Living with acne is hard – especially on your skin – whether it started in puberty or continued into adulthood. Acne scarring is common even for those who take every precaution to avoid it, especially for those who have consistently dealt with moderate to severe acne over a long period of time. There are several ways that Metro Dermatology in Elmhurst, NY can help you with scar removal so you can start enjoying clear, even-toned skin again. Keep reading to learn more about acne scars treatment and acne scar removal.
Many people underestimate how difficult it can be to treat acne scars. Oftentimes acne scars develop slowly or get worse over time from repeated flare-ups, leading to a lack of time for the body to heal. When it does heal, it does so incorrectly. Considering that acne scars can be so hard to get rid of, what can you do to achieve relief? As a matter of fact, there are a few things you can do:
Regardless of the severity of acne scarring, chemical peels are effective. In addition to resurfacing the skin and removing visible scarring, chemical peels can reduce the appearance of textural acne scars by reducing scarring. For acne scars that are mild or shallow, repeated light chemical peels will reduce scarring, while deeper scarring can be reduced by medium peels.
When it comes to scarring from moderate to severe acne, lasers and light treatments can be very effective. With laser treatments, in particular, old acne scar tissue can be broken down and new collagen can be generated to smooth skin texture. Radiofrequency treatment can be a good option for mild acne scarring and for pigmentation issues as a result of acne scarring, such as shallow scarring and fading.
Microneedling is another popular method for erasing acne scars, though it’s generally more beneficial for mild acne scarring. In addition to treating pigment-related scars and shallow acne scars, microneedling can also be used to deal with enlarged pores and pigment-related scars. Certain textural scars may be permanently improved by microneedling over time.
The most effective way to combat acne scarring is to prevent it in the first place – and that means controlling acne breakouts. If you have acne, there are a lot of effective ways to protect your skin from scarring.
For instance, treating your skin properly by washing, moisturizing, and not picking or squeezing active acne are important. In the end, acne breakouts are something that can be controlled, however, it requires a lot of patience, experimentation, and time to come up with the right treatment for your skin. Even so, there are a few treatments that work better than others, including:
Acne breakouts can sometimes be controlled with exfoliating treatments. Bacteria trapped under dead skin cells is the most common cause of acne, so treatments that exfoliate the skin can make a significant difference in reducing acne. In microdermabrasion, the top layer of dead skin cells is removed in order to improve the effectiveness of skincare products.
Exfoliation treatments that eliminate acne-causing bacteria take results a step further. This is the case with light chemical peels since the peel both exfoliates the skin and uses acids that are powerful enough to destroy bacteria on the skin.
Because photodynamic treatment kills bacteria responsible for acne, light-based treatments are ideal for controlling breakouts at their source. Regular photodynamic treatments can balance oil production and eliminate bacteria from the skin surface, as well as normalize skin tone and texture.
Topical therapies are some of the most effective treatments for acne. If you find the right combination of topical products that help control your oil production, exfoliate your skin, and kill acne-causing bacteria, you will be able to control your acne problem. Acne can be treated with products that contain lactic acid, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid for exfoliation.
Benzoyl peroxide can also be used to control the bacteria causing acne. Each of these products should be selected according to its strength and time of use. Let one of our skin experts know if you need help combining topical treatments with other preventative treatments.
Acne scars can be caused by a variety of factors. According to some dermatologists, the development of acne scars is genetic; you are more likely to get acne and scars from acne if one or both of your parents had acne. Some types of scars may be more common for some complexions than for others, and some types of scars can result from sensitive skin or skin that is easily scarred.
It all has to do with inflammation, however, when it comes to the science of how scars are formed. Acne bacteria result in inflammation of the skin, which puts pressure on infected pores, causing the walls to break. When this happens, acne often leads to scarring. Your body’s natural healing properties kick in even while new outbreaks are occurring, which causes the new tissue to heal unevenly.
A scar from acne can be any size, shape, or type. Acne scars are classified into many different types, and you are likely to have at least one or two distinct scar types on your body. You should understand what type of scar you have so you can make the best choice for treatment. Among the different types of acne scars are:
Inflammatory hyperpigmentation is by far the most common type of acne scar. There is no texture to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation compared to other scarring types; this type does, however, change your skin’s pigmentation in the areas where acne was present. Hyperpigmentation of the skin caused by post-inflammatory processes usually manifests as a pink, red, or brown patch. A scar of this type may persist for several weeks or even months if left untreated.
This type of scar is classified as atrophic, which means that it causes a depression under the skin’s surface. A boxcar scar is typically wide and shallow and often looks square in shape. Acne breakouts that are repeated and widespread will usually leave behind boxcar scars, especially on the cheeks, jawline, and chin.
Rolling scars are also examples of atrophic scars that are characterized by wavy edges and sloping corners. The most common place to find rolling scars is on the cheeks. They can also be caused by repeated acne breakouts.
Acne scarring can include keloid scars and hypertrophic scars, among others. In general, keloidal scars are the same size as the acne that caused them. Keloid lesions are caused by skin tissue growing prematurely over an inflammation and are usually permanent.
Lastly, atrophic scars are icepick scars. It is also very difficult to treat icepick scars since they are the smallest, deepest type of atrophic scar. These scars look as though an icepick has made an impression on your skin. Sometimes, these scars are as small as a pinhead, but because they are usually deep, they cannot always be treated the same way as other atrophic scars.
It’s essential to be patient as you treat acne scars. Acne scar treatment involves removing uneven scars while building up new skin tissue to improve the texture of your skin. You may not see results from some treatments for four to six weeks, while others may take up to twelve weeks to yield results.
The type of acne scar treatment that works best for your skin depends largely on the type of acne scar you have. Ideal candidates for acne scar treatments should not have active acne or have their acne managed to prevent further breakouts. There is an increased risk of pigmentation side effects associated with some acne scar treatments. You will be able to determine what treatment is best for you during a consultation with us.
It is important to find the treatment that will work for the type of skin and the scarring concern you have in order to get rid of acne scars. Get in touch with Metro Dermatology in Elmhurst, NY for a consultation appointment to restore your skin’s even tone and texture. We offer acne scars treatment at our Main Office in Elmhurst and in Flushing, Englewood, and at Metro Dermatology in the Bronx.
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