How to Avoid Pimple Marks (even Stubborn Ones)!

Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 10:09 am

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If you have oily skin, you’ll understand how dealing with pimples is hard enough but it’s not nearly as annoying as trying to figure out ways how to avoid pimple marks.

Pimples come and go but sometimes, they like to leave a scar on your face.

And it can take MONTHS for it to go away.

You don’t have to pick at your pimple for it to leave a scar. Even though you do the right thing and let your pimples pop naturally, it can still lead to stubborn pimple marks.

Awesome, right?

Some people have pretty resilient skin. They might get a few pimples but it barely leaves a mark. Lucky them.

For people like me, oh boy, does it leave a scar. I don’t consider myself to have very fair skin per se, but you can clearly see the pigmentation marks when they do happen and it’s not pretty.

You have to actively look for ways to get rid of them but thankfully, I found solutions that WORK.

This list comprises what I have learned over the years to help fade my stubborn pimple scars.

How to Avoid Pimple Marks Tip #1 – Cleanse Properly Daily

You might not think cleansing properly helps fade stubborn pimple marks but it does.

You need to work with a clean canvas for your skincare products to penetrate deep into your pores.

During the day, your skin accumulates all that sweat, dirt, sebum, pollution, and dead skin. Even if your other skincare products work great and can help you out with your problem, how can you expect them to work if your skin isn’t clean?

Also, doesn’t your skin feel all gross by the end of the day? I can’t stand it when my skin feels icky. Maybe it’s because I’m the oily skin type but I HAVE to wash my face before bed (fun fact about me).

There’s some debate about cleansing twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night.

It depends on your skin type but make sure your skin is cleaned properly (but also gently!) before you proceed to the rest of your skincare routine.

Deeply cleansing your skin helps prevent getting more pimples. It removes all of that yucky stuff.

Also, you can ensure that the following products targeted for hyperpigmentation can soak deeper into your pores and fade your pigmentation scars.

2) Use Brightening Essence/Serum/Cream

There is a reason why I specifically did not write vitamin c serum.

I’ve used several brands of vitamin c serums before. While they’re great, the one thing I dislike about them is their quick expiry date.

Once you notice your vitamin c serum turns a deeper colour (oxidation), it’s time to throw it out.

I usually don’t even finish the bottle before the process happens. I feel bad for wasting the rest of the product.

While I agree vitamin c serum does help with fading dark spots, it can also be costly.

So I looked for other alternatives.

Warning: for those not familiar with the Korean skincare routine, you might not like the sound of this.

Snail cream.

Yep. You read that right. I said snail cream.

I was also grossed out in the beginning but then I saw the benefits of using snail. As long as it didn’t smell bad (it doesn’t), I was down to try.

It works and I’ve been using snail products since. They do help fade dark spots on my face.

For faster results, I recommend using snail cream along with a snail essence or serum.

If using snail is not your thing, I totally get it. There are other ingredients you can look at like arbutin and niacinamide.

Look for products that target skin brightening.

3) Apply Sunscreen

Doesn’t it feel like you’re always hearing about sunscreen? There’s a reason for it.

Not using sunscreen will cause the spots on your face to darken. A huge no-no for getting rid of pigmentation marks.

Darkened pimple scars mean it will take even longer to get rid of them.

You don’t want to worsen the situation.

Sunscreen for oily skin might be a pain for some people.

There are a lot of sunscreens out there that have ingredients that clog your pores.

Acne Clinic NYC has a wonderful ingredients checklist where you can quickly copy and paste a product’s skincare ingredients.

Within seconds, the website will highlight any pore-clogging ingredients in red. The colour easily stands out so you know right away that this isn’t the product for you.

Go check it out.

4) Exfoliate Your Skin to Get Rid of Stubborn Pimple Scars

Did you know that you’re supposed to exfoliate your skin once to twice a week?

Using an exfoliator means removing the dead skin that’s been sitting on your face. This process doesn’t take long and you reap many benefits.

After you exfoliate your face, you will notice that your skin feels very soft after. Almost like a baby’s bottom (be careful not to overdo it or else your skin might be red or sting for a couple of days). It’s smooth and nice to touch.

More importantly, exfoliating your skin encourages cell turnover.

It’s a faster way to get rid of your stubborn pimple scars.

Once you are used to exfoliating your skin every week, you’re not going to want to stop.

You’ll notice the difference in your skin from when you have a weekly exfoliation session versus when you don’t.

Your skin won’t feel as smooth so you’ll be extremely tempted to grab your exfoliator to work its magic.

5) Use Brightening Skin Masks

Sheet masks are a great self-care hack (I sometimes use one when I’m in a bad mood).

At the end of each week, I use a brightening skin mask for about 15-20 minutes.

During this time, there’s nothing else you need to do differently.

I usually take this time to watch YouTube, Chinese dramas or write for my blog.

For most of the other tips listed above, you have to do it daily for your pigmentation scars to fade faster but you don’t have to use sheet masks as often.

Like exfoliating, once or twice a week is more than enough.

You can put a sheet mask on to unwind after a stressful week after work or school.

It feels good too because you know you’re taking care of yourself.

There are seemingly a million sheet masks in the market for different skin concerns but since we’re on the topic of fading pigmentation marks, pick the skin-brightening ones. There are some really good brands out there.

Instead of choosing a brightening skin mask anywhere, do some research on them first.

What are people saying about the product?

Even though what works for someone else might not work for you, you can get a general idea of the public’s opinion of a product.

Or you can always just go into a store blindly and purchase some sheet masks.

Feel free to switch up your skincare routine sometimes but do be aware of the new products you add to your routine.

You don’t want to provoke your oily skin and get more pimples (which means more stubborn pimple scars).

That’s the reverse effect of what you want.

6) Booking an Appointment with a Specialist

Depending on how severe your pimple scars are, you might be able to skip this step.

This is the most expensive option but it also works the best. Going to see a specialist.

This was at a time when my skin was absolutely awful but seeing a skin specialist cost $$$. Also, it might not be easy to get an appointment right away.

On the other hand, professionals can usually easily identify the problem.

After all, they’re an expert in this field.

When I was a teenager, I had mild acne. My skin could have been reacting to my puberty hormones but my dad took me to see a dermatologist anyway.

They did a few treatments on me and voila! My skin has been alright ever since.

Personally, I’ve experimented with several professional skin treatments such as dermaplaning and LED face masks (I’ve probably done more but I can’t remember on top of my head).

I am obviously not a licensed professional when it comes to diagnosing your skin problems but there is a variety of options to treat your pigmentation marks.

Going to a professional means they will tailor to your needs.

The treatments will probably work faster and better than home treatments.

If your pimple scars are mild, the other steps above should be enough.

However, if you’ve done all of the things on the above list and still can’t get rid of your pigmentation marks, it might be time to go book an appointment to see a dermatologist.

How to Avoid Pimple Marks Tip #7 – Be Patient

Fading stubborn pimple scars takes time. You might want all of them to go away NOW but it’s a process.

Your skin does rejuvenate.

It’s somewhat similar to weight loss.

You have to be consistent with the choices you make and gradually, you’ll see improvements.

As much as you want the result to happen now, it’s not going to happen.

Going to see a specialist and having them recommend a procedure might help speed things up in comparison but again, it also takes time to see results.

It’s also more expensive, which is a tradeoff.

Final Thoughts – How to Avoid Pimple Marks

Fading stubborn pimple scars can be such a pain in the butt!

Pimples come and go quickly but these pigmentation marks can last up to months on your skin.

Use the following tips and they will vanish over time.

The hardest one is probably being patient when the pimple scars on your face bother you.

And you basically look at yourself in the mirror every day.

For preventative measures, you can also consider adding at least one brightening product to your skincare routine.

That way, there’s no need to go frantically look for a brightening product when you do want to fade stubborn pimple scars when they occur.  

Now to You – How to Avoid Pimple Marks

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Xoxo,
Nicole