Oh dear. Well first, and I can’t emphasize this enough, stop using regular soap on your face at the very least. I only use a brightening/pigment-evening bar soap every other time I wash my face, and that’s a temporary situation. Okay…
- Stop using soap
- Don’t wash your face everyday. Wash it only twice per week at the very most.
- For acne scars and prevention/treatment of fine lines, get some Retin A or Tazorac. I use generic Tazarotene I bought very cheaply when I lived in China. If you’re in the US, sadly you must get a prescription and it can be expensive. If you can get it covered by insurance, it’s great. It will keep your skin looking younger and healthier.
- If you can’t get that, let me know…
- Use a moisturizer with as few ingredients in it as you can. What type will depend on your skin type (oily, dry, sensitive, combination, etc)
For the pigment issues, you’re going to first need to get into the habit of wearing sunscreen to prevent “tanning” (sun damage), otherwise it won’t matter if you treat the spots. Especially wear it on your face, neck, decolette, hands, and wrists.
Depending on your race and how dark the spots are, some “Fair and Lovely” soap from India can be helpful. I’m Caucasian and normally quite fair but have had issues with sun damage darkness on my lower arms and tops of my feet. There are other whitening soaps, creams, etc from Asia and some of them actually work pretty well. An Asian market or grocer will usually sell them or you can buy them online. Make sure to lather the skin and leave the lather on a long time, and to moisturize. It really works. I have a skin whitening cream that I’ll go find if you want the name for something that works for your face.
What is your skin type like, and (if I may ask) your race and natural skin color? It can really make a difference.