Healing Your Acne Scars

If your teen years brought about painful, cystic acne then you may have the scarring to prove it. These scars, particularly on the face, can not only affect a person’s appearance but also their self-confidence. While treating the acne is the best way to prevent scarring from occurring, if you’re already dealing with scars know that there are ways to reduce and perhaps even eliminate these scars.

Treating Acne Scars

The treatment you undergo will depend on the severity of your scars. This is something that a dermatologist will need to help you determine. After all, a board-certified dermatologist can provide you with a safe and effective treatment plan to help minimize scarring. If you are dealing with mild scarring then your dermatologist may recommend:

• Chemical peels: This treatment, which is often used for cosmetic reasons, can also reduce the appearance of acne scars. Chemical peels remove the outermost layer of the skin to reveal healthy new skin underneath.
• Microdermabrasion: Microdermabrasion offers similar results as a chemical peel, but instead of applying a chemical solution to the skin, microdermabrasion often uses a handheld device with a diamond or crystal tip at the end to blast away the outer layer of the skin.
• Laser skin resurfacing: This laser treatment will also remove the outermost layer of the skin, which is the most damaged layer, while also tightening the brand-new skin that’s revealed. The skin is numbed before treatment and the recovery time can take up to 10 days.
• Fractional laser therapy: Are you dealing with deeper acne scars? If so, then laser resurfacing or microdermabrasion may not give you the results you’re looking; however, your dermatologist may recommend fractional laser therapy, as this targets deeper levels of tissue.

Acne scars often fall into three categories:

Icepick scars: These tiny little depressions in the skin often respond best to chemical peels, skin resurfacing, or laser treatment.

Rolling scars: These depressions in the skin may respond best to an injectable treatment such as a dermal filler, which can raise the indented areas of the skin to smooth out your appearance. Dermal fillers can help to plump the skin in areas that have lost volume, to reduce the appearance of superficial scars. Your dermatologist may also recommend laser treatment.

Boxcar scars: These larger indentations with clearer edges are often caused by inflammatory acne. These are treated through a minor procedure in which your doctor uses a needle to break up the scar tissue underneath. Laser treatment and dermal fillers may also be recommended.

Dealing with acne scars can be embarrassing, but your dermatologist can help. If you want to discuss your acne scar treatment options, then it’s time to talk to a qualified dermatologist today to find out your treatment options.