What Are Acne Scars?
Marks left over after acne has cleared up are called acne scars. It occurs frequently. One in five persons have scars from acne on their back, breast, or face.
Read More: Acne Scar Treatment
A dermatologist, or skin doctor, can assist you if your objective is to make your scars less obvious. After examining your skin, they can recommend a helpful therapy.
Table of Contents
Sorties of Acne Wounds
There are seven types of scars that acne may cause. It’s typical to have many types. If you are prone to breakouts with your skin, you may notice:
Ice pick scars left by acne. This kind of scar appears to have been created with an ice pick. Its top hole is large, but as it descends, it becomes smaller. Because the skin is thinner in these areas naturally, you are more prone to suffer ice pick scars on your forehead or top cheeks.
scars from boxcar acne. These might appear as though a circle or square was forced into your skin. Boxcar scars frequently appear on the lower cheekbones or jawline.
rolling scars from acne. You have a rolling scar if your skin seems uneven and wavy. Damage under the surface of your skin is the reason. The skin surrounding your jaw or the bottom portion of your cheekbones are common places to observe this kind of scarring.
scars from hypertrophic acne. Some scars cause skin indentations. Other kinds, including hypertrophic scars, produce raised or flat scar tissue over the site of your acne. It occurs when your skin’s excess collagen develops in that location. This kind of acne scar might appear on your face, shoulders, back, or chest.
scars from keloid acne. Maybe the color of these raised lumps is darker than your skin. Additionally, they could be larger than the acne patch you previously had. Keloid scars, like hypertrophic scars, can occasionally hurt or itch.
Acne scars and dark patches or stains. If you have medium-to-dark complexion, you may notice the appearance of a black patch when a pimple clears up. This is due to the fact that acne may unintentionally increase your skin’s melanin (pigment).
Elastolysis perifollicularis. These tiny, round, or oval lumps could be the same color as your skin. They can appear on your face, arms, chest, back, or shoulders. They are also known as popular scars.
Acne Scar Factors
Following acne, your skin may leave scars for a number of reasons:
severe skin injury. Acne of any kind can have long-lasting effects. However, if your acne penetrates deeply into your skin, scarring is more likely. For example, scarring is likely to result from nodules, which feel like hard lumps under your skin, and cysts, which are filled with pus and can hurt to the touch.
picking at acne. It’s normal to desire to squeeze or pick at a zit. But scratching at it won’t make it go away any quicker; instead, it can irritate your skin worse and raise the possibility of scarring.
The healing process of your body. For example, elevated scars may occur if your body produces too much collagen, a crucial component of your skin, to mend the region. Those with darker skin tones are more prone to experience this. On the other side, deep acne scars may result from insufficient collagen.
Your genes. You could also be susceptible to acne scars if a close relative has experienced it. Scarring is also more common in those with darker skin.
Symptoms of Acne Scars
In addition to common indications like elevated or sunken areas on your skin, your scar could hurt or itch. With age, acne scars can become more pronounced.
Acne Scar Assessment
You should consult a dermatologist if you’re considering scar removal. Their expertise in skin care includes extensive training in treating acne scars, which can help them diminish, disappear, or smooth over time. However, a dermatologist will need to evaluate your skin in order to determine which course of action could be best for you.
A dermatologist will use this scale to determine the kind and severity of scars you have during a consultation:
a flat, crimson scar. This kind of scar is the least severe.
little scar from acne. For example, it can readily concealed by cosmetics or a beard or mustache.
little scarring from acne. Those in close proximity can notice this.
Severe acne scar. It is visible from at least 50 cm away and cannot be hidden.
Your dermatologist will use this information to determine the best course of action, along with the location of the scars on your body.
Acne Scar Therapy
It’s possible that many treatments are required to get smooth skin. A few may be completed at home. Others are done as an on-the-spot procedure at a hospital or at your physician’s office.
Following examination of the scars left by your acne, your dermatologist may recommend:
Removing acne scars and renewing skin
The aim is to reveal fresh, healthy skin by removing your skin’s damaged layers. One way to accomplish this is by:
Laser. It makes the skin’s surface more uniform.
dermabrasion. Damaged skin is removed with a rough, quickly rotating wheel.
peeling chemically. Your skin’s outermost layer is removed by a particular kind of acid. Deeper scars may benefit from this.
microblading. Your skin may be smoothed out using tiny crystals sprinkled on it. Although it often doesn’t remove acne scars, this can help you achieve better outcomes from other therapies.
After resurfacing, 7–10 days will pass before new skin starts to emerge. However, the region could remain pink for a few weeks or even months.
Using fillers to treat scars from acne
Using a syringe, your doctor injects filler (collagen or fat) into the injured region. This helps to smooth out the scar by inflating the skin beneath it. Your body absorbs the filler gradually, so you’ll need to repeat this treatment periodically.
Microneedling for scars from acne
Your skin is rolled over a device that is coated with microscopic needles. It’s a risk-free method of encouraging the tissue beneath it to expand. It might need to be done more than once. Physicians may refer to this as collagen induction treatment.
Skin tautness for scars left by acne
A form of radiation known as radiofrequency can be used to gently tone your skin and increase collagen production if your scarring is not too severe.
Injections for scars from acne
You can have injections of various medications into your skin, such as corticosteroids, chemotherapeutic drugs, and Botox. Usually, this is done over the course of many treatments. How often you will need it done can be determined by speaking with your doctor.