Acne Scar Treatment

There are several types of acne scar treatment than can be used either to remove the scars or as part of an overall skin rejuvenation process. When deciding on a treatment, it is essential to have a dermatologist or a dermatological surgeon to find out what would the best way to achieve the outcome you want.

Here are the most widely used acne scar treatments:

• Chemical peels
• Laser treatment
• Dermabrasion
• Intralesional steroid injection (keloids)
• Soft-tissue augmentation
• Skin Surgery

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels can be used far small and depressed scars and some larger scars. They are also effective in improving scars left from comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), not for ice-pick or deep-fibrotic scars or keloids. Deeper or larger scars may need repeated chemical peels.

Laser Treatment

Laser treatment is a new, but highly effective technique for dealing with acne scars. It reaches deeper skin layers than other procedures. The different laser varying in energy and tissue penetration can be used for treating complex scars. For example, a deep tissue penetration laser can be used to remodel irregular scarring, while an infrared beam laser will tighten collagen fibers and elevate depressed scars.

Dermabrasion

This technique was developed specifically for acne scar treatment and is still used on a large scale. It reaches deeper skin layers than a chemical peel and can be used for both deeper and hypertrophic scar treatment. A few years ago it as considered inadequate for treating ice-pick scars because the removal of the top skin layer could open fibrotic scars in deeper layers. However, nowadays many ice-pick scars can be treated using a combination of dermabration and punch excision of the scar tissue.

Intralesional Steroid Injection (Keloids)

This method can sometimes prove effective in improving keloid scars. Steroids are injected directly into the keloid and sometimes combined with surgery in order to reduce the size of the scars. However, this acne scar treatment should be use with high precaution and only on carefully selected patients, as it doesn't have the same results for everyone. Keloid surgery cannot be performed by anyone else unless a dermatological surgeon.

Soft tissue augmentation

This acne scar treatment consists of injecting subcutaneous collagen or fat under the scar to bring its surface even with the surface of the skin that surrounds it. It give good results in correcting some atrophic (tissue loss) scars. It often needs to be repeated on a regular basis.

Skin surgery

Skin surgery is used for treating ice-pick scars. This acne scar treatment consists of removing each scar individually by punch excision. The scar is excised down to the subcutaneous fat layer and the resulting hole is afterwards repaired using sutures or small skin graft. Subcision is procedure which uses a surgical probe to lift the scar tissue away from unscarred skin and elevate depressed scars.

For some persons, acne scars can be a constant reminder of a condition that used to be subject of mockery, embarrassement or social isolation. They can also be a significant factor within an appearance of premature aging. However, there's no reason to endure them. Fortunately, nowadays there's a wide range of complex acne scar treatments that can treat most of these problems.