Acne scars are treated with many physical and surgical procedures. To begin with let us discuss about PIH or Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation. This is the dark color that is seen as the acne resolves. These are not true scars and fade away in about an year. To speed up the fading away of this discoloration-
Use a Retinoid or AHA based formula that will increase the turnover of the skin cells by removing the dead cells. Avoid sun exposure and smoking.
For true acne scars that remain on the skin for a longtime and look more prominent as one ages, the following procedures are used.
Dermabrasion:
This is considered one of the most effective treatments for acne scars. In this procedure, the doctor uses a local anesthetic or freezes the skin and then abrades the scar with a high-speed rotary abrader to remove unwanted surface skin. As the skin heals, the new skin grows without any scars. And also looks brighter. This procedure may remove superficial scars totally and reduce deeper scars.
Chemical Peeling:
In this procedure, chemicals are used to peel away the damaged skin. The strength of peel depends upon the depth of the scar. Mild peels are used to treat superficial scars while deep peels are used to remove deeper scars. As the old skin peels away the new skin forms without any old scar.
Laser Therapy:
Lasers are used to give a new shape to the scarred skin by re-contouring the scars. Lasers are very popular as the laser beam removes the scar bloodlessly and the depth of the cut can be precisely controlled.
Soft Tissue Filling:
Collagen, which may be bovine in source or the patients' own, may be injected below the scar to lift the skin and give it a smooth appearance. As the injected collagen gets absorbed in the body over a period, further treatments may be needed after about six months. Similarly fat may be injected below deep scars for giving a skin lift. Similar to collagen filling, fat injections may need to be repeated after some months. Your doctor will advise you about that.
Microdermabrasion:
In this procedure very tiny aluminum oxide crystals are passed through a vacuum tube to scrape the surface of the skin. This procedure may have to be repeated many times. It gives a fresh look to the skin by scraping. Very mild scarring can be treated with microdermabrasion.
Skin Surgery:
Skin may have to be surgically corrected with grafting or other procedures to remove some scars.
This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.
