## Acne marks vs acne scars: how to tell them apart

An acne mark is a flat patch of colour left after a pimple heals, and it usually fades with time and sunscreen. An acne scar changes the skin's texture, leaving a dent or a raised bump, and it does not fade on its own. A dermatologist is the right person for scars.

### How to tell the difference

Look at the skin from the side in daylight and run a clean finger over it. A mark is flat, and only the colour is different. A scar has a changed surface: a dip you can see in side light, or a raised bump. Many people have both at once.

- Acne mark: Flat, darker than the skin around it. The texture is normal
- Acne scar: A dent or a raised bump. The texture has changed

### What helps acne marks

Marks need sun protection and time. Dermatologists say treating dark spots begins with sunscreen, ideally tinted with iron oxide. A spot a few shades darker than your skin usually fades within 6 to 12 months. Gentle products help too, because irritation itself can cause new dark spots.

- Wear sunscreen every day, because sun keeps marks dark
- Switch to gentle products if anything stings or burns
- Keep treating the acne, since new pimples leave new marks
- Be patient: months, not days

- [Pigmentation and dark spots](https://www.saundaryaai.com/pigmentation-dark-spots)

### What helps acne scars

Skincare cannot rebuild a scar, so be wary of any product promising to. Dermatologists offer in-clinic treatments, including microneedling and acne scar surgery, and which one suits you depends on your scars. Treatment starts with a consultation, and the first step is getting active acne under control.

> See a dermatologist if your acne is deep or painful, or if it is leaving dents. Treating acne early is the best protection against new scars.

### How to avoid new marks and scars

Do not pick, pop or squeeze pimples: doing so increases your risk of getting a scar. Use a gentle routine, avoid products that irritate, and wear sunscreen every day so that the marks you do get fade faster and do not darken further.

- [Acne-prone skin routine](https://www.saundaryaai.com/acne-prone-skin-routine)

### Get a routine for your own skin

Saundarya AI is an AI skin analysis and grooming app that reads a single selfie and returns a personalised report: face shape, skin type, detected skin concerns with the visual evidence behind them, a morning and night skincare routine, product picks at three budgets, and an 8-week improvement plan.

Generic advice is a starting point. A scan reads post-acne marks and where they sit on your own face, shows the visual evidence and a confidence score, and builds a morning and night routine around it. The first full analysis is free.

> This is general cosmetic guidance, not medical advice. See a dermatologist for skin that is painful, spreading, scarring or not improving after 8-12 weeks.

### Sources

- [10 tips for clearing acne in darker skin tones - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/diy/skin-color)
- [How to fade dark spots in darker skin tones - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots)
- [Acne scars: consultation and treatment - American Academy of Dermatology](https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/derm-treat/scars/treatment)


Source: https://www.saundaryaai.com/acne-marks-vs-acne-scars. Cosmetic and grooming guidance only; not medical advice.