What You Need To Know About Acne Scars and Its Treatments

Acne can be irritatingly bothersome since it can impair your beauty and confidence. But acne scars are even more irritating.

Consulting a St.George dermatologist in a well-known clinic like Sozo Clinic is perhaps the most pleasing thing you can do to solve your condition. Knowing some facts and options from a professional might be encouraging that therapies are available and will help you treat your acne scars.

Stick around in this piece as I take you to what you need to know about acne scars and their remedies.

Acne Scars: How Do You Remove Them?

Acne scars are an apparent side effect of acne, which is the most prevalent illness that most commonly affects young people. These lesions might manifest either as elevated tissue or as holes in the skin.

Acne scars are frequently the consequence of irritating blemishes that arise when facial pores become clogged with excess oil, and bacteria, leading to scarring. It is caused by the swelling of the pore that a break in the follicular wall occurs. 

While superficial lesions are generally mild and heal rapidly, if there is a substantial rupture in the pore wall, contaminated material can spread to neighboring tissue, resulting in more severe lesions and longer healing times.

Your skin will try to restore these lesions by creating new collagen fibers. Still, these restorations are not always as flawless as the actual skin state, resulting in acne scars in key facial locations such as the temple and cheeks, among other places.

Acne scars can be classified into two categories.

The development of depressed or atrophic scars occurs due to tissue loss. Icepick scars, typically small but conspicuous holes in the skin, and boxcar scars, which are depressed areas that are often round or oval with steeply slanted sides, similar to chickenpox marks, are the two most common types of scars you encounter.

Keloid scars, also known as hypertrophic scars, are formed when there is an excess of elevated tissue on the surface of the skin due to the body manufacturing an excessive amount of collagen as acne wounds heal. You could also hear the term rolling scars, which refers to skin that appears lumpy and uneven.

Acne scar treatment options include a variety of procedures and laser treatments that can assist in improving acne scars.

Microneedling

Microneedling can renew the appearance of the skin by encouraging the formation of collagen and elastin with a topical Hyaluronic Acid or Plasma Rich Protein (PRP) solution. 

This procedure activates the body’s natural healing and repair systems, which can help to decrease acne scars in the long run.

CO2 Fractional Laser 

This laser physically destroys the top layers of the skin. Skin more refined and more uniform in texture is usually the wound healing process. On the other hand, this form of laser typically necessitates anesthesia, results in extensive downtime, and carries the danger of permanent discoloration. If you have darker complexions, you may not be suitable for this treatment.

Fractional Laser

You can benefit from the fractional laser procedure if you have dark skin tones because it is safe for all skin types. In contrast to standard resurfacing lasers, fractional laser devices enable treatments to be performed without anesthetic, resulting in less recovery. 

Fractional Laser Therapy penetrates the skin by delivering thousands of deep, tiny columns of laser light to the treated area.

These microthermal therapy zones do not impact the skin in the surrounding areas. The procedure helps speed up the skin’s healing and regeneration by stimulating the production of new collagen and replacing damaged cells. 

The skin that has been restored appears healthier, tighter, and with fewer surface defects than before. A successful treatment plan typically consists of three to five sessions spaced out over two to four weeks.

Subcision

Subcision is the process of using a thin, sharp device to free up adhering scar tissue that has formed beneath a retracted wound. When a tiny amount of blood accumulates behind the scar, it promotes tissue repair and collagen synthesis, which may be beneficial in elevating depression. 

Typically, numerous treatments are required, and they are frequently paired with some resurfacing or fractional laser technology to achieve the best results. Contusions and inflammation might last for one to two weeks after the injury.

TCA Cross

TCA CROSS is an abbreviation for Chemical Reconstruction of Skin Scars (CROSS), which is performed with the help of trichloroacetic acid (TCA). It is necessary to administer small amounts of TCA at a high concentration (70–100 percent) onto the surface of the atrophic scar to complete the TCA CROSS treatment. 

An inflammatory response occurs at the site, resulting in new collagen fibers.

Excision & Punch Replacement Graft

An acne scar is removed by cutting into the skin and then patching the area together. In punch replacement grafting, the scar is removed with a specific tool, and a skin graft that is typically taken from behind the ear is used to fill in the gap created by the scar removal.

Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL)

Although Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE) would eventually disappear on its own, some individuals are interested in removing flat red scars associated with more current acne as a result of their acne. When used with vascular lasers such as the pulsed dye laser, these ugly red lesions can be reduced in size and dissipate faster.

Chemical Peels

Retinoids: Topical retinoids are another acne treatment that has the added benefit of scar reduction. Along with increasing cell regeneration and improving the texture of your skin, retinoids can also help minimize discoloration and make scars less evident on the skin’s surface.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are frequently present in acne treatment solutions because they help exfoliate dead skin cells and prevent clogged pores. Acne scars can also be made less apparent by using AHAs with other ingredients.

In addition to helping to enhance the texture, look, and pigmentation of the skin, lactic acid can also assist in lightening acne scars.

Applying salicylic acid to the skin topically can help to cleanse pores, reduce swelling and redness, and exfoliate the skin, among other things.

Sun Protection: It may seem obvious, but if your PIE/PIH is exposed to the sun, it will become even more discolored and discolored. It is critical to safeguard your acne marks at all times to help them vanish more quickly.

Final Thoughts

Every skin is unique, and so is your treatment. Having the proper treatment for your acne scars to make yourself beautiful and confident is not a bad thing. Love yourself physically and mentally.

Photo by Fernando @cferdophotography on Unsplash