Can Acne Make Your Face Darker?

Someone who felt that her acne had made her face darker asked this question. What is the truth? Can acne make the face darker? If yes, what happens in the process? If no, why there is no possibility of face skin becoming darker with acne? Let us find out.

Face color-

How does skin get the color? What factors decide the color of the skin? The melanin pigment in skin makes skin look colored. In people with dark colored skin, the density of melanin is high. In people of fair skin the density is low. The skin can get darker only if more melanin is produced. This happens during tanning.

Acne- It's Effect On Skin?

Acne makes skin look spotted. It is surely very bad looking. When acne resolves, it forms scar tissue. These are called acne scars. Most of the times the scar tissues have higher density of melanin. The scars look darker than the surrounding skin. If acne resolves without any scar, the color left may be darkish red that resolves slowly. Another change called Post Inflammatory Hyper pigmentation may take place. This hyper pigmentation is seen at the site of acne. This color takes time to fade away but it is not permanent like a scar.

Acne does not make face darker. It's the scar tissue that is formed after acne resolves that makes face look darker, but that will also happen only if the spots are many. Otherwise some scars are seen. No darkness is seen all over the skin with acne.

More reading on acne.