How to Easily Treat and Remove Your Acne Scars
How to Easily Treat and Remove Your Acne Scars Acne can cause blemishes on the facial skin, back, arms, and other parts of the body. Many people associate acne with the teen years, but it can strike any age group from babies to elderly people. While minor acne blemishes do not usually result in lasting scars, severe cases may well leave scarring that is permanent. At some point in life, almost everyone experiences acne. For some, acne is nothing more than an annoying and sometimes embarrassing rite of passage that occurs during adolescence, when hormone levels surge. Others unfortunately suffer extreme bouts of acne. Either situation can however, result in mild or severe acne scarring. Several different acne scarring treatments are available. These work to help the scarred area return to a more normal appearance because most acne scars, like any type of scarring, can almost never be permanently removed. The available treatment options differ considerably in their approach and what is right for a person will depend on several factors including the type and extent of scarring involved, an evaluation of how the scarring is impacting their livelihood and the individual budget. It is always advisable to thoroughly discuss treatment options with a dermatologist before making a decision. Causes of Acne Scars As with all scarring, acne scars result from tissue damage. When tissue is damaged, the body reacts by initiating the repair process and taking steps to protect against infection. Collagen is something the body sends to the damaged area but sometimes the body produces too much. When this happens, the excess collagen builds up into a fibrous mass that ends up becoming a smooth and firm acne scar with an irregular shape. Acne scars also result when tissue is lost and this is actually the more common reason scars develop. Many different types of scarring exist within this latter category including the well-known ice-pick scar, depressed scars, soft scars, atrophic macules and others. No one wants to have acne turn into life-long scarring. Fortunately, with proper treatment and hygiene, most scars can be avoided. The best way to avoid acne scars is to clean the skin well and discourage acne from forming. However, if this does not completely solve the problem, you may want to seek additional treatments by talking to a dermatologist or your family doctor. Treatment Options Injecting collagen into the scar site is an effective method for most people however it is one that will need to be repeated regularly, about every 3-6 months. Once injected under the skin, the collagen puffs out the scar area, making the scar less noticeable. A similar process involves using the body fat of the person. This treatment option is called autologus fat transfer. Basically, fat is taken from another part of the body and injected into the acne scar, causing it to fill out. This option also does need to be repeated, although less frequently, because the fat will begin to absorb back into the skin. Dermabrasion is a common treatment method for most types of acne scarring. It is done under local anesthesia. In this procedure, a thin layer of surface skin is removed using a fraise or a brush set on high speed. Removing the surface layer can actually remove some shallow scarring at the surface and it can lessen the depth of deeper scarring. Microdermabrasion also removes the surface skin but does so using crystals of aluminum oxide that pass through a vacuum. Laser treatment is another acne scar treatment option. Lasers of various intensity and wavelength are aimed at the scarring with the goal of changing the shape of the scar. Depending on the scar, permanent results can sometimes be achieved. Again, multiple treatments may be necessary. Other acne treatment options are available including skin grafting and skin surgery, but these extreme procedures are reserved primarily for deep scarring or extreme situations. Acne, at best, is annoying and cause embarrassment. In severe cases, the scarring, if not treated promptly, can be quite serious. Treatments for acne scars vary in price as well as in the results that can be expected. Today, technology provides many avenues for treating acne scars that people in the past did not have available.
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