Hello. Thank you for your question. Marks left on the skin after an acne breakout is commonly known as PIH, Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. These pigmentation spots form due to the inflammatory response that occurred in the area. The good news is that these marks are quite easy to treat as this pigment normally lies superficially in the skin. There are 3 steps to treating these spots ; 1. Daily use of an SPF 50, unprotected sun exposure will induce more pigment to form and the spot may become darker. We recommend Heliocare 360, this SPF will not only protect your skin from UVA and UVB, but also from visible and infra-red light. 2. We need to speed up your cellular turnover rate, to get the pigment out. This can be done by the use of exfoliating ingredients such as Retinol or AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids). 3. We need to ensure that the pigment cells don’t product any more pigment. This is done by the use of pigment suppressing ingredients. So, in a nut cell we need to Protect, Exfoliate and Suppress.
The Neostrata Enlighten range will suit your skin, not only is the main ingredients in this range pigment suppressors, but is also contains AHA’s and Retinol to speed up the cellular turnover. I would also recommend that you visit a Skin Renewal branch, one of our Medical professionals can do a thorough skin analysis and also make their recommendation with regards to homecare products as well as in clinic treatments, such as chemical peel, laser therapy as well as skin needling.
As for the stretchmarks, when our bodies go through sudden weight gain or weight loss, our dermis (the deeper layer of our skin) tear and this shows as stretchmarks on the skin. We need to increase collagen production in the area to rebuild the dermis again. Carboxy therapy is an excellent treatment option for this as it encourages collagen induction in the area. Carboxy can be combined with Laser genesis to improve the appearance of the skin in the area. Skin Needling is also a good option to stimulate new collagen production by releasing certain growth factors and encouraging our bodies own wound healing response. It is important to note that multiple sessions may be needed to get the desired result. I would recommend that you visit one of the Skin Renewal branches to have a thorough consultation, from there we can customize a treatment plan for your needs and budget.
