If you don't know which regenerative ointment to buy?

💡 Check this before you read


Q. For acne red marks, isn't a whitening serum or vitamin C supposed to work better?

A. No. Red marks are not a pigmentation issue; they are a post-inflammatory blood vessel dilation problem, so a regenerative ointment that restores the skin barrier works much faster.


Q. Aren't all regenerative ointments basically the same?

A. Results can vary quite a bit by skin type depending on whether the main ingredient is panthenol, dexpanthenol, or includes allantoin.

💡 Dr. Wi Young-jin's key insight

For acne red marks, regenerative ointment is the most effective

What is regenerative ointment?

Regenerative ointment (Regenerative Ointment) is

an external ointment that physically covers damaged skin barriers

and promotes cell regeneration.

If regular moisturizers focus on supplying moisture,

regenerative ointment is different in that it focuses on 'rebuilding the barrier'.

Why is regenerative ointment most effective for acne red marks?

This is a point many people misunderstand,

but acne red marks are not caused by melanin pigment buildup.

To be exact, even after the inflammation subsides,

the capillaries in the skin remain dilated.

That's why they look red.

What makes this a bit tricky is that

if the skin barrier is also weakened while the blood vessels are dilated,

even a little external irritation can make it red again,

and the recovery speed keeps slowing down.

But here's what's important.

When the barrier recovers, irritation on the blood vessels decreases,

and the capillaries gradually contract, calming the redness.

That is exactly the role regenerative ointment plays in restoring the barrier.

To be honest,

this is also why serums with whitening ingredients don't work well on red marks.

Ingredients that inhibit pigment can't do anything for blood vessel dilation.

By contrast, the key ingredient in regenerative ointment, dexpanthenol,

is converted into a precursor of coenzyme A, an intracellular coenzyme,

and directly stimulates cell regeneration.

Simply put, it sends skin cells a direct signal to 'recover quickly'.

The faster the barrier recovers,

the faster the blood vessels contract,

and the shorter the time it takes for red marks to disappear.

It varies by case,

but this is usually how I explain it.

If someone says, "I've been using it for 2 weeks and there's no big change,"

most of the time they applied the regenerative ointment too thinly, too infrequently,

or they didn't use sunscreen along with it.

Since regenerative ointment also acts as a protective barrier,

it needs to be applied in a sufficiently thick layer to work.

👨‍⚕️ Dr. Wi Young-jin's key summary:


Acne red marks are blood vessel dilation, not pigmentation.


When the barrier is restored quickly, vascular irritation decreases, and the redness subsides as well.


That is exactly why regenerative ointment works most directly in this process.

Which regenerative ointment is right for each skin type?

But it's not all good.

Regenerative ointment is oily, so

if you use it thickly on oily or acne-prone skin,

it can actually clog pores and cause more breakouts.

However, if you apply it only as a spot treatment on areas with red marks,

even oily skin can use it effectively.

In the table below, I've summarized the differences by product type

based on ingredients I often look at.

If we're only looking at acne red marks,

high-dexpanthenol products are the most effective.

However, if you have oily skin, it's wiser to switch to a gel type

or use it only as a spot treatment.

When people come to me saying they tried various ointments at other clinics

but didn't see any effect,

it's usually one of two things.

They applied it too thinly, or they skipped sunscreen.

Just fixing those two things often changed the results.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Can I use regenerative ointment if I still have acne?

A. It's best to use the ointment

when the acne has fully calmed down and only red marks remain.

Q2. How long should I use regenerative ointment?

A. You need to use it consistently for at least 4 weeks to notice a change.

It depends on the severity of the red marks, but

you can usually think in terms of 2 to 3 months.

If you use sunscreen together with it, recovery is much faster.

Because UV rays can re-stimulate blood vessel dilation,

skipping sunscreen during the day can reduce the effect to less than half.

Q3. What ointment should be used for pigmentation?

A. The ointments used for pigmentation are clearly defined.

1. Vitamin C

2. Niacinamide

3. Azelaic acid (Azelia)

   Source: Evidence-Based Topical Therapy for Facial Scars in Diverse Skin Types

   
   
   
   

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