acne sufferers face more than one concern. There is of course the constant nuisance of the acne itself. There is also the anxiety caused by the acne scars and lesions which will render the skin an aesthetic disaster. The reason for this is that most people believe that acne is a temporary situation whereas you are stuck with acne scars for the rest of your life.
Today, a number of treatments that successfully cure acne scars are easily available. However, some acne varieties leave behind scars that are so deeply embedded in the skin that no treatment can wipe them out totally. It is therefore extremely important to ensure that acne scars do not form at all. The trauma of dealing with acne on an ongoing basis and the high expenses incurred on futile treatments can be avoided if acne scars are not allowed to form from the start.
What we will be discussing here are the many forms of acne scars which exist, the ways to treat them and last but not least, how to prevent them by tackling the internal causes of the condition.
The Causes and Types of Acne Scars and their diagnosis
Studies indicate that acne scars mostly come about as a result of severe acne which causes nodules and cysts to form in the deeper layers of the dermis. Other causes include damage caused to the skin by picking or popping acne, infection, cystic acne which works its way deep into the dermis and overgrown skin tissues.
It has also been found that some people’s skin is more susceptible to scarring from any type of acne. After all, the healing process of the acne wound is dependant on several factors and stages of healing like the skin’s reaction to inflammation, uneven deposit of collagen and the formation of new tissues and capillaries among others.
It is absolutely essential therefore to start treatment for acne scars at the earliest so that the tissues are not damaged beyond repair.
Acne scars can be of two varieties: those which come about because of skin tissue loss and those which form because of an increase in skin tissue formation.
Scars which form because of an increase in skin tissue:
Where there are increased skin tissues, the most commonly found acne scars are Keloids scars. These scars are more likely to be found on people with dark skins and appear when an excess of collagen is formed by cells as part of the healing process. These scars are usually smooth and are shaped irregularly.
Acne Scars as a result of skin tissue loss:
Acne Spots are basically visible as either brown or red patches of the skin which tend to fade away with time or by using topical scar treatments. After an acne breakout, the subsequent discoloration due to inflammation also fades away in the normal course but can be successfully hastened with the use of MSM.
Ice-pick lesions are acne scars commonly seen on the cheeks and are similar to cuts made by ice picks on ice. Whether these scars occur on the surface of the skin or deep under the dermis, they are more difficult to treat than the discolored scars.
Depressed fibrotic scarring: deep nodules leave behind this type of acne scars. They are white and rigid and are characterized by sharp margins and steep sides.
Atrophic scar macules: Acne scars of this type are small and white and are generally soft and distensible. Other types of scars include boxcar scars, characterized by vertical edges and round indentations and rolling acne scars which are the result of the surface of the skin getting stuck to the subcutaneous layer are other types of acne scars.
treatment of acne Scars
Mostly, acne scars fade away slowly, as do Post inflammatory pigmentations but there are some which resist removal. The only way to smoothen them away is through topical treatment or surgical cosmetic intervention.
Each acne scar needs to be tackled in its special way. There are also scars which require to be treated through a combination of several eradication methods. Very many treatments exist for getting rid of scars and these include: pulsed laser technology, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser resurfacing, punch techniques, collagen injections and creams.
Collagen injection involves injecting collagen or fat under the skin. This treatment is generally administered in the case of soft scars, whether deep or shallow. However, the effects of collagen are not long lasting and injections have to be repeated every 6 months. Also, it should be noted that collagen has some adverse side effects and allergic reactions could also develop.
Microdermabrasion is used as a treatment for mild scarring by scraping the outer skin layer. When minute particles are passed through a vacuum tool the skin is activated to produce new cells.
Laser resurfacing is a method by which the skin layer is flattened and resurfaced with the help of laser. This is done so that scars become more even with the surface of the skin and are therefore less noticeable. It has been found that newly formed acne scars respond better to laser treatment than do the old ones. However, this process can cause disagreeable side effects such as infection and an unusual reddening of the skin. At times, it can even aggravate the scars.
Punch grafting is done by cutting the acne scar right down to the fatty layer of the skin and then repairing the hole thus created by grafting a small piece of skin.
Post hyper pigmentation acne scar marks have been successfully treated with MSM and Alpha lipoic acid acne ointments. Dermabrasion or laser resurfacing can effectively cure ice pick scars while collagen injections are used to treat thin or flat acne scars but not ice pick scars. Steroid injections, crytotherapy and silicone gel dressing are normally used to treat keloid acne scars. If the keloid scar is not very thick or red, a combination of pulsed laser treatment and carbon dioxide laser cures them.
Preventive measures for acne Scars
If you are looking for acne scar treatment that will be inexpensive and free of side effects, then the only solution is to get rid of the acne first. This can be done by identifying and curing the deep rooted imbalance within your body by natural remedies and not by topical acne treatments, steroids or the standard medications available over the counter. Once you have treated the internal malady which has caused the acne you will not develop acne scars and so the question of costs and treatments will not arise at all.
We already know that acne and its resultant scarring are not a skin problem but are caused by internal imbalances. Once that is fixed there will be no acne and consequently no acne scarring.
You can successfully prevent the formation of acne at its very root and therefore not get any acne scars. This will give you a blemish free complexion and freedom from the emotional trauma of living and dealing with an acne ridden face.
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Acne Scars 101
Acne scars have always been the bane of the existence of teenagers, performers, actors, or almost anybody. With the face being the first thing a person fixes their eyes on, it is almost impossible not to shy away from any onlooker.
But what is it exactly that turns acne into acne craters, acne pockmarks and acne scars? And what can people do about them? Is there any truth that acne scars are permanent?
Before diving deep into the effects or the aftermath of having acne, let us acquaint ourselves with the causes of acne first. Acne is generally caused by four different reasons: most common is the extra oil that our face or body produces, clogged pores, bacteria, and inflammation. That is why people who are oily or those who tend to get exposed to pollution or dirt have acne problems, and from acne come acne scars, acne pockmarks, and acne craters.
Acne Scars:
Acne scars are sort of the battle mark that people get for having them. After such time of getting acne, it turns into acne scars because the damage the acne did affected or damaged the deeper layer of the skin, the dermis. The marks that are left behind from the acne are actually caused by collagen, which are fibrous protein that tries to repair the damaged area. However, the collagen can only go so far as to repair the damage done and not resemble how the skin looked before the acne.
For those who fear that it might be permanent, is there any way to get rid of acne scars or at least prevent them from ever happening? Since prevention is better than cure, acne prevention is much easier than actually solving the problem it leaves behind.
– Have acne treated immediately so as to avoid it from becoming too severe or inflamed, making it leave the mark
– Do not touch, handle, pop, or squeeze out the acne as it may actually make it worse and may make the healing period longer
– Use sun block; this is because the suns ultraviolet rays damage the skin making acne and acne scars worse
– Dermatologist prescribed topical cream may also help prevent acne scars
For those who already have acne scars, over-the-counter topical cream, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels prescribed or done by a dermatologist are recommended.
Acne Pockmarks and Acne Craters:
As for acne pockmarks, they occur when the acne is too severe, and when the inflammation has reached deeper layers of the skin. Unfortunately, pockmarks are permanent, but there are treatments that may help to make them less visible.
Treatment for acne pockmarks include non-invasive laser treatment, skin filling, ablative laser resurfacing, dermabrasion or microdermabrasion, and chemical peels which all must be done by a dermatologist so as to guarantee proper treatment.
As for acne craters, it is a depressed acne scar that got its name because the damage it does resembles that of a crater. Though some may be shallow or mild, some may go very deep the reason why people seek treatment.
Surprisingly, even with the permanent physical damage it does, there are some varying treatments. For shallow acne craters, simple over-the-counter treatments can do the trick, however for deeper ones, collagen treatments administered by a dermatologist to plump up the crater or reduce the spot are an option.