Acne Scars – Is There Hope?
It is estimated that eighty percent of people between the ages of
fourteen and twenty suffer from acne. For most of us, acne is a
short-lived annoyance during certain periods of our lives.
Unfortunately, for some people acne is painful long after the
pimples have been treated. Scarring from acne is most common for those
who have suffered from severe acne, but scarring can affect anyone who
has experienced acne.
If you are one of the millions of people living with acne scars,
there's good news. There are many options available to diminish these
unseemly blemishes. All of these techniques work to restore the normal,
healthy appearance of scarred skin; it may not always be possible to
get rid of all acne scars, but with the right treatment for you, no one
will ever know you were scarred.
Acne scar treatments vary in their approaches depending on the
severity of your scarring and your budget. You should discuss all of
the available options, costs, and side effects with your dermatologist.
Before we talk about the treatments available, we should take a look
at why acne can cause scarring. The primary reason for any kind of scar
is tissue damage.
When body tissue is damaged, our body tries to heal and protect it
from infection. In the case of acne, dead skin cells block the body's
pores, preventing the secretion of natural oils in the skin. This
creates a perfect environment for bacteria to grow, which irritates the
skin and causes acne. When acne is aggravated due to harsh scrubbing or
other forms of physical attention, it further aggravates the condition
and harms the sensitive skin tissue. When the skin finally is able to
heal, a scar is left behind.
One of the most popular acne scar treatment techniques is injecting
collagen under the surface of the scarred skin. Collagen puffs out the
skin and evens out the scarred area, making acne less noticeable.
Another important acne scar treatment technique is what is called
autologous fat transfer. This process makes use of your own body's fat.
Fat is taken from another part of your body and is injected into the
affected part, filling up the scar. This technique requires repeated
applications because the fat is eventually absorbed into the body,
making the scar noticeable once again. Your dermatologist may suggest
you try laser treatments or dermabrasion. Both of these techniques are
very effective. In the most extreme cases, skin grafting and skin
surgery may be considered.
Keep in mind that these are only a small number of the options available for acne scar treatment
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