|
Acne Scars – Cause,
Prevention And
Treatment
|
|
by: Kirsten
Hawkins
|
Acne affects as much as
80% of teenagers and others in their early
twenties, while most get out with only a few
minor acne scars, some even without any at all;
there is also a notable percentage that suffers
from acne scars.
There are two types of skin problems caused by
acne that can be recognized as acne scars, one
is the red pigmentation that appears after acne
has healed. These contrary to popular belief,
are not scars, rather, these are
post-inflammatory lesions which occurs as the
acne heals, and these can be present for up to
6-12 months. If however the pigmentation that
you see lasts longer than the said period, you
may be facing acne
scars.
Acne scars come from connective tissue that the
body uses to repair damage done to a certain
area. Together with antibodies and white blood
cells, they work together to heal the wound.
After the healing process, you are left with a
scar.
Acne scars can develop as long as acne is
present, so one good form of prevention is
actually preventing acne. However, Acne scars
can also be prevented even with the presence of
acne. This is done by facilitating the healing
of the acne, the faster it heals, the shallower
the acne scar will be, making it easier to
treat, or may need no treatment at all.
There are two dermatologically tested ways to
facilitate the healing of acne, one is the use
of Tretinoin, it’s a form of vitamin A, which
speeds up the skin’s healing and renovation
process shortening the inflammation period,
thus preventing Acne scars.
The other treatment used by most dermatologists
for Acne scar prevention is the use of
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids of AHA’s and Beta-Hydroxy
Acids or BHA’s. These help the skins remodeling
process, with the right concentration and
proper application; these can also prevent acne
scars.
Without the complicated chemicals and difficult
dermatological treatments, you can also help
prevent acne scars by treating your skin
righteously. Avoid sun exposure, this can cause
even more skin damage and may hamper the
healing process of your skin. Wear sunscreen
that has SPF 15 or higher. Picking at scabs
never helped either. Never pick on acne as it
heals; it interferes with the healing process
and might worsen the resulting acne scar.
Of course, not even the most rigorous person
can prevent acne scar, with the stress of
everyday life, facial and other skin problems
are really hard to avoid, there are however
treatments available for acne scars, here are
some of them.
Dermal Fillers
Collagen or other fillers are injected into the
acne scar to raise is just a bit, so that it
will be the same level as your skin, these
treatments aren’t permanent though. They mostly
last 3-6 months and you’ll need additional
injections after that.
Punch Excision
This method is effective for some types of
scars. It includes the surgical tool that
matches the size of the scar; it can be
compared to a cookie dough
cutter. This tool cuts the scar out and
the remaining wound is then sewed back
together. The resulting scar will be
unnoticeable, but if it is, it’ll be easier for
laser resurfacing to treat it. Other types of
this treatment include the use of skin
grafts.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser resurfacing is a very popular and fast
treatment for acne scars. Laser resurfacing
basically works by burning a measure upper
layer of the skin, and then letting it heal,
leaving a newer looking skin. However, care
must be taken after the procedure; the correct
post operative procedure determines the success
of the operation.
|
|
