of your personal care products? Are you drinking more acidic juices?

I've heard a few things...and in my experience, all Vitamin E is not the same. Vitamin E oil (the real stuff) has been working. If you are using E oil, make sure it has 30,000 IU per bottle or better and that its pure.

The other thing that some have suggested (I have not tried) is a small amount of neosporin.

Also, there are estheticians who can clear that up....I have never had to do that but I have seen some friends clear up their skin beautifully.
[Edited 11/22/09 16:38pm]

OOOH I've been waiting to share this with someone who needed it:



Black soap. Specifically this brand.

I use it day and night and it's all natural - keeps your skin very smooth. It also fades dark spots significantly - I've seen results as quickly as within two weeks

While it does dry out, I tend to tone my face with this afterwards:



And that's it. So far, no need for moisturizing, but I'm sure as it gets colder I'll have to consider.

You may want to try drinking alot of water (as a fellow orger mentioned, cutting down on acidic drinks) and changing you face cleaning regiment. I currently use Basic or Aveeno soap (no fragrances, etc.) or if my skin tries to freak out, washing my face with oatmeal packets (Aveeno makes them or you can get them from Walgreens). I also use Neutrogena astringent. It works well for me and I have really sensitive skin

oooooh....I fogot about black soap. I have some frm an african friend. That is good stuff.

StillGotIt said:

Because of it, my skin has never been clearer

my grandmother used witchhazel and she had flawless skin. also I can recommend Cetaphil.
[Edited 11/22/09 16:40pm]

sammij said:

Have you ever used Burt's Bees products? I ask just to know if you had a comparison of the two. I like Burt's Bees stuff, but I still want a really good soap for my face. I normally use the Willowbark face scrub, and one of their lotions after. This looks interesting though.

ernestsewell said:

I've never used any other Burt's Bees products other than their chapstick and lip gloss lines...

I swear by the two products I mentioned, they were the first I tried that were actually all-natural... Back in my first year of university when I had a serious outbreak on my face from the water in the new city I was living in...
I scarred all over my face, and a pharmacist recommended witch hazel and my brother suggested the black soap...
I've been using them since

thanks you guys! im def going to look into everything u all suggested

@stillgotit: i havent really been doing TOO much of anything different with my hair. at one point i thought it might have been from hair grease cuz i rock a press and curl from time to time but ive been doing that all summer with no breakouts. i have periods where i drink ALOT of orange juice, but i havent had that lately. mostly i just drink water and apple juice. i switched my face wash AFTER the acne starting popping up which actualy helped, and smoothed out my skin.
i think i might try to vitamin E thing again since apparently all is not made equally LOL. im trying not to have to see a specialist since i dont have insurance and am kind of broke. i REALLY want to get a blue peel since ive seen amazing before and afters, only prob is that they cost like $350 a treatment smh

@sammij: omg i have been wanting to try black soap for the LONGEST!!! all the brands ive seen tho have had shea butter in it tho which i hate. im def going to look for the one you suggested tho

irrisistableB said:

omg! i used to use that stuff when i was younger, my mom swore by it lol. maybe thats why i always used to have amazing skin. i think im going to start using that again

As for scrubs, this is awesome:

[Edited 11/22/09 16:49pm]

Get a good soap (like the black soap)

exfolliate while you cleanse your skin, I recommend a loofah or bath mitts for your face.

use a good toner and lotion. I use a natural oil to moisturize, it prevents the hyper pigmentation that is caused by acne and dry spots on the skin. I use refined coconut oil, but its dry in my home. Get a product that has salytic acid in it to spot touch the current pimples. It'll dry them up.



I will orgnote the rest.

sammij said:

i havent used a scrub in months. im def giving myself a facial tonight tho. my mom got me some apricot scrub and i have some queen helens mint julep mask. gta clean all the shit out of my pores lol

Moonwalkbjrain said:

Masks are awesome and are great on most skin types, which opens up the possibilities
scrubs are great - i find loofas to be really rough on my skin - i own one - but i barely use it, my face gets inflamed too much

but i love scrubs, this is another favourite:


i do scrubs ever other weekend, but wash day and night that way my skin won't get irritated

Being dark skinned, I am susceptible to scarring or hyperpigmentation and had a bout with melasma after I bought my convertible and insisted on riding with the top down everyday like a fool. My skin paid the price.

The first thing I did was go to a dermatologist to get properly diagnosed. Depending on the root cause over the counter remedies may not work. For the hyperpigmentation/melasma she prescribed a topical cream called triluma which worked great. Got rid of the dark areas on my forehead and cheeks, as well as, the acne scars within 1 month. I still use it on the rare occasion I get a pimple that leaves a scar. It gets rid of it in 1-2 weeks.

I would also suggest getting microdermabrasion and skin peels to remove the surface layer of dead skin cells which will greatly diminish the scars quickly. Be sure to find an aesthetician who is used to working with people of color especially if you have sensitive skin. OUR skin is DIFFERENT and everyone doesn't know what the hell they're doing.

I get major peels 2-3 times a year. I don't have sensitive skin so I can stand Vitamin A and pumpkin extract peels which are pretty intense but so worth it. For regular maintenance, I use Obagi's Vitamin C 15% serum which will even your skin out in a month a prevent wrinkles.
[Edited 11/22/09 17:25pm]

SCNDLS said:

from the sun?

Can anyone tell me if this is as good as they make it sound out to be?
I have acne scarrin and oily skin and started usin this about 1 week ago.

ZombieKitten said:

Yep, it's a condition that affects many people of color and is often triggered by sun exposure.

SCNDLS said:

my friend got it from hormonal changes when she was pregnant, she has the mediterranean olive complexion

SCNDLS said:

That's good stuff right there.

JayJai said:

I used that back in highschool and it was very nice, I enjoyed it - but couldn't use it too frequently, once ever other week was enough

ZombieKitten said:

They do call it the mask of pregnancy but that's not the only way you can get it.

From Wiki:

Melasma is thought to be the stimulation of melanocytes or pigment-producing cells by the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone to produce more melanin pigments when the skin is exposed to sun. Women with a light brown skin type who are living in regions with intense sun exposure are particularly susceptible to developing this condition.

Genetic predisposition is also a major factor in determining whether someone will develop melasma.

The incidence of melasma also increases in patients with thyroid disease. It is thought that the overproduction of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) brought on by stress can cause outbreaks of this condition. Other rare causes of melasma include allergic reaction to medications and cosmetics.

paintedlady said:

Their whole line is GREAT but hella expensive. I don't have skin issues so the serum is all I need and I found a great website that sells it cheap and often has extra 20% discounts.

http://skincarerx.com/oba...nal-c.html

sammij said:

Thx

SCNDLS said:

I got a coupon from my dermatologist for that stuff... CHA CHING!

when i stress i get breakouts and its not cute.buttttt...i find honey based soaps are great or honey scrubs they keep your skin smooth soft.

Christopher said:

plus u goin thru puberty

sammij said:

cool I've been looking for some black soap.

I don't have anything to add myself but don't pick at pimples and stuff unless your skin is really relaxed say after a hot shower and your hands are CLEAN. you can get pore infections. I have small scaring i just wear makeup
[Edited 11/22/09 18:19pm]