Post Inflammatory Erythema
Are you suffering from red spots post-acne? Sounds like Post Inflammatory Erythema – and we can treat it!
Are you suffering from red spots post-acne? Sounds like Post Inflammatory Erythema – and we can treat it!
Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE) are red/pink marks that can appear on the skin after an injury. It occurs when blood flow is interrupted during the skins natural healing process. On deeper skin tones this can also turn into Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH). PIE is usually not permanent, however can take months or years to disappear on its own.
PIE can be caused from any type of injury to the skin, including acne, insect bites, or advanced skin treatments. The good news is that it’s a surface condition, making it relatively easy to treat!
There are two parts to treating PIE effectively.
1. Find the Cause & Treat It
If you’re experiencing PIE, it’s important to stop or treat what’s causing the injury. E.g. if you have PIE from acne, we would need to treat the acne first. If the cause (in this case, acne) is not treated, you will continuously have new PIE.
2. Wait or Treat
Usually PIE will gradually fade on it’s own over time and return to your usual skin colouring. However this is a long process that can take 12-24 months, or longer. For those of us who don’t want to wait 1-2 years for our PIE to fade, there is a faster solution!
Post-inflammatory Erythema can be treated in a few different ways. Thus, the best treatment for you will depend on your availability, budget, and ability for downtime.
Post-inflammatory erythema requires treatments that will generate skin cell turnover. These treatments include RF Microneedling, CO2 Laser Treatments, Medlite Q-Switched treatments, BioRePeel, and LED therapy.
These treatments will also rejuvenate the skin and assist with your overall skin health.
The best treatment for your unique skin type and tone will be determined in your initial skin consultation.
Q-Switched Laser Treatment – No downtime, however we do not recommend applying makeup after the treatment to prevent further congestion.
BioRePeel – 1 week downtime. Your skin will begin to mildly shed 2-3 days after your treatment which will last approximately one week.
Vivace RF Microneedling – 1 day downtime. Makeup can be applied the next day.
CO2 Laser Treatment (Level One) – 1-3 days of downtime.
LED Therapy – No downtime.