Image via Murad

Dear Product Fiends,

I am so glad to have found your blog and I really enjoy all the insights and recommendations you include there. I am now hoping that you can advise me with a specific skincare issue.

I recently gave birth to my first child--a few weeks ago! She is beautiful...oh, that baby skin! But the pregnancy really took its toll on my own skin. I had a lot of nasty, painful breakouts in the first trimester, then only an occasional one thereafter. No more breakouts since delivery, either. What I do have, though, is a map of red scars (no pitting, thank goodness) mainly across my upper lip and the sides of my chin, among elsewhere. Most of these marks are from months 2-4 of the pregnancy (is it odd that I can remember that?!).

So my question is this: what can I do to lighten/get rid of them quickly? I have considered fading creams and over-the-counter peels (Dr. Gross, Philosophy, etc.) but I would rather take the plunge and go medical if that is my best bet. Should I pursue the Fraxel laser? Stronger peels? A part of the reason that I want something that works fast is that covering these marks has become tedious and time consuming. Mineral makeup will work pretty well, but now that baby is here I really do not have time or energy to do that every day. When I go back to work in about six weeks, though, I'll need to be presentable.

I really appreciate your wise advice! Best,
Anna

My Dearest Anna,

Ah, the joys of womanhood. More on that thought, after the jump...

First off, congratulations! It ain't easy carrying and subsequently caring for an infant (so I hear anyway), and the last thing you probably want to deal with right now is your skin. But like any devoted Product Fiend, you just want results, and you want them now, and then you want to be done with it so you can get back to the important things, like nursing for instance, now, right?

Thing is, I feel your pain. Adult hormonal acne can crop up at the most inopportune times. Luckily, I didn't have a baby to worry about when mine became the bane of my existence, so I can only imagine. Here's the thing: If you're not experiencing any pitting, then you're very lucky. Those unsightly red marks are post-inflammatory signs that your skin is healing, even though it takes like, forever. Now, there are plenty of products on the market that claim to get rid of these more quickly (take for instance, this Murad spot fader with hydroquinone), however, in my experience, these over-the-counter jammies don't really seem to get the job done that much faster than the natural recovery process takes. Instead of wasting your time and money finding out, see a derm. Luckily, for better or worse, derms are more interested in advising you about cosmetic procedures than ever, but if I may, allow me to recommend the following tactic. Be totally honest and up-front about how much money you're willing to spend. Pregancy might have induced all sorts of changes in your body, and this may not be the last you see of your hormonal acne. A prescription for Retin-A will easily help get rid of those spots, prevent new ones from appearing, and improve your skin in general. Yes, Fraxel is an option, but not necessarily a good long term plan (plus it's more expensive, and you've got an impending college tuition to worry about).

In the meantime, I suggest the acnified gal's best friend, Amazing concealer. Just a tiny dab will cover any mark until it fades on its own. Seriously.

Good luck, and let us know how it all works out!

xoxoe