It’s bad enough to be afflicted with acne. To add insult to injury, sometimes pimples leave their mark in the form of flat, dark spots that contrast vividly against your skin. For many people, especially those with darker skin, these discolored marks are even worse than the acne itself. These marks are often mistaken for scars. The good news is that they aren’t scars at all. It’s a condition known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH for short, and will fade in time. The bad news is that it can take weeks, months, or even years. So what causes PIH? Your skin contains cells that produce a chemical called melanin, which is responsible for the tint of your skin. The more melanin these cells produce, the darker your skin. Wherever there’s an acne lesion or some other trauma to the skin, the cells that produce melanin may go into overdrive. This results in spots of discoloration (called macules) that contrast with your skin. Although people of all skin types suffer from this, it’s often worse for people with dark skin. The good news is that you don’t have to wait until the marks fade on their own, which can takes months or longer. There are prescription and over-the-counter treatments you can use to lighten them up and blend them with the rest of your skin.

Original Source of Clearing Up Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation