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Last Updated on June 16, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

how to fade away dark spots left behind by pimples

Pimples love revenge. Dare give them the boot and they’ll leave a dark mark where they used to be. Ugh. It’s like you’re fixing a problem only to cause another. *sighs* FYI, this pimple revenge has a scientific name: post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (I know, it’s a mouthful!). It sounds like something horrible, doesn’t it? Good news, it’s nothing to worry about. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (or PIH for short) goes away on its own. The bad news? It can take months. If you’re the impatient kind (I SO am!), here’s how you can speed up the process and fade post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation away faster:

What Is Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?

PIH is a type of discolouration left behind by inflammation. Short version: something inflamed your skin. Your skin reacts by leaving some pigment behind.

Long version: your skin is under attack. Something is hurting it. To protect itself, your skin triggers inflammation. Inflammation sends plenty of white blood cells (your body’s natural police force) into the bloodstream. This increases blood flow to the injured area, which now turns red. Problem is, your body’s police doesn’t come alone. Your body sends melanocytes to the scene of the crime, too. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, the pigment that turns your skin dark.

Melanin is the reason your skin tans. Its job is to protect skin from UV rays by turning it a darker hue (yes, that beautiful tan you crave is skin DAMAGE. The more you tan, the more damage you’re inflicting to your skin). Plus, melanin is also an antioxidant that gets rid of those harmful free radicals. No wonder your body asks it to help out, too!

Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes excess oil and pimples? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Oily Skin” to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):

PIH VS Acne Scars: What’s The Difference?

If you’ve ever Googled “how to get rid of acne scars” when what you actually have are dark marks left behind by spots, you’re not alone – and you’re not wrong to be confused. The term “acne scars” gets thrown around for basically anything a pimple leaves behind. But there’s a big difference between a dark mark and an actual scar, and mixing them up means you’ll end up using the wrong treatments and wondering why nothing works.

Here’s the simple version: PIH is a colour problem. Scars are a texture problem. PIH is flat. Run your finger over it and your skin feels smooth. What you’re seeing is excess melanin sitting in the skin – a pigment stain, essentially. Scars, on the other hand, involve actual structural damage to the skin tissue. That’s why they look raised (hypertrophic scars) or sunken (atrophic scars, like ice pick or boxcar scars). No amount of vitamin C or glycolic acid will fix a scar, because the issue isn’t pigment.

The good news if you have PIH? It’s temporary. The less good news if you have actual scars? Those need professional treatment (lasers, microneedling, fillers) and even then, results vary.

What Causes Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?

I’m focusing on pimples here, but they aren’t the only thing that gives you PIH. Other culprits are:

  • Acne
  • Allergies
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Eczema
  • Injury
  • Pimples
  • Psoriasis
  • Rosacea
  • Scratches
  • Shaving

Basically anything that triggers inflammation can give you PIH.

Related: How To Deal With Rosacea

Why Does PIH Hit Harder If You Have Darker Skin?

Short answer: your melanocytes are more reactive. Melanocytes are the cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for your skin colour. In people with darker skin tones, melanocytes are naturally larger and more active. So when inflammation shows up (a spot, a scratch, an allergic reaction), your melanocytes respond more aggressively, pumping out more melanin than lighter skin tones would under the same circumstances. The result is darker marks that take longer to fade.

This isn’t a flaw in darker skin. But it does mean that if you have a deeper skin tone, you need to be more careful about anything that could trigger inflammation in the first place (aggressive exfoliation, harsh actives, picking at spots), and you need to be more cautious with certain treatments. Research confirms that PIH is significantly more common and more persistent in Fitzpatrick skin types III–VI, which covers medium to deep skin tones.

It also means hydroquinone (the strongest skin-lightening ingredient available) comes with more risk for you specifically. In darker skin, prolonged hydroquinone use can cause ochronosis, a paradoxical darkening of the skin that’s harder to treat than the original PIH. This is why gentler alternatives like azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, and arbutin are often the smarter starting point if your skin is on the deeper end of the spectrum.

How To Prevent Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigentation

PIH isn’t a done deal. Just because your skin is inflamed, it doesn’t mean melanin needs to leave behind any dark patches. I’ve had plenty of occasional zits and no PIH. In fact, I had to deal with PIH from a zit only once (lucky, I know). So how you prevent PIH? Easy. If PIH is caused by inflammation, it follows you need to load your skincare routine with anti-inflammatory ingredients. Here are a few of my fave:

Best Picks:

  • Glowness 2% BHA Exfoliant (£12.99): An exfoliant that unclogs pores and prevents breakouts. It has also anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe skin. Available at Amazon and Glowness
  • First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydration Boost Serum with Colloidal Oatmeal + Hyaluronic Acid ($39.00): A hydrating serum packaged with soothing ingredients to calm down redness and inflammation. Available at: Look Fantastic, Sephora and Ulta
  • Niod Modulating Glucosides (£21.00): This baby is loaded with every anti-inflammatory ingredient you can think of – and many more you’ve never heard about. It soothes redness, irritation, rosacea, eczema, acne… You name it. Available at Harrods, Niod, and Selfridges

Related: 9 Soothing Ingredients That Calm Down Irritated Skin

the ordinary glycolic acid toning solution

How To Treat Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

I bet you know by now how to deal with PIH. If melanin is the culprit, you need to use skin-lighteners that can stop its production in its tracks. Here are a few of my fave picks:

I’ve listed these in the order I would use them to deal with PIH. I’d start with gentler remedies like glycolic acid or vitamin C and move on to the big guns like arbutin if they worked too slowly. I’d leave hydroquinone as the last resort. It’s the most effective but the most “dangerous” (all powerful weapons are double edged, aren’t they?). There are plenty more options to deal with hyperpigmentation if these don’t work for you. Click here for the full list of skin-lighteners with their pros and cons.

Best Picks:

  • Peter Thomas Roth Night Infusion PM ($65.00): 1.5% retinol release gradually over a period of several hours to make it gentler on your skin. Has a moisturising squalane base and its fair share of antioxidants. Available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Peter Thomas Roth, Revolve, and Ulta
  • Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90.00): This exfoliant contains two exfoliants. Glycolic Acid to fade away dark spots and Salicylic Acid to unclog pores. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK
  • Paula’s Choice C15 Booster ($46.75): It’s enriched with Hyaluronic Acid and glycerin to deeply hydrate skin. Available at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK.

Related: The Battle Of The Skin-Lighteners: What’s The Best Alternative To Hydroquinone?

The Bottom Line

Inflammation + melanin = post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation galore! Fade it away with skin-lighteners and keep it from coming up with anti-inflammatory ingredients.