Acne Scar Treatment
There are several acne scar removal techniques which you can benefit from, sand they largely depend on the severity of the scarring. Some of these techniques are, by necessity, more invasive than others. Remember though, that all these methods are only suitable for old acne scars and they cannot be used when you still have any active acne breakouts.
Punch Procedures
There are three different types of punch procedures for acne scars but none punch excision and punch elevation are not suitable for really deep acne scars. Punch excision and punch elevation cut out the acne scar and in the latter, the base of the scar is raised to the level of the other skin around it. The incision is the sutured in both these procedures. In punch replacement, the procedure is carried out as above but then the area is covered by a skin graft, so it is suitable for dealing with deeper acne scars.
Chemical Peels
These are suitable for mild acne scars. Chemical peels use quite strong acids on the surface of the skin to remove the top layers of skin so that the smoother skin beneath is revealed. This is a quick procedure – usually only 15 minutes – so it can even be done in your lunch hour if you want, although you can expect your skin to be quite red afterwards.
Augmentation
This procedure is the most suitable treatment option for deep acne scars. Fillers such as collagen or some other artificial filler or perhaps even fat from the patient’s own body is injected into the skin under the scar to fill it out and raise it to the level of the other skin. The good thing about this treatment is that it is quick but the bad thing is that its effects are only temporary, with results typically lasting only three to six months.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is not a new technique, and it should not be confused with the newer technique of microdermabrasion. Dermabrasion uses a powered hand tool to remove the skin damaged by acne, after it is anaesthetized and frozen. Only the top layers of skin are sloughed off, but the treated area may look swollen and scraped for a few days until a scab forms. The scab and redness may remain for a few weeks but after that the new skin, without acne scars, should have formed.
Laser Resurfacing
This technique is most suitable for shallow acne scars. It is a controlled burning off of the top, scarred levels of skin, with lasers. You may need several sessions of laser resurfacing before you have a skin texture you are happy with.
None of the above procedures should be carried out by anyone but a dermatologist who is trained and experienced in the particular procedure. However, if your acne scarring is very mild, there are some over the counter acne scar removal kits that you can purchase. They all work on the same basis as a chemical peel, although they are much milder than the one you can expect a dermatologist to perform. You need to decide for yourself if your acne scars are enough of a problem to you to need the assistance of a dermatologist; as you can see above, there are several options that such a professional could offer you.
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