Acne Scars and Their Treatments

Acne Scars and Their Treatments

Understanding Skin

Skin is the soft outer layer (a seamless organ) of vertebrates. It can be compared to a case offering protection to your assets. Just as any other jacket, cover, or sheath you use to protect various assets, skin is also prone to damage due to various circumstances and conditions it faces while performing its duty.

Knowing Acne

Acne, also known as acne vulgaris is a common skin condition. It appears as small red bumps on skin that dries up with time. Acne varies in size and severity. Smaller acne usually does not cause much problem whereas the bigger severe ones with pustules can leave scars and pits on skin. Acne is usually common among young boys and girls during the onset of puberty. The condition worsens till they reach teenage years.

What causes acne?

Acne triggers due to the clogging of fine skin pores with oil and dead skin cells. The condition is characterized by a few red spots (pimples) on the skin. This is the initial stage of acne formation and also known as the ‘mild’ form of acne. The condition gets severe when many small and large pimples cover the skin (face, back, neck, and/or chest). The bigger red bumps on skin are solid and painful.

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The Symptoms

The most common symptoms of acne include blackheads (characterized by fine small black dots on skin), whiteheads, and pimples. Larger and deep pimples are referred to as cystic lesions. These pimples are painful once they get infected.

What causes acne scars?

Scarring is something that most of us abhor especially if it is on facial skin or most exposed parts of body. However, it is an important functioning of skin. Scarring is a type of natural healing process of skin after an injury. The appearance of scar depends on severity of injury (size and depth). In case, of acne, the scar is mainly caused due to collagen (fibrous protein that connects body tissues and keeps skin healthy) damaging inflammation on skin. This makes the skin texture vulnerable to permanent changes. The condition is referred to as acne scarring.

Acne Scar Treatment

Although acne scars appear unsightly and difficult to deal with, there is no need to panic. These permanent acne scars can be effectively treated under the guidance of a professional. Many treatment options are available for treating acne scars these days. The treatment depends on the type of acne scars, its size, depth, and severity.

Types of Scars

Ice pick scarring

The scars are usually deep hollowed with sharp edges.

Hypertrophic scarring

The scars are most common on the chest and back and appear as thick bumps.

Atrophic scarring

These are also pitted scars but surrounded by smooth borders. The scars are not deep.

Skin color changes

The color of skin changes due to formation of acne. The process can be categorized into three parts:

1. Post inflammatory erythema – These are pink-purple patches on skin.
2. Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation – You can see brown-black marks on the skin.
3. Post inflammatory hypo pigmentation - White marks are visible after healing of acne.

Treatment of Acne Scars

Chemical peels

The treatment helps in achieving enhanced skin and heals the scar effectively.

Dermabrasion

The procedure is a kind of mechanical resurfacing of the skin. Abrasive tools are used to remove damaged outer skin layer to promote fresh, healthy skin.

Laser Resurfacing

Affected parts of the skin are exposed to high-energy light beam to destroy it.

Fillers

It is a treatment that leaves short term effect wherein the lesions are re-injected at regular intervals to obtain permanent relief from scars.

Subcision

The treatment is very effective for atrophic scars and involves insertion of needle under the scar.

Punch excision

Mainly used to treat deep ice-pick scars, the treatment involves use of punch (a special device) to scratch the scar safely. The edges are sewn using a suture.