The home care method that really made my dark acne scars fade a lot ㅠㅠ

Are you all maintaining your flawless skin well? Fortunately, the cystic acne I suffered from like a chronic illness since my school days mostly subsided as I got older and became an adult. However, the dark, reddish pigmented scars left behind like badges of honor caused me immense stress every time I looked in the mirror. I was most envious when my friends complimented my bare face. I wondered if the only solution for acne scars was to spend a fortune on laser toning or Fraxel treatments, so I went around visiting famous dermatology clinics and got tons of consultations. However, the cost of hundreds of thousands of won was too much of a burden for a working professional, and I didn't have the confidence to go consistently once a week, so I decided to try doing as much intense home care as I could for now.

I’m going to write in detail about the method I consistently followed for several months without missing a single day, which really helped my scars fade significantly. Of course, it certainly doesn't erase them dramatically like with an eraser in a short period of time like a cosmetic procedure, but I decided to give it a try and stuck to the routine for about three months. When I looked in the mirror, I could definitely feel my uneven skin tone becoming more even and brighter. First off, I diligently applied a highly concentrated Vitamin C ampoule known for its whitening properties, along with a serum packed with niacinamide as its main ingredient, every single day.

I heard that applying the two together can be irritating, so I completely separated the timing of my use: applying a thin layer of Vitamin C after cleansing in the morning and Niacinamide in the evening. Since I heard that pure Vitamin C oxidizes and is actually bad for the skin if exposed to direct sunlight, I made sure to let it fully absorb in the morning before applying a mineral sunscreen—filling my face with two finger-lengths—and applying it very meticulously all the way down to my neck. When I first used the vitamin ampoule, I felt a slightly stinging, irritating sensation even though I didn't have any cuts on my face, but I got used to it quickly after using it consistently for two or three days. In the evening, I applied the Niacinamide serum all over my face and then applied a thicker layer to problem areas with dark pigmentation, such as my cheeks and chin, focusing heavily on intensive brightening.

Also, no matter how good the ingredients you apply are, they are useless if they are covered in dead skin cells, so I made sure to gently exfoliate about once a week. I heard that the dark, pigmented layer of dead skin needs to slough off for new, clean skin to regenerate and for scars to fade. However, I avoided rough scrubs with granules because they can cause micro-scratches and redness; instead, I managed my skin gently by simply wiping it with a mild AHA toner that chemically dissolves only the dead skin cells. After doing this consistently for nearly half a year, I am so happy that my scars are no longer visible even when I just apply foundation. Please don't give up on whitening home care, everyone; make sure to give it a try!