Question and Answer Doctor: How long does it take to clear acne?

Readers ask:

Hi doctor,

I work at an office and have to wear a mask when I go out. Because my skin is sensitive acne type, my skin started to break out with hidden acne, cystic acne, .. And after I tried squeezing acne at home, the acne scars gradually collapsed, no longer had acne but still Leaves dark spots all over the face. Doctor let me ask, how long does it take to get rid of acne and what active ingredients help reduce acne? I would like to thank the doctor.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (1996)

The doctor replied:

Hello,

– With the question of how long does it take for acne to disappear , Dr. Le Thi Cam Trinh, a dermatology specialist, currently working at Can Tho Dermatology Hospital, answered as follows:

The cause of the formation of acne scars is the wrong way of squeezing acne. Everyone’s body is different, treating acne incorrectly or not shielding the skin from the sun’s effects causes acne to flare up again. This causes the skin to become hyperpigmented due to the production of more melanin. As for the question of how long does it take to get rid of acne, dark spots will fade from 3-6 months, but this depends on the environment, the severity or lightness of the acne, location, and how to take care of them. care and treatment of acne, ..

For skin without acne, leaving only shallow, pale bruises, acne can fade on its own after 3 months. Besides, for types of acne with a large area, deep on the skin, it can take a long time or even exist permanently on the skin.

How long does it take to get rid of dark spots after acne so that the skin is clean and smooth as before. To soon improve healthy skin, some of you apply acne treatments at home. However, you should know that the acne treatment process takes at least 4 months to take effect. And if you’re constantly changing your acne products, you may experience skin irritation and new breakouts.

Some active ingredients in acne products that you can refer to and buy to speed up the recovery of skin after squeezing acne such as: Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5-5%, Salicylic Acid (BHA) 2%, Glycolic Acid (AHA), Azelaic Acid, Retinol… To ensure your skin’s safety to avoid irritation with the above ingredients, you should test the product on a small area of skin on the inner arm before deciding to apply it. dark spots.

In addition, inherently acne-prone skin is very sensitive. Therefore, if you wash your face more than twice a day, it can irritate the skin, making acne worse.

Because you also often go to the office, you need to pay attention to carefully cover your skin by wearing a long-sleeve coat, gloves, sunglasses, .. combined with sunscreen to limit the increase of skin. pigment after UV exposure.

Finally, you should see a dermatologist as soon as you notice that your acne is getting worse, or when nodules appear. Because cystic acne types often have a high risk of scarring when they heal completely.

– You can see more articles on how to fade dark spots and take care of acne skin below:

Redness after acne: Causes and effective products to treat dark spots

How to fade old scars

4 great ways to recover acne scars

Best regards!