Does Accutane Help with Hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is not uncommon to you if you have ever faced cystic acne or hormonal acne. Hyperpigmentation can appear for various reasons on your skin. It can occur from UV exposure, sun, and heat damage, acne, or any other injury. It happens due to the imbalance of melanin production in your skin because of those reasons which creates dark patches in the skin. No one wants to have a face full of dark spots after dealing with stubborn cystic acne. If you want to have a fresh start after your severe acne journey, Accutane can be a good option to help you with that.

Accutane is the drug to help you with your severe acne. It is normally suggested by doctors when no other medication works properly on you for your cystic acne. If you are already on acne treatment by Accutane, it can help with the hyperpigmentation that comes with it. But can you use Accutane only for hyperpigmentation? Well, even though Accutane might help with hyperpigmentation, there are some reasons why you should not use it for hyperpigmentation alone!

Does Accutane Help with Hyperpigmentation?

If you are already on Accutane, you probably suffer from severe hormonal or cystic acne. Normally this type of acne comes with hyperpigmentation or scars on your skin. Accutane does help with hyperpigmentation which comes with your acne and helps with the acne scars. However, Accutane does not help with the previous scarring that you have on your face. To remove that hyperpigmentation, you need to give your skin some additional love and care. There are many other ways to remove your hyperpigmentation. You can go with natural home remedies or take medical treatments. If there are still deep red scars left on your skin after your acne treatment by Accutane, consult with your dermatologist. But if you only have hyperpigmentation, DO NOT go for Accutane at all as It has severe side effects on your health.

How Accutane Works?

Accutane is a brand name for a medication called ‘isotretinoin’. Isotretinoin is a drug that is derived from vitamin A. This belongs to a group of drugs which is commonly known as retinoids. Accutane mainly targets acne and bacteria on the skin. It works effectively on our clogged pores and reduces sebum production. Retinoids or vitamin A are produced in our body naturally in a certain amount. While it is formed in a high concentration, it can do miracles for treating acne.

Accutane is used as the last hope when you are done with all the medication for your acne. There are other medications like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and benzoyl peroxide treatments for treating your acne. If you only have hyperpigmentation and no acne then Accutane is not for you. Accutane reduces the oil production in our skin by the sebaceous gland. It targets the acne-causing bacteria in our bodies. Normally the scarring of the skin is caused by the bacteria present in our skin. and if there are no bacteria, your acne can not create any more scars. That’s how Accutane helps the hyperpigmentation caused by acne.

Why Can’t You Use Accutane for Hyperpigmentation?

Accutane is a drug that is wholly made for treating your acne. Normally It is suggested by doctors as the last resource of your acne medication if nothing else works because it comes with a lot of side effects. The minor side effects that Accutane can cause are dryness, itchiness, irritation, rash, muscle ache, headache, joint pain, thinning of skin, etc. If you are done treating your acne with Accutane, then stop taking it if your doctor recommends it. Do not continue it only for hyperpigmentation because these symptoms can even worsen your pigmentation since hyperpigmentation varies from person to person.

Accutane also causes nausea, vomiting, bowel disease, liver problems, blood sugar problem, blurred vision, etc. You can never get pregnant within 1 or 2 years during and after your medication. It will be a hazard for your baby if you get pregnant during this period. The list of side effects of taking Accutane is never-ending.  Never use Accutane if you don’t need medication for acne and only want to remove your hyperpigmentation. Also, if you are taking oral treatment then you should not use additional retinoid or retinol serum on your face because both of them are vitamin A derivates. Also, you should not take vitamin A supplements. Excess vitamin A intake can build up in your body and cause chronic toxicity in your body. Only take any medication that your doctor recommends.

How Can I Remove Hyperpigmentation after Accutane?

As you already know the main purpose of Accutane is to remove cystic or hormonal acne from your body. When you need a treatment like Accutane it is obvious that you broke out pretty bad. Sometimes the scars and hyperpigmentation are so stubborn that they do not want to go away even after your Accutane medication. What are you going to do then? Well, Accutane is not the treatment for your scars or hyperpigmentation even though it helps. You should only take Accutane medication for severe acne. There are many other medication treatments you can take to remove your hyperpigmentation. Such as-

1. Skin-Lightening Creams or Serums: The most available options out there are skin-lightening creams or serums that can help to lighten up the skin. for choosing the perfect product for your skin, you must be careful of the ingredients first. Use natural ingredients as much as you can like vitamin C, hydroquinone, vitamin b-3, lemon extract, and arbutin. You can also choose some skin acids like Glycolic acid, Salicylic acid, Alpha hydroxy acids, azelaic acid, etc.  After consulting with your dermatologist, based on your skin type, use any of them. You can take them as gel or serum as well to get an even better result.
2. Chemical Peel: Chemical peel is done by a strong chemical formulation to your skin to remove the outer layer of your skin completely. Remember that it is a very sensitive treatment and must be done by a specialist. It has several side effects like redness itchiness, etc. So, if you have just completed your Accutane intake, I would suggest not doing chemical peels as your skin is much more vulnerable at this point.
3. Laser Peel: You can do a laser peel to remove the hyperpigmentation from your skin. This treatment will target the pigmented area of your skin. It will destroy the areas where extra melanin is formed. There are different types of laser peel. Some will immediately remove the pigments by removing the affected areas and others can take some time to peel off.  You can go to any of them after consulting with your dermatologist.
4. Microdermabrasion or Dermabrasion: Both of them remove the outer layer of your skin. when microdermabrasion exfoliates the outer layer and targets the dead layer of your skin, Dermabrasion will remove the outer layer more aggressively as it can remove any kind of scars, wrinkles, or pigmentations from your skin. Both of them resurface your skin, but microdermabrasion will be gentler. These treatments work better on light skin tones people, so if your skin tone is dark, consult with a specialist.
5. Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL): It is a very effective treatment for your skin without going through any surgery or sensitive medical treatments. The light wave goes through the top layer of your skin and targets the problem areas. It is very effective in removing skin pigmentation and textures. It is also called photo facial as it improves the visible problems of your skin like sun damage. IPL can help with your pigmentation or brown patches after you are done with the Accutane treatment.

All of these are sensitive medical treatments that must be done with the Consultation of a dermatologist. As Acne can make your skin very sensitive and vulnerable, you should be careful in picking any sin treatment that can cause further damage. Most of these treatments can make your skin more sensitive for a certain period. Use the products that are most suitable for your skin and do not forget to use sunscreen before you go out to save your skin from further hyperpigmentation.

How Can I Remove Hyperpigmentation at Home?

Hyperpigmentation can be very hard to fade away naturally. They can take a very long time if you are doing it at home. But it is much safer than applying any chemicals to your skin. Home remedies have rarely any side effects if you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Some of the common home remedies are-

1. Tomato Juice

Tomato is a great source of antioxidants and lycopene which works great to even-tone your skin. It helps to lighten up your overall skin tone and remove hyperpigmentation or brown patches of the skin. Tomato juice or paste can soothe your sensitive skin and helps to protect your skin from long-term sun damage.

How to apply-

• First, take some tomatoes and make a paste of them.
• strain your tomato paste. You can just use your cheesecloth to do that. (You can use the tomato paste as well)
• Take a cotton pad and soak it in the juice and apply that to your face or pigmented areas.
• After 10-20 wash off with warm water.

2. Potato Juice

Potato juice also works as a natural lightening agent which can improve your skin tone. Regular application of potato juice can remove your hyperpigmentation. It can also help to make your dull skin bright.

How to apply-

• Take one or two potatoes and blend them.
• Try not to use water and strain the juice completely.
• Then take a cotton ball and soak it in the potato juice.
• Leave it on your skin for 15-20 minutes and rinse it with warm water.

3. Apple cider vinegar

Acetic acid can also help to remove your hyperpigmentation. Some people with sensitive skin might have some allergic reaction to lemon due to their sensitivity to citric acid. Apple cider vinegar can be a great alternative as the acetic acid can help with the pigmentation in your skin.

How to apply-

1. Dilute apple cider vinegar with water.
2. With the help of a cotton ball, apply that to its face.
3. Leave it for several minutes and rinse.

4. Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is great for making your skin smooth and improve the texture. If it Is applied regularly, it can make your skin calm and less sensitive. It is a great ingredient to work as a hyperpigmentation treatment. Keep Aloe vera to your regular skincare routine for the optimum result.

How to apply-

• If you have aloe vera plants, cut the leaves, peel them and wash them off completely. The yellow residue can cause itchiness sometimes, so wash until the yellow residue is completely gone.

• Then blend them and apply them to your face at night.
• Wash them off in the morning with warm water.
• If you don’t have aloe vera plants, you can also use store-bought aloe vera gel as well.

5. Green Tea and Black Tea

1. Both of these teas have inflammatory properties in them. These teas can help with reducing dark spots in your face. Try to use at least one of the tea waters at least twice a day to see a visible result.

How to apply-

• Take one teaspoon of tea or a tea bag and put them in hot water.
• Let it cool down completely before use.
• Then with a cotton pad, apply it to your face generously.
• Wash off your face as it starts to dry out and use your regular moisturizer.

These are some of the home remedies that you can use at home to get rid of your hyperpigmentation after you are done with your acne treatment with Accutane. All of these natural home remedies are completely safe for you to use even if it takes longer. You can definitely give it a go before taking any major medical treatments.

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Final Thoughts

Accutane is a very strong drug that you take as the last resort for your hormonal or cystic acne if no other medication works. It is only because it has a lot of side effects that can damage your health drastically. Only take Accutane with the doctor’s prescription and do not use it if you only have hyperpigmentation issues and not acne anymore. Hyperpigmentation can occur for various reasons and every one of them is treated differently. If you are done taking your home remedies, and the pigmentation still doesn’t go away, consult with your doctor about your skin condition and take treatments based on that.

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