It’s been impossible to NOT hear about Niacinamide in skin care recently. But what does it do for acne sufferers? Does it actually help with any of those specific skin issues?

In fact, it can! Using Niacinamide has been one of the best skin care decisions I’ve taken for my acne-prone skin!

Related: Niacinamide products to try in 2022: creams, serum & toner

What does niacinamide do for acne?

So how is Niacinamide good for acne?

I want to start this by saying that Niacinamide cannot HEAL acne. Unfortunately, acne is a very complex issue and cannot be solved at a skin level.

However, using the right skin care products can help with the symptoms IMMENSELY! And Niacinamide can be a very helpful product for that purpose!

Additionally, you can get this simply over the counter. No prescription or gruelling side effects!

So first, let’s find out how Niacinamide impacts acne. We all know the generic benefits of Niacinamide on skin. It hydrates, is anti-inflammatory, improves the skin barrier, has an anti-aging effect, regulates sebum production and reduces hyperpgimentation.

On first glance, which of those do you think are relevant for acne skin?

A graphic listing the benefits of niacinamide next to an empty serum bottle: hydrates the skin, anti-inflammatory, improves skin barrier, anti-aging effect, regulates sebum production, reduces hyperpigmentation

Niacinamide benefits for acne

That’s right, almost all of these effects are giant benefits for acne skin!

  • Niacinamide is anti-inflammatory. Acne is an inflammatory disease. So anything that can keep inflammation down on a skin level will help!
  • Improves skin barrier. The skin barrier is impaired in most people with acne. Especially harsh acne treatments can damage it further. So anything that improves the barrier and helps in keeping harmful bacteria out is helpful!
  • Regulates sebum production. Regulating the sebum production means that Niacinamide will help decrease an overproduction of oils. Again, this will help acne sufferers as an overly oily skin is one of the dominant symptoms of acne.
  • Reduces hyperpigmentation. One of the worst things about acne? The scars it leaves. And even with those, Niacinamide can help, as it is an effective agent against hyperpigmentation.

Does Niacinamide clear acne scars?

So wait, does that mean Niacinamide can clear acne scars? It can definitely help, and speed up the process significantly.

Specifically, it can help with those dark spots that take forever to fade. A study found that it helps “reduce the appearance of irregular pigmentation”. In other words, it brightens hyper pigmented skin, which is exactly what those spots are.

However, it cannot help with depressed scars, and it shouldn’t be the only thing you do to fight acne scars.

Do wear your sun screen and KEEP YOUR FINGERS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE!

Image of a before and after of acne scars, and the text "The best skin care products for acne scars" written across

Related: The best skin care products for treating acne scars

How long does it take for Niacniamide to work on acne?

So how long will it take for Niacinamide to work its magic?

You guessed it, it will take a little bit of patience. Like most treatments, you’ll have to use this ingredient daily for a few weeks to see significant results.

But honestly, for most of us who have been dealing with skin issues for YEARS, what are a few weeks?

Try it!

Honestly, you got nothing to lose and a lot to gain by putting Niacinamide into your skin care routine! Ready to take the step?

Then your next step is reading about how to use Niacinamide and which products are best here!

Also, if this was helpful to you, I’d be super grateful if you’d share this post with someone else!

Does Niacinamide work for acne? Image of a bottle of the ordinary niacinamide and part of a face with acne