Treating Acne Scars

Acne Scarring and What You Can Do About It.

...Treating acne scars is nothing if it is not a challenge.  A mild case of acne my respond to home treatment and then see the mild scarring disappear completely.

In other cases acne can be severe when it occurs on the face, neck, shoulders, chest, and back. Pustules and deeper cysts form with these severe cases of acne and scarring will result if you do take action and care for it properly.

Acne scars may be visible for a lifetime.  Even  when an expert is treating acne scars.

In planning acne scar reduction you should first take action to prevent these scars from forming, and treat them expertly if they do develop.

To have the best chance of preventing acne scars never pick or squeeze skin blemishes. To do so can lead to the spread of acne and the development of acne scars. You must understand that there are a number of treatment methods that can be used to care for acne and prevent the development of scars.

First on your list with be natural products.  Herbs such as lavender, chamomile,  juniper, dandelion root, bergamot, Echinacea, poke root, burdock root and witch hazel can be used to reduce toxicity, improve the skin’s condition and fight against the development of acne.  

 If you can avoid the deveopment of acne you won't be faced with treating acne scars.

Many have success with vitamin supplements.  Vitamins A, C, E and B6 are vital for healthy skin. You must also practice prevention.  That starts with by avoiding exposing your skin to the sun’s rays. Yes, the sun may dry out an acne blemish, but over time, unprotected sun exposure can  cause damage and delay acne scar reduction.

In the treatment of skin problems doctors have developed a acne scarring classification system that aids in the diagnosis and treatment of many acne scars. Scars on the skin are classified as ice pick, boxcar, or rolling. Let's explain each type of acne scar:

 Ice pick - Just as their name implies, ice pick acne scars are thin, sharp scars. The skin looks as though it has been sliced with an ice pick. Ice pick scars are narrow, deep and extend into the deep dermis or subcutaneous layer of the skin's makeup.

 Boxcar - They are different than ice pick scars.  Boxcar acne scars do not taper to a point. I  Rather, develop round pits that have sharp vertical edges. Shallow boxcar scars are treated with skin resurfacing techniques such as dermabrasion or laser resurfacing.  Of course, deeper scars would require full-thickness treatment techniques.

 Rolling - These scars appear to have a rolling or undulating texture. They are the result of folds in the skin to the subcutaneous tissue below. They are treated treated by breaking up the fibrous bands that are causing the skin to fold or roll. Usually subcutaneous incision is the method used to treat these Rolling type of scars. 

If the many methods for treating acne scars dermal fillers are one of the most popular.  Dermal fillers such as fat, collagen, hyaluronic acid derivatives, and polytheyl-methacrylate microspheres with collagen are injected into acne scars to raise the surface of the skin and give a smoother appearance.

Understand that the injection of dermal fillers does not permanently correct acne scars. Furthermore, the results are temporary, so further injections are often necessary.

Still another method for acne scar reduction is "Punch Excision".  Ice pick and deep boxcar are deep acne scars and are often treated with the punch excision method. This procedure uses a punch biopsy tool that looks similar to a round, sharp cookie-cutter. 

The tool is designed in diameters ranging from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm, and the correct size will be chosen by your doctor to match the size of your scar. To control pain a local anesthesia is used while the scar tissue is removed and while the edges of the incision are sutured together.

Should a new scar develop in the old one’s place, it will now be easier to treat with a skin resurfacing technique.

Skin resurfacing can be performed with a skin graft.  The scarred skin is removed and the scarred area is filled with a skin graft taken from behind the ear.  A skin resurfacing technique will still  be needed to correct any differences in the skin’s color and texture.

Now we come to something called "Punch Elevation". This surgically repairs acne scars using the same punch tool as is used in the punch excision method.  It is usually the treatment of choice for deep boxcar scars that have sharp edges and normal appearing bases.

With the punch elevation method, the base of the scar is excised leaving the walls of the scar intact. The excised base is then sutured to the surface of the skin to fill the void. Incidences of color and texture differences are held to a minimu with this technique and there is less chance of developing another visible scar.

Rolling scars can be treated with subcutaneous incision. This type of incision is used to break up the fibrous bands that cause the skin to roll or appear undulated. In this out patient procedure a local anesthesia is inserted under the skin with a special beveled needle that remains parallel to the skin’s surface.

This same needle is then used to cut the fibrous bandsion.  It's true that bruising often occurs with this method, but it will usually fade in about one week.

Finally we come to the laser.  Laser resurfacing has become very popular as the equipment has become more refined. It is used to cure many skin defects. Carbon dioxide and YAG lasers are the two most common types used for resurfacing acne scarst.

Using the controlled beam of a laser, the top layer of skin is burned to an exact depth. The skin then replaces the lost skin with new skin, resulting in a very smooth surface.

If you would like to try a home treatment to fight back against acne scars we recommend the only produt that combines four treatments into an easy to apply liquid that dries quickly and is a nearly invisible protective film.  Click for  Scarguard

Treating acne scars