Help!! Acne Scars & Mild Pimples ( Pictures )

Gah, that's what my skin looks like but on very fair fair FAIR skin.
If you try mederma, it may lighten them. I've used that on older marks but theyre not completely gone.
I was also looking into a professional chemical peel (heard some pretty bad horror stories from at home peels...im not going to risk it.)

Otherwise I don't know what to do, but if any one can help but of us out that would be perfect.

Oh, and over time I think they may naturally fade.

I have heard of this, though never needed to try it. It is Garlic. just take one segment from a whole garlic, cut it in halve and rub it on the acne spots. It may smell a bit but I am told that it really works. Garlic has got a whole lot of good things in it, and it is antiseptic, and it is cheap and natural.

From e-how.

Step1
Wash your face with a mild cleanser twice a day. Make sure that you always use warm water when washing your face and then finish by gently patting the skin dry.
Step2
Grate a single clove of garlic finely and mix it with 2 tbsp. of water. Gently massage the mixture onto your skin after washing and rinse with warm water. The garlic helps to exfoliate dead skin cells, gently removes the top layer of scarred tissue and removes any bacteria and oils on the skin which cause acne. Do not leave the garlic on your skin longer than 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with warm water.
Step3
Treat yourself to a healing facial mask 2 or 3 times a week to help treat acne scars and combat future outbreaks. Crush a garlic clove and mix it with 2 tsp. of olive oil and 1 tbsp. of honey. Mix more if you are working over larger acne affected areas. Spread evenly over your skin and leave up to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. If you notice any burning sensation, rinse immediately and use less garlic the next time.
Step4
Apply aloe vera to your skin after each and every garlic treatment. Because garlic can irritate the skin as it removes scarred tissue and also dry the skin as it removes acne causing oils, it is important to hydrate the skin. Aloe vera is your best option, as it will not aggravate acne while moisturizing, rather it will add an additional skin healing and acne fighting agent to your skin care regime.

I have this problem too (but much worse!). Currently I'm using HQ and a sugarscrub daily, will evaluate after a month or so...

There's a thread on this forum made a member called "Jose", he used a papaya soap for diminishing marks (Likas papaya soap), maybe you could give that a try? Otherwise maybe getting some Retin-A from your dermatologist can help, I heard it's a good exfoliating agent that also prevents acne-breakouts at the same time (but it takes a while to work, maybe a few months or so). Otherwise lactic/glycolic acid peels and/or microdermabrasion might work good for you, maybe you can ask for a consultation at a salon?

Hope this helps!

Oh and I wouldn't really recommend using garlic on red marks as it is quite irritating to the skin and might cause more redness (I have tried). Sure it's antiseptic but so is eg. tea tree oil. But of course every skin reacts differently, maybe this just didn't work for me.

Many people are unaware of the fact that there are many effective treatments for acne. Therefore they fail to seek early treatment. This is unfortunate, as it is only after acne has progressed from a mild or moderate stage to severe acne that there is the risk of developing acne scars.

If it is possible to halt the progression of your acne in the early stages, it is best to do this since acne scars should be avoided at all cost.Sometimes acne heals itself with time, when left alone. Other times, it progresses into a more advanced, serious stage. Once acne reaches the stage where acne cysts and acne nodules are developing, there is the possibility of acne scars forming. There are a few treatments aimed at removing acne scars however still some scarring will be permanent or require regular treatment.
In general, the great effects from treatments for acne scars are temporary.If your acne becomes severe, it is important to aggressively pursue treatment to halt any further progression.

You should consult a doctor or a dermatologist as early as possible in order to get the correct medical advice and to gain access to the latest prescription medicine. Effective treatment, at this stage, can be the difference between ridding yourself of acne and being plagued with a lifetime of scarring. Acne spots are much larger in the severe stage, than during the mild or moderate stages. They can also be quite painful as well.All cases of acne are unique. Treatments that work perfectly for one individual can have absolutely no impact on another.

The same is true for treatments for acne scarring. Acne affects the skin of every individual in a different way and each instance of scarring is unique. Therefore, acne scarring treatment is usually dealt with on a case by case basis. There are six well-known treatments for acne scarring. More often than not, a combination of treatments are used as opposed to a single treatment are generally treated using one or more of the following treatments; Dermabrasion, Laser Resurfacing, Chemical Peels, Punch Techniques, Subcision or Augmentation. These treatments vary in price and in effectiveness.

A high price does not always mean the most success for you so weigh each option and its proven results carefully.Augmentation is when a substance is injected under an acne scar to help raise the crater-like scars that severe acne leaves. Collagen is often used for this and at times fat from other areas of the individual’s body. Collagen has only temporary results and the treatment would need to be repeated on a regular basis. Other methods such as Dermabrasion and Laser resurfacing are very expensive, however they are not always what you need and they are not always successful in treating scars.Making a decision on an acne scar treatment is tough. Try not to make a decision based on emotions but rather on facts.

Think both long term and short term and most importantly, ask your doctor for all of the facts and ask him to clarify any points that are not clear to you. This will help you to make an informed decision that you are happy with.

I hope this helps

Hi Leehar!
In addition to the advice of our fellow SCT members...

I have read that Benzoyl Peroxide, although it was widely used for decades in treating acnes, is found to be capable of producing free radicals.This will make your aging process fast. So I guess find alternatives that can prevent and cure acne which is free from Benzoyl Peroxide and sulphates of any kind.^^,

Hi Leehar, I've also read about the free radicals producing effects of benzoyl peroxide. So I prefer to use products that contain salicylic acid or tea tree oil to treat my every-now-and-then pimple breakout. Also it's important to avoid products that contain oils and emulsifiers that can clog pores, e.g. isopropyl myristate, paraffin oil, mineral oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, isopropyl palmitate, etc. I read that the only oil that can be used on acne/clogged skin is jojoba oil but even then you should use very little.

I have recently been diganosed with Adult Cystic Acne. I have tried everything on the market and nothing worked. The Dermatologist has put me on minocyline. I have been taking it for a month and a half, and it is a bit better, but not great. I have a real problem with chocolate and sugar I have masive break outs just looking at it. Any one have any other suggestions.

Hi well yes tea tree oil is excellent too, as you can apply it neat. do be very careful though if you have skin problems in intimate areas. Tea tree, can sting a bit, and although it will help, sometimes the sting can be offputting. Manuka honey is better for those areas. The bee feeds on the tea tree, and this is where Manuka honey comes from. It is used in hospitals in the U.K. to treat many complaints, not only is it a natural antiseptic, but is also anti viral. It has differerent strengths, and the price reflects this.