Acne scars are like the punishment you get for having acne developed on your skin. In fact, it is double the punishment because you first have to deal with the nuisance that acne is and then the agony of dealing with their imprints.
Pimples or acne occurs when the pores on your skin fill up with oil and dead skin cells. Plugged pores or follicles are the perfect places for bacteria to grow and result in red bumps or pus-filled bumps. This is called pimples.
Acne could be mild, moderate, or severe. Depending on the type of acne you have, the dermatologist will recommend a suitable treatment. Mild acne includes black or whiteheads, while moderate ones cause inflamed, sore pimples with white tips. On the other hand, severe acne can be much more painful and are pus-filled.
The best you can do to minimize the after effects of acne, i.e., the scars, is to consult a dermatologist as soon as you notice the problem. This will prevent extensive acne development as well as scarring. If you notice a few bumps on your skin or have acne scars already, seeing a family physician for dermatology issues immediately will minimize the damage.
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Majority of the time, the acne or pimple scars you get are reddish or brownish. One thing that increases the risk of scarring is excessive itching, squeezing, or picking the pimples.
Acne scars are further categorized into two types:
Regardless of the type of acne, you do need to consult a dermatologist to treat acne scars before they worsen. But that will only be possible when the pimples are gone.
The treatments for acne scars depend on the severity of scars. Your dermatologist may lead you through the process of chemical peel or suggest undergoing micro dermabrasion to improve skin appearance. These are mild treatments and can be done in the office only.
For severe scarring, the dermatologist can recommend any of the following treatment options:
Laser surfacing can be done in the dermatologist’s office. This procedure involves the use of a laser to remove the top layer of your skin that is damaged, tighten the skin, and make the skin smoother. It can take a few minutes to an hour depending on the scars. The doctor will numb the skin against pain before starting, and it will take you 3 to 10 days to fully recover.
The act of rotating a diamond instrument or a wire brush on the surface of the skin is called dermabrasion. You will get a new top skin layer as the skin heals, which will replace the damaged one. Healing from dermabrasion can take 10 days to 3 weeks.
This is a scar treatment that is deeper than the two explained before. Fractional laser therapy does not wound the top layer and the healing time is comparatively shorter. Those who undergo this procedure may appear to have sun burned skin for a few days.
In case of rolling scars, the doctor will inject material beneath the scar to raise it to the normal skin’s level. The doctor may advise you to undergo a surgery to remove deep scars.
Mike Morgan is a health enthusiast and has written several health articles for various health magazines.
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