How to Cure Pimple Hyperpigmentation

Pimples on the skin can leave behind areas of discoloration and hyperpigmentation that can be difficult to remove from the skin. The areas of hyperpigmentation can be tougher and drier than the surrounding skin, and removal should involve softening the skin with a steam facial, removing the softened skin cells with a natural exfoliant, and rebuilding skin cells with vitamin C. By following this routine, the skin will return to its naturally smooth and balanced state.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Towel
• Water
• Baking soda
• Olive oil
• Small bowl
• Washcloth
• Lemon juice
• Cotton pads

Instructions

1. Steam the skin to loosen the rough, dry, hyper-pigmented skin. Fill a medium to large bowl with water hot enough to produce a significant amount of steam. Lay a towel over your head, and lean 12 to 18 inches over the bowl. Do not lean any closer, or the steam might scald the skin. The steam will billow over the skin, which will soften the skin and open the pores. After 5-10 minutes, splash the skin well with warm water to wash off sweat and oils without closing the pores. Steam the skin twice per week to soften and loosen hyper-pigmented skin cells.

2. Scrub off the discolored and hyper-pigmented skin cells using a baking soda mixture. In a small bowl, combine together 1 Tbsp. of baking soda with 1 tsp. of olive oil. Olive oil is a non-comedogenic oil that will not clog the pores. Moisten the skin with water, and spread the baking soda mixture onto the skin. Use the fingers to massage the skin, focusing on the areas with the most pigmentation. After two minutes, use a wet washcloth to wipe off the remaining baking soda and oil. Repeat once per week to remove the dead and dried hyper-pigmented skin.

3. Rebuild skin cells by applying vitamin C to the skin. Vitamin C will stimulate the skin into building new skin cells, which will help balance out the skin tone and will diminish the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Soak five cotton pads in concentrated lemon juice, which has a high vitamin C content, and place them onto the face. Use two pads for the forehead, one pad for the chin, and one pad for each cheek. After five minutes, remove the cotton pads and let the skin air dry. Repeat up to three times per day.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid getting lemon juice onto the eyes.

• Do not steam the skin more than 20 minutes or irritation could occur.

References

• Anastasia Papaioanou: Facial Steaming
• Arm and Hammer: Baking Soda for the Skin
• University of Maryland: Vitamin C for Skin