All About Acne Scars

It just isn’t fair. You have to deal with acne at its worst. Then, just when you think it’s over, you realize your skin is pitted with scars. You may be wondering how you could have prevented these scars. You may ask yourself why some of the scars look different from others. And, finally, you will want to know what the treatments are for acne scars.

The best way to prevent acne scars is, obviously, to prevent acne. This is easier said than done, but attention to substances in the food supply or avoiding touching the face as much as possible, for example, can go a long way. Another way to prevent the problem is to treat the acne as soon as it appears, and treat it as much as necessary. It all goes back to this: the less acne, the less acne scars.

To find the cause of the acne scar, you have to go back to the beginning of the infection. At that time, injury was caused to the tissue of the skin. White blood cells and other molecules rushed to the body’s defense to heal the damage, leaving behind something of a mess. It was then that a scar was formed.

At first, there may be macules. These are just flat reddish spots. They are not scars and should not remain for more than 6 months. There can also be skin discolorations which can last for up to 18 months after an acne lesion clears up. These also are not scars.

There are two main types of acne scars. Some are those caused by loss of tissue These are depressed scars, also called “ice-pick” scars. The other type is caused by excessive tissues formation. These show up as raised, thickened tissue. They may be keloid scars.

Some people are more prone to scarring than others. In fact, there seems to be some genetic basis for scarring. If you are one of the unlucky ones, you might want to try one of the many treatments.

If the scars have already set in the skin, it may be difficult to treat them without having dermatologic surgery done. Collagen injections can be done for soft scars. Autologous fat transfer (taking fat from another part of your body to inject into scarred areas) can be used to elevate depressed scars. There are also procedures where small skin grafts are used to close open surface areas of scarred tissue. There are, in fact, too many surgical procedures to name them all here.

Acne scars may not be the nicest thing to happen to you, not by a long shot. If you can prevent them, it will save you a lot of heartache later. But, if it’s too late to prevent scars, there are many surgical options. Just ask your dermatologist.

Would you like additional information on acne and its cause? We have free information and resources just click here for acne remedies you can try at home.