Disease: Acne scars

Acne scars


If acne scars bother you, safe and effective treatment is available. Treatment can diminish acne scars that cause depressions in the skin. Treatment can also safely reduce raised acne scars.

Many treatments are available. Treatments include laser treatments, minor skin surgeries, chemical peels, and fillers. A dermatologist or a dermatologic surgeon can perform these treatments in a medical office.
As we age, acne scars often become more noticeable because our skin loses collagen.The key to effective treatment is to select the best one for each scar type. For example, a patient who has some deep scars may benefit from getting a filler, which adds volume to the skin. This may be followed by laser treatments.

Before getting treatment for acne scars, it is important to clear your acne. New acne breakouts can lead to new acne scars. Having acne also means that your skin is inflamed. Inflammation reduces the effectiveness of treatment for acne scars.

To obtain the best results, a dermatologist first examines your skin. After the exam, some patients are surprised to learn that their acne scars are actually a different skin problem. You’ll find pictures of different types of acne scars — and related skin problems — at Acne scars: Signs and symptoms.

Source: https://www.aad.org

Signs and symptoms

What you see on your skin varies with the types of acne scars you have. Your dermatologist will talk about two types of acne scars:

Depressed: Most acne scars cause depressions or pits in the skin.

Depressed scars usually form on the face. A dermatologist may refer to these scars as “atrophic” (a-tro-fic) scars or use the name of the specific depressed scar:

  • Boxcar
  • Icepick
  • Rolling
Raised: These acne scars are more common on the back and chest. The medical term for a raised scar is “hypertrophic.”

Now that you know what the different types of acne scars look like, you may be wondering why some people get them. You’ll find the answer within Acne scars: Who gets and causes.

Source: https://www.aad.org

Who gets and causes

Who gets acne scars?

Some people are more likely to see scars when their acne clears. The risk increases when a person:

  • Has inflammatory (swollen, reddish, and painful) acne, such as acne cysts and nodules. This type of acne tends to penetrate deep into the skin, which damages the skin.
  • Delays or does not treat inflammatory acne. The longer a person has inflammatory acne, the greater the risk of scarring.
  • Picks, squeezes, or pops acne. This increases inflammation, which increases the risk of scarring.
  • Has a blood relative who developed acne scars. Genes play a large role.

Although we know what increases a person’s risk of developing acne scars, it is not possible to predict who will develop acne scars. Even people who have all the risk factors may not scar.

It is, however, possible to prevent acne scars with effective acne treatment.

Waiting to treat acne until it becomes severe can lead to extensive scarring.

What causes acne scars?

When acne breakouts penetrate the skin deeply, they damage the skin and the tissue beneath it. As the acne clears, the body tries to repair this damage.

During the healing process, the body produces collagen — a substance that gives the skin support.If the body produces too little or too much collagen, you will see a scar.

The type of scar depends on how much collagen your body makes.

Depressed acne scars: If the body produces too little collagen, depressions or pits form as the skin heals.

Raised acne scars: Sometimes the body produces too much collagen as it tries to heal the skin and underlying tissue. When this happens, a person develops a raised acne scar. This type of acne scar is more common in people who have skin of color like African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians.

Even when we do our best to prevent acne scars, some people scar. There are many treatment options, which can significantly diminish depressed and raised acne scars.

You can find out about the many treatments by going to Acne scars: Treatment and outcome.

Source: https://www.aad.org

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