Acne Scars and Pigmentation — Skin Care After the Inflammation

The acne is gone, but the marks remain

What lingers longer than the acne itself are post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and scars (ice pick, boxcar, rolling). Pigmentation may fade naturally over 3–6 months, but scars that have damaged the dermis are difficult to recover from on their own.

Korean medicine view of scars and pigmentation: blood stasis (eo-hyeol, 瘀血)

Korean medicine sees post-inflammatory pigmentation and scars as blood stasis (瘀血) lodged in the skin. When blood stasis does not clear, pigmentation lingers, skin regeneration is hindered, and scars become entrenched.

• Hwal-hyeol-geo-eo (活血祛瘀, invigorating blood and removing stasis): Doh-hong-samul-tang (桃紅四物湯) promotes skin blood flow and clears blood stasis
• Cosmetic acupuncture (mi-yong-chim, 美容鍼): Stimulates the dermis with fine needles to promote collagen production — applied directly to scarred areas
• Pharmacopuncture: Jahageo (紫河車) pharmacopuncture supplies growth factors and accelerates skin regeneration

Managing pigmentation

• UV protection is the most important factor — SPF 50 sunscreen is essential
• Combine internal Korean medicine (modified Gami-soyo-san with blood-invigorating herbs)
• Pairing with antioxidants such as vitamin C serum is effective

If scars are deep

For scars deeply indented into the dermis, combining cosmetic acupuncture with dermatologic laser and microneedling produces strong synergy. Korean medicine builds the environment for skin regeneration, while lasers physically stimulate collagen remodeling.