What I Wish Everyone Knew About Post-Inflammatory Erythema

The red stain left on your skin after an accident or irritation is called post-inflammatory erythema. 

Post-Inflammatory Erythema: What Is It?

Your skin gets inflame when it is harm or irritate. On the skin, this inflammation may result in dark and gray areas, redness, or hyperpigmentation. Picking at it may sometimes leave scars, even after the skin has healed.‌

If acne causes a skin problem, these markings are known as post-inflammatory or post-acne erythema. 

Acne creates pimples on the face, shoulders, back, neck, and chest. Although many variables contribute to acne, oil and dead skin cells that clog your pores are the primary culprits. This results in bacterial infection and inflammation.

There are several forms of acne, some of which are brought on by hormone imbalances and drugs. Acne may worsen due to stress, certain diets, perspiration, specific sports equipment, and personal care products.

The skin begins to recover if it becomes inflamed, irritated, or wounded. There are three phases to the complicated process: inflammation, tissue development, and matrix remodeling.

Blood flow is interrupt during the inflammation stage, resulting in inflammatory erythema. Red or pink markings may form on the skin due to inflammation, blood vessel dilatation, or any injury to those blood vessels. As you recuperate, your skin becomes thinner, which might exacerbate erythema. 

If the skin doesn’t recover properly, scarring may result from losing collagen or elastin tissue.

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation Vs Post-Inflammatory Erythema

PIE, sometimes known as post-inflammatory erythema, is a relatively recent phrase. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH, is a term that many people are acquaint with, but they are not the same thing.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation results in brown, gray, or black markings on the skin as opposed to the red or pink marks that post-acne erythema produces. 

When the pigment skin cells in your body are activate during the healing process of a wound, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation results. A concentration of pigment causes the patches to darken. 

Fair skin is more likely to have post-inflammatory erythema, whereas darker skin is more likely to experience hyperpigmentation.

Treatment for Post-Inflammatory Erythema

Acne and other skin problems that leave visible scars and markings may significantly lower your quality of life and reduce your sense of self-worth. Get your skin check out and treated as soon as you can. Early acne treatment hastens skin recovery.

You may take steps to prevent and cure post-inflammatory erythema caused by acne or other irritants. 

• Avoid picking or squeezing. Inflammation increases as you pinch, snap, or pick at your skin. This increases the likelihood of developing erythema and scarring. 
• Get assistance. Your skin has a higher chance of healing if you treat acne immediately. Your doctor may suggest drugs that may assist, and there may be less inflammation, reduced risk of scarring, and other issues.
• Never scrub. Your skin becomes irritated by rubbing and overwashing. Greater irritation leads to more significant inflammation, which increases the likelihood of scarring, post-inflammatory erythema, and chronic skin irritation.
• Laser. In some instances, laser resurfacing might help lessen post-inflammatory erythema. The V Beam laser also reduces the remaining redness, which targets the red cells within the blood vessels.
• Dermabrasion. Tiny needles are use in the microneedling and microdermabrasion procedures to pierce the skin. This increases collagen production in the skin, which might aid in removing surface-level red stains. Deep scars usually don’t benefit from this. 
• As it takes time for the collagen to influence the skin, results might take up to 12 months. The benefit is that the skin doesn’t flake off, unlike with a chemical peel.
• Vitamin C. Anti-inflammatory vitamin C aids in collagen production. Inflammation will be lessen, redness will be avoid, and depigmentation will not occur.
• Sunscreen. Your skin may be more vulnerable to UV damage due to acne drugs and specific treatments, like lasers and acids. You should apply sunscreen to avoid more inflammation, irritability, and pigmentation.