How to get rid of acne and acne scars?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am asking questions on behalf of my son. Due to pandemics, we are not allowed to consult a dermatologist in person. But his skin has changed drastically. He is 16 years old and his face looks old. He has dark spots due to acne scarring, so he decided to use Ambi skincare fade cream. He thought it would make wonders on his face. But it caused red, darker, larger spots on the forehead, chin, and sides of the cheek. He left it for a few days. After that, he decided to use some home remedies. He found that garlic will fight on dark spots. He used it on the face. It caused a burning sensation on the face. On the next day, he had skin irritation. Now, his forehead has wrinkles. He also has some huge dark yellowish and brownish patches on the skin with acne. He has tried using some homemade recipes to lighten the face. But it has not worked. He tried to boost melanin and collagen. But there are no good results. Now he is using anti-wrinkle cream. He cannot see any good results and his skin is getting worse. I have told him to give some time for the skin. Kindly suggest.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Acne occurs commonly in teenagers. They appear and disappear with age. They occur due to sebum production from the oil glands present in the face. It blocks the oil tract present on the surface of the skin. It gets aggravated by oily cosmetics and bacteria. Treatment depends on the grade of acne. For mild ones, you can use simple creams and gels made of vitamin A derivative, and few antibiotics can be taken. In higher grades, you can take oral medication with topical ones. In severe grades, you can use oral vitamin A derivatives like Isotretinoin. It seems that your son has dark spots due to acne. Please mention whether he has pigmentation and scars. Try to protect the skin from sunlight. Your son can use sunscreen gel with SPF (sun protection factor) more than 30. He can use a cream containing alpha hydroxy acid with any acid. It must be used in low quantity. He can use Retinoic acid with AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) at bedtime. He can use Kojic acid and Glycolic acid combination cream at night. Please help.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.