Is It Possible to Treat Acne Scars?

Acne is an extremely common skin problem, and acne scarring is its bothersome companion. Acne scars are the result of altered healing response of the patient’s skin when the acne lesion clears. They are unsightly and also pull down the confidence of an individual.

With advances in science, research and technology, it is now very much feasible to get away with these scars.

Who is at risk of developing acne scars?

The tendency for acne scarring correlates to the severity of acne, the time gap between acne onset and its first effective treatment, genetic predisposition, candidates in puberty period, and tempering with acne lesions.

What are the types of acne scars?

Acne scars are the result of aberrant production and degradation of the collagen in the dermis during healing. Two broad groups of acne scars are atrophic scars and hypertrophic scars.

Out of these, atrophic scars are more commonly seen in 80-90% of cases and result from excessive degradation of collagen during the healing of acne lesion. Atrophic scars have different types of morphology and colour. Different types of atrophic scars include the ice pick, rolling, and boxcar scars and while planning the treatment the scar types has to be taken into account.

Hypertrophic scars are the result of excessive collagen production while the acne is healing. Hypertrophic scarring is more common in males and affects some particular areas of the body. Papular hypertrophic scars are more common over the nose and chin area. Hypertrophic keloid scars are more common over lower face and shoulders. Scarring response is commonly accompanied by pigmentary changes in the skin in the form of dark patches or redness.

What are the treatment options?

Treatment of acne scars is multimodality and generally needs multiple sessions of treatment. With every treatment session, there is a gradual improvement in the appearance of the scars. Different treatment options include laser resurfacing, microneedling, MNRF, chemical peels, scar surgery, and fillers.

Lasers for acne scars treatment are basically Resurfacing Lasers and can be of ablative (CO2 laser, Er YAG) or non ablative (Er Glass) type. Downtime is more for ablative lasers, and response is also better.

Microneedling is done using the device dermaroller and it also provides with significantly better results. Downtime is 1-2 days and quite safe for Indian Skin Type.

MNRF is another energy based treatment option for acne scars.

Chemical peels are combined with other modalities when the scars are pigmented, and as a stand-alone therapy they work for very superficial and mild scars only.

Fillers can also be injected into the scars and are basically meant to improve the scars instantaneously. The improvement achieved with fillers fades with time.

Acne scar surgery includes the subcision, punch excision and closure or punch excision and grafting.

Dermatologists would make the best cocktail out of these treatment options depending upon the scar and skin type; which would clear the scars effectively without much discomfort and complications. Downtime is different for different therapies. So, depending upon the scar type and severity and the downtime which the patient can manage, treatment outline will be planned by the experienced Dermatologist. Looking for effective Acne Scar Treatment in Gurgaon? Skin Care World can help you to achieve scar free beautiful skin by offering world-class effective skin treatment.

What can I do to prevent them?

Patients should not scratch or pick their acne lesions as it irritates the lesions and thereby the chances of scarring and pigmentation increases, and this scaring takes more time to clear. Never fiddle with acne spots and follow sun protective measures while undergoing treatment for acne scars.

With the application of advanced technologies there is need to worry about these acne or acne scars either. Seek the help of a dermatologist to take care of your problems related to acne and acne scars. Acne scars can be treated to improve one’s appearance and enhance self-esteem. With the advances in dermatological science, acne scars can be treated effectively. To know more about Acne Scar Removal Treatment in Gurgaon kindly share your concerns at info@skincaregurgaon.com.