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Acne- How The Acne Scars Are Treated?
Acne scars are treated with various physical and surgical procedures. Topical preparations may also be used to treat superficial acne scars.
PIH
To begin with let us discuss about PIH or Post Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation. This is the dark color that develops as the acne resolves. This is not a scar and fades away in about a year. To speed up the fading of this discoloration-
Use a Retinoid or AHA based formula that will increase the turnover of the skin cells by removing the dead cells or use skin bleaches. Avoid sun exposure and smoking.
For permanent depressed acne scars, the following procedures are used.
Dermabrasion:
This is considered one of the most effective treatments for acne scars. In this procedure
a high-speed rotary abrader is used to abrade the scar and remove unwanted surface skin. The skin imperfections are removed with abrasion. As the skin heals, the new skin grows without any scars and also looks brighter. This procedure totally removes superficial scars and reduces deeper scars. A local anesthetic is used or the skin is frozen to reduce the pain of the treatment.
Chemical Peeling:
In this procedure, chemicals are used to peel away the damaged skin. The strength of peel depends upon the depth of the scar. Mild peels are used to treat superficial scars while deep peels are used to remove deeper scars. As the old skin peels away the new skin forms without any old scar.
Laser Therapy:
Lasers are used to give a new shape to the scarred skin by recontouring the scars. Lasers are very popular as the laser beam removes the scar bloodlessly and the depth of the cut can be precisely controlled.
Soft Tissue Filling:
In soft tissue filling, collagen is injected below the scar to lift the skin and give it a smooth appearance. This treatment needs to be repeated about every six months because the injected collagen gets slowly absorbed in the body.
Similarly fat may be injected below deep scars for giving lift to the skin. This treatment also needs to be repeated about every six months because the injected fat gets absorbed in the body.
Microdermabrasion:
In this procedure very tiny aluminum oxide crystals hit the skin at high speed. They scrape the skin microscopically and remove some of the top layer of skin cells and dead skin cells. For significant results, this procedure may have to be repeated many times. It gives a fresh look to the skin. Very mild scarring can be treated with microdermabrasion.
Skin Surgery:
In skin surgery for scar removal, punch excision, punch elevation, skin graft elevation and subcutaneous incision are performed. Your dermatologist will decide about the procedure and explain it to you. The choice of procedure will depend upon the type of the scar.
Treatment Of Keloids:
Keloids may be treated with injections of steroids at regular intervals. After few injections the keloid reduces in size. Some surgeons remove a keloid with a laser and then inject the site with steroid to prevent new keloid formation. Silicone gels and sheeting are also used to treat keloids.
Topical preparations-
Vitamin C is a proven collagen booster. If you use a topical preparation of Vitamin C that gets absorbed by the skin that may help treat acne scars. Vitamin A derivatives such as retinoids are also collagen boosters. They also increase the turnover of skin cells. Any retinoid preparation can help treat acne scars. We must note that deep acne scars will not
improve with topical preparations. Only superficial scars may improve.
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Acne & Sunshine
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Despite the belief that acne gets cleared by sunshine, there is no scientific evidence to this. Excess sun can damage your skin rather than treating acne.
Click here to learn more on Sun Damage.
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