Unfortunately for everyone, acne is a frustrating occurrence that plagues us at least once in our lives. Typically, it occurs during puberty, though acne has also been known to appear at other times of hormonal fluctuations, such as pregnancy. In other cases, acne can appear in adulthood, and it can be linked to various causes.
Stress, oils, dirt, and bacteria can all be factors in contributing to acne on your skin. Thankfully, there are many products that you can use to help curb and even cure your acne! However, even long after acne clears and breakouts are under control, some patients may still struggle with their unsightly aftermath: acne scars.
Acne scars can appear in various forms. The type of scars that form in your skin typically depends on the number of fibroblasts your skin creates during the wound healing process. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies start producing less and less fibroblasts (which are connective tissues that produce important things like collagen and other fibres). This means that adults over 25 are probably more likely to develop scars from acne that teenagers or younger children who start breaking out earlier in life.
Types of Acne Scars (and What They Mean For Your Skin)
The type of acne scarring you have in your skin may vary for each patient. As such, the approach for reducing their appearance and correcting any imperfections and blemishes in your face, chest, or back will vary based on your unique needs. Most dermatologists and beauty skin experts, like medical spa professionals and cosmetic surgeons, narrow down the type of acne scars into the following categories.
- Ice-pick scars, which are small, narrow, and deep. They are like pinpoints and generally leave a round, cylinder-like scar.
- Rolling scars leave shallow but broad depressions in the skin that have a wave-like appearance.
- Boxcar scars also leave wide, shallow depressions in the skin, but they have angular or sharply defined edges that are hard to miss.
- Atrophic scars appear as small indentations that are flat or thin.
- Hypertrophic and keloid scarring is typically the most noticeable, appearing in the skin as thick, raised scar tissue that is often discoloured or lumpy to the touch. They may also itch or feel painful.
There are various scar revisions and medical treatments that you can explore to help reduce the appearance of acne scars in the skin. For patients who want to know how to get rid of acne scars, the first step should be scheduling a consultation with a dermatologist or medical aesthetics facility!
At Refine Cosmetic Clinic, we offer a wide range of services, including surgical scar revisions and non-surgical treatments such as IPL therapy.
Best Treatments for Reducing Acne Scars
Acne commonly develops in areas of the body that are difficult to hide, such as the face, chest, and back. When scarring develops here, it can be embarrassing or distract attention from your natural beauty. Thankfully, there are plenty of options that patients can try to reduce the appearance of scars from acne in the skin. Once you have identified the type of scarring you have (as mentioned above), it is important to determine the severity level. Mild vs severe scarring may be approached differently, and the strength of treatment will likely vary depending on how serious the scarring is.
If you have mild scarring with minimal indents and recesses, it might be recommended to start by trying a chemical peel or microdermabrasion. This might work best on atrophic scars, and you may need more than one treatment to see optimal results, but the result can often be brighter, smoother and more blemish-free skin.
For more moderate to severe acne scarring, more in-depth procedures may be best. Collagen-boasting procedures are often recommended for ice pick, rolling, and boxcar scars. This can include several different treatments, ranging from services like microneedling and dermal injections to laser therapy. These treatments work by either introducing a naturally-occurring substance like hyaluronic acid into the skin, or by stimulating the natural healing response. In both cases, they can trigger the natural production of collagen in the skin and help fill out recessed scar tissue caused by acne.
Getting Started With Scar Revision Treatments
If you have severe scarring left behind on your skin from acne, surgical scar revisions or laser resurfacing solutions may be the best option. Many patients struggle with how to get rid of acne scars, so if you have tried many different solutions to no avail, you are not alone!
At Refine Cosmetic Clinic, we offer free consultations to help give patients a better idea of what will work best for their unique skincare concerns. Call us today at (02) 8599 7161!
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