Vital steps are needed to prevent acne scarring. The most vital is to prevent the actual breakout from occurring. That means:

• First, when it feels like a breakout is coming on, apply medication to the area. But don’t overdo it. Otherwise, you will irritate the skin. That means don’t combine treatments unless otherwise instructed by your dermatologist. Just pick a medication with one effective treatment and stick to it, whether oral or something that is applied directly to the skin. Furthermore, don’t over scrub, over exfoliate, or over cleanse. All of that can irritate the skin and also provoke breakouts.

• Second, if a breakout occurs, ask your doctor about cortisone injections for cysts. Don’t pick! Picking ups the chances of spreading the breakout plus causes scarring, as well as increases the chances of serious infection. During this time, wear an oil-free, noncomedogenic sunscreen. This advice is especially true for those with dark skin. On dark skin, scarring looks more pronounced due to sun-induced hyper-pigmentation. You want to make sure you heal without those risks.

• Third, let a scab fall off naturally, without forcing it. Pulling off a scab leaves a spot/scar.