Acne Scar Treatments

Many acne scar treatments are available like dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and others - here are the life improving details ...

Acne scars are a problem for many people who suffered bad acne flare-ups in the past. Believe it or not, 80% of people in their teens and twenties are affected with acne. Most people will not have any lasting affects, but some will develop scarring that can be disfiguring. There are many products and medical procedures available for the treatment of acne scars. These options range from topical skin creams to surgical procedures.

Prevention is also vital to avoid a long-term problem.  To prevent acne lesions that cause scarring, you must learn how to reduce the factors that cause acne breakouts in the first place. Some ways to prevent acne lesions is daily washing of your face with an antibacterial soap and avoiding the use of heavy lotions on the face and acne prone areas of your body.

There are several types of acne scars. Ice pick acne scars are sharp, narrow scars that make the skin appear as if it has been punctured. Ice pick scars are usually too deep to be treated with any acne scar resurfacing. Boxcar scars are round or oval depressions and if they are not too deep can usually be treated with some procedures. Rolling scars are spots below the skin and can't be treated with conventional acne scar treatments. Breaking up the fibrous tissue beneath the skin treats rolling scars.

Since acne is a common skin disorder, it is expected that most medications will solve the problem. But, sometimes, cases occur that persistent blackheads or pimple become infected which results to acne scars and pockmarks. So, what can you do ?

The most effective acne scar treatments according to Dermatologits, include the following :

1. Dermabrasion - involves scraping off the top layer of skin physically. After a series of deep dermabrasion treatments, the patient must take a time off from work or from school for the recovery period. This is known to be one of the most effective methods that remove deep acne scars for good.

2. Micro-dermabrasion - if you have lighter acne scars, experts recommend microdermabrasion, a less invasive approach that scrapes off a very thin layer of skin and doesn’t require long recovery period. This treatment involves a medical sand blasting technique that cleans the pores.

3. Laser resurfacing - this involves using a highly concentrated light beam or laser to burn off skin cells.

4. Acid peels - another way to remove acne scars is by using acids peels. The method usually takes a week or two to heal the skin. Although this treatment is known to be effective, you might want to consider another acne scar treatment because it causes discomfort and reddening of the skin during the healing process.

5. Collagen injections - this is one of the most popular kinds of scar removal recommended by doctors. The treatment uses a protein called collagen, which is also known as a natural component of human tissue. The collagen is injected underneath the scar to raise it to the level of the surrounding skin to restore its normal appearance. Since collagen breaks down eventually, the scar treatment has to be repeated over time.

6. Chemical peels - this involves the use of a chemical in order to remove the top layer of the scarred skin. It is also used to smooth depressed acne scars to give the skin an even color. Thirty to forty percent glycolic acids are used in these peelings that are applied to the skin.

7. ClearLight - this method involves a new acne light treatment (a blue or red light) that uses the innovative Acne PhotoClearingTM - APCTM technology. This targets and destroys the surface of the acne that quickly and easily repairs it. It is also known to be effective in clearing inflamed acne in one month.

Other fast-reduction scar treatments include the use of copper-peptide products like copper peptide serum and tri-reduction protect to exfoliate the skin.

The bottom line is to see your family physician who can refer you to a Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon to determine the best acne scar treatment for your particular situation.