Acne Scar Treatment
Once your teenage years are gone and acne has been cured you can look at your face and see the ravages the acne left behind. The acne scars. Acne scars are permanent changes that have taken place in your skin. Some may simply be spots that disappear over time but acne scars remain, though they may become less visible as time passes.
The first step in acne scar treatment is differentiating the scars from the spots. Macules or acne spots are reddish spots that create a ’spot’ after the pimple is gone. This spot remains for about 6 months after the disappearance of the pimple and then it too disappears.
Then we have the post inflammatory pigmentation which is the discoloration of the skin where the pimple emerged. Usually common in dark skinned people it becomes more prominent after sun exposure but with proper dermatological treatment disappears in about 15-18 months.
Finally we come to the true acne scars. The destruction of the skin caused due to infections caused by lesions created by blocked sebaceous glands. These areas show tissues that have been ravaged by the infection and treated by the body’s white blood cells. Some people will have scars through their life while others will see a diminishing of the scars and their visibility over some time. While scars can be removed the actual acne scar treatment will depend on the individual. Some people have less forceful views of the scars and others are distressed enough to have them ‘completely removed.’
Types of Acne Scars
There are two types of scars. The First is the scars caused due to tissue formation and the other due to the loss of tissue.
The scars caused by tissue formation are also known as keloids or hypertrophic scars. Caused due to the excessive creation of collagen these form of scars are a reaction of the skin to the injury. Collagen piles up on the ’spot’ and creates a mass of fibrous material that creates a firm yet irregular scar. Its usually small in dimension but clusters can gather together to create a sizable scar. Usually it diminishes through the years but it is thought to be genetic.
Then there is the scar caused by loss of tissue. These usually look like chicken pox scars and are called ice-pack scars. They occur on the cheek and have sharp edges like a dagger. They can be hard or soft but do not stretch the skin. These become engraved into the skin over time and are small, circular or linear in shape.
Other type of scarring can occur over the back, chest or hands and the lesions can take years to disappear. However, being on parts of the body that can be hidden they are easier to manage for some.
Acne Scar Treatment
Most treatment take the form of surgery and the type that is best for you would depend on:
- Cost
- Type of Scar
- The treatment result
The best way to determine treatment is talk to the dermatologist. The dermatologist will conduct a complete examination of the skin and then keeping your requirements in mind will come up with a acne scar treatment plan.
Any surgery would aim to reduce the scars on your face and give it a more acceptable appearance. Most often its not possible to change the skin tone back to what it was before acne struck but in most circumstances the appearance is almost the same.
Current Acne Scar Treatments include:
Fat Transfer: This is when fat from one part of your body is taken and injected into the scar site so that the deep contour effects from the acne scars are corrected. The fat is absorbed into the skin and after multiple transfers the scars go away.
Collagen Injection: Collagen a substance of the body is injected under the soft and deep scars. This does not work in the ice pick scars but the soft scars usually disappear as the collagen works in the skin.
Laser Treatment: The lasers of different wave lengths help reconstruct the scar tissue and work on the acne lesions to reduce the redness. These powerful energy waves work wonders the first time in reducing the acne scars.
Skin Grafting: This is usually for the more serious conditions when the underneath sinus tracts are inflamed. The follicles defects are closed via the grafting.
Dermabrasion: Under a local the skin surface is cleaned with a very speedy brush and the deeper scars are reduced in their depth. However, this is not effective for ice pick scars or pigmentation.
Skin Surgery: Skin surgery is best for ice pick scars that are removed through excision. Each scar is taken down to the subcutaneous fat layer and then the hole repaired through skin grafting. This is done through a probe as the scar tissue is removed.
Microdermabrasion: Using aluminum oxide crystals in a vacuum tube surface skin is removed without touching the inside layers, since no additional wounds are made the skin cleans but usually multiple procedures are needed.
Keloid Surgery: Keloids are treated using steroid drugs injected into the skin around the keloid. Topical retinoic acid can be put on the keloid.
Again the type of acne scar treatment would depend on the type of acne scars and the advice of the dermatologist. Never treat scars without both the knowledge and the advice.
