TIPS FOR PIE

Lin Huang
Dec 21, 2024By Lin Huang

Post-inflammatory Erythema (PIE) is the new skincare vocabulary rave. But what exactly is PIE, and how do you minimize its effects? Post-inflammatory erythema happens after your skin has been traumatized so much that it leaves behind dilated blood vessels. The injury to the skin, which is sensitive, is so extensive that the capillaries in our skin dilate so much to try to fix it. This dilation is called inflammation. The inflammation eventually goes down in a month depending on the extent of the injury. But it leaves behind dark marks, and soon after it leaves red spots on the skin. But since these are dilated vessels, skincare targeting inflammatory or hyperpigmentation is not the fix. But the following tips can help reduce them and eventually get rid of them.

PUT DOWN THE DARK SPOT REMOVER
After months of applying a face mask and peels targeted towards lightening dark marks, none are truly helpful in removing the problem. All of these masks have AHA, BHA, or strong acids which do not help the PIE. Rather, they make the inflammation slightly worse and contribute to breakouts because you are putting irritating ingredients on top of healing skin. Breakouts happen more frequently when you are using these ingredients when you do not need to. Acne breakouts are inflammatory conditions and cannot be treated with these dark spot removers.

STOP ANY LASER TREATMENTS
Laser hair removal is great to minimize acne scars and remove hair. However, when you are struggling with PIE, lasers need to be stopped. Every time you fire a laser on the skin, the hair follicles get inflamed and red. This does not help PIE but rather it adds to the inflammation.

ICE YOUR FACE
This is a rather simple idea but the benefits help. A cold temperature, best used right after the injury, will constrict the blood vessels preventing them from getting larger and having them show on the skin's surface. Ice will help smooth the inflammation. Inflammation adds heat on the face (in small amounts), but overall inflammation is harmful. One of the key characteristics of inflammation is redness and heat.

WORK ON YOUR SKIN BARRIER
The best thing to do with PIE is to work on your skin barrier. This is a key aspect of healing your skin. Put down the harsh peels, lasers, retinol, etc., and instead reach for natural facial oil and a light moisturizer. Healing the skin barrier decreases breakouts resulting from harsh chemicals and irritation and will decrease redness from the injury. Doing a simple skincare routine can sometimes be the best thing for your face. Irritation causes breakouts, which will not be fixed by benzoyl peroxide or by any other face wash. Stick with a simple routine: warm cloth, followed by facial oil, and sunscreen. Facial oils have amazing healing properties and soothe inflammation, which is the hidden condition behind all the acne marks present and past