Caring for your skin can do wonders for your health, but dealing with different various skin conditions and problems can make it more challenging to do so. While acne can be one of the biggest headaches to deal with, acne scars may often feel like an even bigger problem.
You are likely familiar with the frustrations of getting breakouts, but after getting rid of them, these pimples may leave behind traces and blemishes.
Not every acne case ends up with scars, but if yours does, you might be wondering about what acne scar treatment you can use. While there is no secret formula to removing these scars, there are certainly many treatments that you can try out today.
Get to know more about how these scars look like to properly identify whether you have them. If you do, you can then explore different options to treat your scars.
Differentiating Acne Marks and Scars
Before anything else, it is important to understand how acne marks and scars differ from each other. The two are often used interchangeably despite being different, so knowing how to distinguish them will ensure you take the right course of action.
Both are essentially blemishes left after you get pimples, but acne marks are caused by pigmentation from the acne’s inflammation. They are typically red or brown but flat and smooth to touch, so you can expect them to fade gradually within a few months.
Skin lightening products are often used to help with the healing and fading process since the marks are merely superficial. On the other hand, acne scars are caused by deep penetration of acne, resulting in damaged skin tissue and a change in your skin’s texture.
What happens is your body tries to fight off the damage by producing additional collagen, but in doing so, it leaves a scar behind. Acne scars may either be raised or depressed, with the former having raised spots and the latter having indentations.
Treating Acne Scars
Nowadays, there are many acne scar treatment options to help reduce and diminish the scarring over time. As a general rule, you should always start by consulting with your dermatologist.
To find the right treatment for your case, you must first know what type of acne scars you have so that a professional doctor can help you with this. A dermatologist can also help recommend the appropriate acne scar treatment based on your skin type and condition to prevent worsening the situation.
Again, there is no miracle solution to treating your scars, but several treatments have shown promising results for healing. These include:
- Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is a common acne scar treatment technique used to treat acne scars, which involves getting rid of your skin’s outer layer with a rotating tool. In more technical terms, the procedure is done to “sand” the skin and help new and smoother skin grow back after the treated area heals.
Given the abrasive nature of dermabrasion, you can expect your skin to look swollen and red after, making it important to follow the prescribed aftercare routine.
- Chemical Peel
Chemical peels are a form of exfoliation done with the use of a chemical solution to get rid of dead skin cells and impurities. Once the solution is applied, the area with the scar tissue peels off to make way for regenerated skin. Peeling solutions come in varying strengths, so the right type will depend on the severity of the scar.
- Microneedling
As its name suggests, microneedling uses fine needles to prick holes in your skin. It is intended to stimulate collagen production to help heal your scars and improve your skin’s texture. You might experience some side effects like redness, inflammation, pain, and bruising, but you need not worry as they usually go away after a few days.
Since the treatment is minimally invasive, downtime is usually short, and you can easily return to your daily routine after a day.
- Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is a resurfacing technique used to help lighten and flatten raised scars and create smoother skin without having to puncture or pierce it. In most cases, this procedure is commonly done by people who have been treated with dermabrasion. Similar to the other procedures, laser therapy removes your skin’s outer layer to unveil smoother skin from younger skin cells.
- Skincare
While skincare is not directly an acne scar treatment, it is a good habit to practice to keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and glowy. Work with your dermatologist to find a routine that works best with acne-scarred skin so that you can be proactive and prevent more issues from arising.
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