Like it or not, there are only a few lucky people in the world who go their entire lives without acne. For the rest of us mere mortals, acne has been a problem before, and for some of us, this problematic acne has left scars. However, thanks to technology and research, there are now many different acne scar care techniques that can help us cover up the scars or get rid of them altogether.
But make no mistake: most acne scarring treatment remedies and techniques are expensive, and they must be used over a long period of time before results are seen. Before you can understand how acne scar care works, however, you first need to know something about acne and what can cause scarring.
Acne vulgaris
Acne vulgaris is caused by the clogging of skin pores by dirt, debris or dried skin cells. This blockage leads to the formation of pimples, resulting in the familiar cystic acne that often occurs in teenagers or people with hormonal imbalances.
However, the actual cause of acne vulgaris is not yet clear: some doctors and scientists suspect that fluctuating hormone levels contribute to acne, while others suggest that acne vulgaris is genetic and can be inherited from parents.
Regardless of the cause of acne, dermatologists always advise against touching the face, removing the pimples themselves and, roughly speaking, "popping" the pimples. This is because any manual force that is not applied by medically approved means can lead to the formation of acne scars.
Types of acne scars
Generally, there are two types of acne scars: pigmented scars and holey scars. Pigmented scars can be red or brown in color and occur after the pimple is gone. They may look unsightly but disappear after treatment or recede on their own after a few weeks or months.
Dimpled scars, on the other hand, occur when the skin tissue under the acne is damaged. Such scars look like depressions on the skin and are often called pockmarks. Both types of acne scars have their own methods of removal or concealment.
For the care of pigmented scars in acne scars, lotions or creams containing lightening substances are used. These agents can remove the pigment from the scar and even out the pigmentation. Exfoliants such as glycolic acid or alpha hydroxy acids, for example, can remove dead skin cells from the area, allowing new skin to form immediately.
Skin care for acne scars is a bit more complicated, as these scars are difficult to remove. Some dermatologists can inject protein stimulators that encourage skin cells to produce the important proteins elastin and collagen. Once the cells around the scars begin to produce these proteins, the skin can become plumper and the depth of the scars can be reduced, further reducing their pockmarked appearance.
Laser Therapy
Laser treatments can also be used to combat acne scars. Ablative laser treatment, for example, burns scar tissue away from the skin's surface, encouraging the underlying skin to tighten. Such a technique injures the skin and exposes the underlying tissue, so people undergoing ablative laser treatment must also be protected from infection. Because laser treatment can be painful, doctors numb the skin before laser treatment.
Non-ablative laser treatment, on the other hand, can cause changes in the underlying skin tissue without damaging the epidermis, or skin surface. Such laser therapy is relatively quick: it heats the oil glands in the skin, preventing acne from forming; it also tightens the underlying skin, making scarring less visible. Another type of laser therapy uses the yellow pulse dye laser, a device that uses yellow light. Yellow light is used to treat keloids, and the inflammation of raised scars can be flattened or reduced.
Fat grafting
There are other skin care options for acne scars. A dermatologist may offer to inject or plump up the scar with fillers such as bovine collagen. Fat can also be grafted into the acne scar from other parts of the patient's body. Some dermatologists also recommend creams or lotions that can temporarily plump up the skin and eliminate signs of wrinkles, acne scar depressions or age lines. There are also excision and incision techniques that can be used for irregularly shaped acne scars.
There are many more methods of acne scar skin care. If you have acne scars, you should always consult a dermatologist first and discuss what options are available in your case. With the right acne scar skin care, you can get smoother and more beautiful skin in no time.
Sierra Brown is a writer and also a wife and a mother who has a great interest in maintaining the healthy skin of the members of her large family
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