Acne Scar Treatments
Here’s the thing: Perfectly smooth and glowy skin like the one the girl on the magazine has is a myth and a facade. Everyone, even A-list celebrities, will at one at one time or another battle imperfections in their complexion. Sometimes, these imperfections can come in the form of acne scars and marks. Where they do excel, however, is that they take meticulous care to fade away these blemishes and pocks as early as possible. It is this kind of unwavering commitment to take excellent care of their skin that pays dividends in the form of a ravishing gorgeous complexion that is always Instagram-ready and insanely photogenic.
You can also, nonetheless, come close to these lofty standards set by the creme-de-la-creme of the glitz world by investing in acne scar removal treatments that actually work. As much as some scars are very stubborn, it is still possible to make them less visible if not fade them off entirely. Here’s a quick recap to that.
1. Laser Skin Resurfacing as a Dark Spot Remover
One of the best ways of getting rid of acne scars is encouraging skin cell regeneration in the exact spot where the scars are. This not only ensures that the scars become significantly less visible but also reduces the chances of hyperpigmentation occurring post-treatment. The procedure involves peeling away the outermost skin layer by layer with machine precision to trigger the development of younger looking and tighter skin. And it being an non-invasive outpatient procedure means that you don’t necessarily have to skip work to get your acne scars removed. It is more or less like acne spot treatment only that you may require a bit of general anesthesia to see it off.
2. Microdermabrasion as a Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
Unlike laser skin resurfacing, microdermabrasion is a tad bit invasive but the objective remains the same – to stimulate the growth of new and better-looking skin cells to replace the acne scarred skin. It can also be used to correct damage resulting from aging, sun spots, melasma, wrinkles or fine lines.
The procedure, as the name would suggest, uses a particular applicator that is fitted with an abrasive end to sand away the thick exterior epidermis in a bid to trigger a regeneration. There’s also a different version of microdermabrasion where fine particles of sodium bicarbonate or aluminium oxide are sprayed using a suction/vacuum to recreate the same outcome as the earlier-mentioned abrasive surface.
Unlike many other scar remover procedures, microdermabrasion is considered to be relatively safe for a variety of skin types and textures. You may want, especially, to undergo a comprehensive session if you have one of the following skin conditions on top of your acne scars.
- Hyperpigmentation, brown spots and age spots
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Blackheads and enlarged pores
- Uneven texture and skin tone
- Stretch marks and a droopy chin
3. Chemical Peels as a Suitable Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Alternatively, you can also use chemical peels to erase your past history with acne scars and the painful memories associated with it. It is also a non-invasive way of rejuvenating your complexion and giving it a new lease of life in addition to these other upsides.
- Lightening of age and dark spots
- Smoother skin tone and texture
- Unclogging and unblocking of skin pores to stave off future breakouts
- Exfoliation and removal of dead skin to pave way for fresher skin
The trick to chemical peeling is figuring out the right acid that is ideal to work with for your skin type. The good thing about it is that you can actually do the chemical resurfacing yourself as long as you are purchasing your peels from a reputable and registered dermatological pharmacy. Speaking of which, look for peels with AHAs ( Alpha Hydroxy Acids) such as glycolic and salicylic acid. And if you have extremely sensitive skin, you ought to look for lactic-acid based peels as they tend to be a notch less caustic than AHAs.
That being said, it is also imperative to remember that chemical peels are not exactly ideal for depressed or severely raised hypertrophic scars. In such a case, you may want to try more physical methods of resurfacing your skin.
4. How to Get Rid of Blackheads Acne Scars? The Answer is Microneedling
Blackheads and cystic acne breakouts are notorious for leaving behind unsightly scars in their wake. It can even take years for these scars to fade away on their own, i.e. hoping that you don’t get another episode before the initial has healed entirely. Fortunately, microneedling presents dermatologists with an array of options when it comes to returning your complexion back to its original standing following a devastating cystic acne spell.
Just like other resurfacing procedures, microneedling employs a series of extremely fine needles to prick and poke your skin repeatedly. Following this controlled assault on the skin’s epidermis, collagen production is stimulated in an effort to heal the tiny wounds left in the aftermath of the procedure. The idea here is that the new collagen secreted can smoothen out your complexion in addition to helping you correct the following imperfections;
- Sagging skin
- Large pores
- Melasma
- Burn scars
- Sun spots
- Hyperpigmentation
Contrary to chemical peels, microneedling is best suited for depressed and not raised acne scars. And this can be traced back to the fact that the method attempts to trigger the production of extra collagen to fill in those gaps in your complexion left behind by depressed scars. It is also considered safe for people with darker skin tones since it does not rely on the removal or sloughing off of the exterior skin layer. Besides that, it is considered ideal for sensitive and thin skin as well.
5. Botox for Pustule Acne Scars
Lauded for its impressive ability to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, it looks as if botox ( also known as OnabotulinumtoxinA ) can be used to lessen acne scarring. The notion here is that using botox to denervate the underlying muscle tissue underneath your face can reduce the visibility of the pits and nicks left after an acne breakout. There is even a study that reported how acne scar patients who underwent botulinum toxin treatment noted as much as a spectacular five times improvement in their scarring compared to those that did not. That said, the improved aesthetics gained after a botox procedure are mostly temporary. Therefore, you might have to undergo repeat sessions throughout the year to maintain your newly-found good looks.
6. Laser Skin Resurfacing for Whiteheads Scars
Considering that 99% of people who suffer from explosive teenage/adolescence whitehead breakouts will experience some form of residual scarring, it is not surprising that more people are turning to laser skin resurfacing to reclaim their previously gorgeous complexions. The concept behind this procedure is that focusing light on the exterior most layer of the scarred skin can disintegrate the scar tissue allowing for the regeneration of healthy skin cells to grow in its place.
- The size of the area/scarred skin being treated
- The number of repeated treatments that you will need to get rid of the scar tissue entirely
- The number of whitehead scars you are treating
- The experience and level of mastery of your skin specialist
The upside, however, is that the procedure is so minimally invasive that it does not require any recovery or downtime whatsoever. You can be back to work a day after undergoing a full-scale laser skin resurfacing. That aside, you may not be the ideal candidate for this procedure if you have active acne, dark skin tone or extremely wrinkled skin.
In Closing
There’s more than a dozen ways of getting rid of acne scars. Long gone are the days where you were condemned to a lifetime of walking around with evidence that you once had a problematic skin condition that took you a little while to get around. And depending on your budget, current skin condition and skin type, you are very well spoilt for choice.
