S
sam

about 9 hours ago

Ask CYoung

PIE or something else? Redness only visible in harsh lighting. Product recommendation.

I have a question about persistent redness after acne.

I've finally managed to get my breakouts under control, and most of my pigmentation has faded. However, I've noticed that whenever I'm under harsh lighting (CIR lighting, high-contrast lighting, or direct sunlight), the areas where I previously had acne look extremely red. Under normal indoor lighting, it's clear.

I don't think it's rosacea because the symptoms don't really match. I'm wondering if this could be post-inflammatory erythema (PIE).

I've also realized that less is more for my skin. I keep my routine very simple with lightweight products because my skin really doesn't like anything that feels heavy or occlusive.

Cleanser: Bioderma micellar water + Face shop rice Water Bright Foaming Face Wash (my skin is extremely oily in a tropical climate, and this helps control oil)
Toner: Round Lab Dokdo Toner
Morning: Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel
Moisturiser - Etude house song jung soothing emulsion. (At night)

I'm looking to add one product that could specifically help with this redness. The products I'm considering are:

Anua Azelaic Acid Serum – I've heard azelaic acid can be quite slow to show results, and I'm also hoping to avoid any purging if possible.
Numbuzin No. 5 Glutathione Serum – This looks interesting, but I'm a little hesitant because it contains shea butter.
Medicube TXA Serum – I've seen mixed opinions on it, and I'm not convinced that higher concentrations necessarily mean better results.
Open to any other products suggestion.

Has anyone dealt with this type of redness before? If it does sound like PIE, which of these products would you recommend, or is there something else that worked better for you?

15 views · 2 comments

Comments