Acne Scar Reduction
Effective acne scar treatment begins with a Free Consultation
Schedule yours today at Dr. Jay’s Laser Medi Spa
What is Acne Scars?
Acne scars are usually the result of inflamed blemishes caused by skin pores with excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. The pore swells, causing a break in the follicle wall. If there is a deep break in the wall of the pore, infected material can spill out into surrounding tissue, creating deeper lesions. At this point, the skin attempts to repair these lesions by forming new collagen fibers. These repairs usually aren’t as smooth and flawless as the original skin which is why it takes the shape of a scar. Additionally, acne scars become more noticeable as we age because our skin loses collagen overtime.
Who gets Acne Scars?
Acne scars are more likely to be seen when acne clears. The risk increases when a person has inflammatory acne such as acne cysts and nodules. This particular type of acne tends to penetrate deep into the skin, which can cause damage. The longer a person has inflammatory acne, the greater the risk of scarring. Keep in mind that picking, squeezing, or even popping the acne can increase inflammation which increases the risk of scarring. Additionally, genetics play a large role in scarring as well. Although we know what increases a person’s risk of developing acne scars, it is not possible to predict who will develop acne scars in the end.
What causes Acne Scars?
Acne scars are caused when breakouts penetrate the skin deeply. They damage the skin and the tissue beneath it. As the acne clears, the skin will try to repair itself, however, the healing process usually results in imperfect healing. In other words, during the healing process, the body will produce collagen, a protein commonly found in the human body that provides skin support. If the body produces too little or too much collagen, an acne scar will be a result. How your acne scars turn out will largely be played by how much collagen is produced from your body.
Why do we get Acne Scars?
Acne scars aren’t solely caused from extracting your pimples. There are acne lesions that are prone to scarring. Acne lesions are hair follicles that have become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. The type of acne prone to scarring are cystic pimples which are inflammatory acne. The more inflamed and damaged the acne is the more the skin will try to desperately heal itself which often results in a scar.
What are some Acne Scar Treatments?
If you see signs that your acne is leaving a scar on your skin, you don’t have to frown. Luckily, there are lots of ways to heal your scars and prevent new ones from forming.
Laser skin treatment is one option, where laser technology is used to even out the skin’s surface to help increase the formation of new collagen. As mentioned before, collagen is an essential building block for the skin. Once collagen is boosted, it can help fill in the acne scars. Additionally, there are treatments such as filler injections that can help fill in the indentations left behind from deep acne scars. However, the downside to fillers is that they’re temporary and will need to be done in repetition, usually 6-9 months apart. There are also chemical peeling treatments that peel off the surface skin layers to help boost collagen production. Most acne scar treatments revolve around increasing the production of collagen, and exfoliating the surface of the skin to target damaged skin cells in order to bring back the youthful radiant complexion.
How to Prevent Scars from Worsening and to Help Scars Heal
Staying out of the sun!
Exposing acne scars to the sun can cause them to darken and worsen. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can also slow down the healing process because the rays stimulate melanocytes which is a pigment producing cell that can lead to further discoloration. So before heading outside, remember to apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
What are some results of the Acne Scar Treatments?
Patience is the number one key factor in seeing acne scars fade away for good. Keep in mind, collagen will start to form and fill in the injured section of the skin over time. Until then, we’ve just got to protect our skin until then.
Before and After Images of a Laser Skin Treatment
Before and After Images of a Chemical Peel Treatment
