Acne is the bane of anyone’s existence, particularly because it seems to afflict just about everyone – and we mean everyone. Some acne come and go, but for extreme cases, they tend to leave scars that are almost impossible to hide or remove. Acne scarring is very different from pimple marks. Pimple marks do heal but very slowly. Sometimes it takes almost 6 months before the marks disappear. The thing is: pimple marks do disappear, whereas acne scars do not.
Types of Acne Scarring
It really would not be so bad if acne comes and goes in a heartbeat. However, some acne goes way off course that they tend to leave permanent and unsightly marks on the skin. There are actually several types of scarring patterns.
The most common scarring is called atrophic scarring where there is loss of tissue, particularly the epidermis area. Some scarring may even go deeper, taking away parts of the dermis and even the upper portion of the subcutaneous tissue. Sub-types of atrophic scarring can be characterized by the shape and form of the scars they leave, like: atrophic macules (skin discoloration); depressed fibrotic scars (large jagged depressions on the surface of the skin); ice-pick scars (less severe fibrotic scars characterized by a pointed indentation); perifollicular elastolysis (also known as follicular macular atrophy and resembles whiteheads in the appearance); and soft scars (small, circular or linear depressions in the skin).
The less common type of scarring is the hypertrophic scarring where excess collagen piles up on top of the skin, creating a bumpy and very obvious scar tissue mark.
Treatment of Acne Scars
Although prevention should be the primary way to be rid of acne scarring altogether, there are just some people who are more prone to acne and acne scarring. There are several treatment options; some of them are cosmetic treatments. This means that they can be utilized for scars that are not particularly deep. Examples of cosmetic treatments are dermabrasions and microdermabrasions.
Dermabrasions is a medical procedure where the surface of the skin is literally abraded using a CO2 electrical sterilized sander; or in some cases, an Erbium:YAG laser. This procedure is often considered painful and must be used only when the patient is under general anesthetic. However, it has proven great success for hypertrophic scarring.
Microdermabrasions work on the same principle, but on a less invasive manner. It is considered as a more natural way of acne scar removal, and works by gentle removing the epidermis of the skin so that a more level (and hopefully smoother) scar tissue will develop.
Another type of cosmetic treatment is the laser treatment or the Fractional Laser resurfacing treatment. Microscopic pulses of light are introduced to the scar, destroying its internal structure and hopefully, leveling the skin. This form of treatment takes several sessions – a necessary precaution in order to allow the body to create and maintain a healthy supply of collagen to make the healing process look more natural. Some of the more popular laser treatments are: Affirm Laser, Fraxel Laser and Pixel Laser.
Other forms of acne treatment include chemical therapies (skin peeling products) and herbal / medicinal remedies.
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I would like to get rid of my scars, and make the complexion of my skin better. How can i go about it. I ma a Uganda aged 26.
Hope
Comment by Hope — June 24, 2008 @ 7:45 am