How To Reduce of Post-Acne Hyperpigmentation With PHAs.

Even after the blemish is gone, acne can leave marks on the skin, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. These persistent flat brown or dark spots are generated as a result of increased melanin production in response to an inflammatory reaction. Indeed, the appearance of these darker areas on the skin is based on the production of inflammatory cytokines, with pro-pigmentation properties, by the surrounding cells. These cytokines activate the melanocytes (melanin-producing cells), leading to a significant release of melanosomes (pigment granules) and thus to a surplus of melanin. Although this phenomenon can affect all skin types, it is generally more frequent in people with mixed to dark skin (phototypes IV to VI). 

Unlike the scars, these post-acne marks are temporary and usually disappear spontaneously without leaving scars after several months (between 3 and 24 months). Sometimes it takes several years. However, the speed of their disappearance depends on your relationship with the sun, which can lengthen the healing time, but also on the difference in skin tone between the color of the skin and the shade of the spot.

PHAs are keratolytic agents suitable for all skin types, even sensitive ones, unlike AHAs and BHAs. Indeed, because of their high molecular weight, they remain on the surface of the epidermis. This explains their good skin tolerance compared to other acids, which penetrate deeper into the epidermis.

There are many PHAs, here are two particularly common in cosmetic formulas:

• Gluconolactone: This is a PHA naturally present in skin cells. This antioxidant effectively fights free radicals.

• Lactobionic acid: This is a lactose derivative that has a moisturizing and soothing effect.

To fade post-acne hyperpigmentation, these peeling agents act by destroying the links between the most superficial cells of the skin to reorganize the epidermis. They accelerate desquamation and induce the rapid dispersion of melanin grains within the keratinocytes.

In other words, the application of PHA triggers a controlled desquamation of the epidermis, and with it the melanocytes and the marks left by the pimples.

Thus, cosmetic treatments based on acids (AHA, BHA and PHA) in low concentrations (up to 20%) can be used to reduce the appearance of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation marks. However, several applications on a regular basis will be necessary to obtain visible results. In this sense, you can use our anti-mark serum. It specifically targets acne marks and is applied locally. It contains the gluconolactone presented above and Centella asiatica extract, an active ingredient known to help remodel the relief of marked skin.