Why do acne scars look worse in some lighting and in photos?
Acne scars are visible mainly through shadow rather than colour. A depressed scar contains no pigment of its own, so what you are seeing is the small shadow cast within it. Changing the direction and quality of the light changes that shadow, which is why the same scars can appear barely noticeable under one lighting source and severe under another.
Light coming from directly above strikes the face at a steep angle and casts a shadow within every depression. Bathroom downlights, lift ceilings, changing room spotlights and office strip lighting are all overhead and all directional, which is the least favourable combination for atrophic scarring. Diffuse light from a large source, such as an overcast day or light reflected from a pale wall, fills these depressions and can make the same scars almost disappear. Neither view is the true one, however the diffuse view is considerably closer to how other people see you.
The way that photographs are taken can also introduce distortion. A front-facing phone camera uses a short focal length and is usually held close to the face, which exaggerates surface irregularity. Flash photography tends to flatten texture, whereas a photograph taken in daylight at arm's length is generally the most representative. Magnifying mirrors are the least representative of all, since they present the skin at a distance from which nobody else will view it.
This matters because acne scarring is graded partly according to whether it is visible at conversational distance under ordinary lighting. Scarring that is apparent only in a magnifying mirror under a spotlight is mild by that standard, even though it does not feel mild. The distress it causes is real and is a legitimate reason to seek treatment, but the assessment of severity should not be made under the least favourable conditions available.
For this reason I would advise choosing one location with soft, indirect daylight and judging your skin there. If you are following the effect of treatment, photographs should be taken in the same place, at the same distance and in the same light on each occasion, since otherwise it is impossible to determine whether anything has changed. This is particularly relevant when assessing how much improvement to expect or whether a treatment has worked.
Related Articles
- How are acne scars classified and what treatments are available?
- How much improvement can you expect from acne scar treatment?
- Is it acne scarring or just texture?
- Does anything actually work for acne scars?
