What is acne scarring?

Acne can lead to inflammation of the skin. “When the skin’s tissue becomes inflamed, the result is damaged skin and breaks in the tissue,” says Dr Fabusiwa. “The skin attempts to heal the damage by laying down collagen fibres at the site of the tissue injury and this dysregulated healing process leads to uneven skin and scarring.”

What are the main types of acne scarring?

There are four types of scarring. “Hypertrophic scars that are raised due to excessive healing, boxcar scars which are well-defined deep depressions in the skin, rolling scars which are poorly defined deep depressions in the skin and icepick scars, which are narrow impressions in the skin that look as though the skin has been stabbed with an ice pick,” she says.

What is hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is where patches of skin become darker, creating an uneven skin tone. “It occurs due to an increased production of melanin at certain places in the the skin,” explains Dr Fabusiwa.

While there are many factors that contribute to hyperpigmentation, sun exposure is the biggest risk factors to consider.

“Melanin protects our skin from the sun. When we’re exposed to high levels of UV-radiation, the skin’s response is to produce excess melanin.”

Inflammation is another big cause of hyperpigmentation. “When the skin is damaged, melanin gets deposited along the site of the injury. Even minor trauma to the skin can lead to significant post-inflammatory hyperpigmenation,” says Dr Fabusiwa.

How to treat acne scarring and hyperpigmentation on dark skin