Acne sufferers face more than one concern. There is of course the constant nuisance of the acne itself. There is also the anxiety caused by the acne scars and lesions which will render the skin an aesthetic disaster. The reason for this is that most people believe that acne is a temporary situation whereas you are stuck with acne scars for the rest of your life.



Today, a number of treatments that successfully cure acne scars are easily available. However, some acne varieties leave behind scars that are so deeply embedded in the skin that no treatment can wipe them out totally. It is therefore extremely important to ensure that acne scars do not form at all. The trauma of dealing with acne on an ongoing basis and the high expenses incurred on futile treatments can be avoided if acne scars are not allowed to form from the start.

I will pass on my information on the various kinds of acne scars, what treatments actually work and how to ensure that the scars do not form by first attending to the root cause of acne which is an imbalance in your internal systems

An introduction to the types, causes and diagnosis of acne scars

Over the years, research has shown that generally acne causes scars only if they are of the severe kind like nodules and cysts which form deep within our skin. Other causes for scars could be an infection, extra skin tissue formation and most importantly if you damage the skin while trying to burst or pull out the acne forcibly.

It has also been found that some people, irrespective of the type of acne they contract, are more prone to the process of scarring. And acne scars sometimes occur because the body's wound healing process sometimes goes askew - whether it be an improper deposit of collagen or the formation of new capillaries or a warped response to the inflammation or anabolic and catabolic phases - all these are meant to be part of the body's natural healing phase.

Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that, if you do not wish to be permanently scarred by acne, treat the damage as soon as you can.

Acne scars can be of two varieties: those which come about because of skin tissue loss and those which form because of an increase in skin tissue formation.

Scars which form because of an increase in skin tissue:

The acne scars which form because of increased skin tissue are usually Keloids scars. Keloids scars, which tend to strike people with dark complexions, emerge when excessive collagen is produced by cells during the healing process. These scars tend to be irregularly shaped and firm and are usually smooth.

Acne scars which emerge due to skin tissue loss:

Acne spots: a discoloration of the skin to brown or red characterizes these acne scars. Acne spots usually fade away with time or with the help of topical scar treatments. Similarly, post inflammatory hyper pigmentation, which often follows acne breakouts, fades away naturally, but to quicken the process you should try MSM.

Ice-pick lesions: as the name suggests, these acne scars look like ice which has been riddled with an ice pick. Most commonly they appear on the cheeks and the scars can sometimes be deep and sometimes superficial. These scars are more difficult to get rid of than acne spots.

Depressed fibrotic scarring: deep nodules leave behind this type of acne scars. They are white and rigid and are characterized by sharp margins and steep sides.

Atrophic scar macules: Acne scars of this type are small and white and are generally soft and distensible. Other types of scars include boxcar scars, characterized by vertical edges and round indentations and rolling acne scars which are the result of the surface of the skin getting stuck to the subcutaneous layer are other types of acne scars.

Acne Scars and their treatments

Just as the discoloration that accompanies an acne attack fades away slowly, so do most acne scars. However, some scars prove more difficult to smoothen away and require some manner of treatment whether it be topical treatment or surgical cosmetic intervention.

Different scars require to be tackled differently. And there are even scars which require to be treated using a combination of more than one elimination method. A large number of treatments exist for smoothening over scars and these include: pulsed laser technology, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser resurfacing, punch techniques, collagen injections and creams.

Collagen injection is used in a treatment where collagen or fat is injected under the skin. It is most suitable for soft acne scars, be they deep or shallow. However, one must remember that the cure is short term and has to be repeated every 6 months. Also, collagen injections sometimes give rise to adverse side effects and users could suffer allergic reactions.

Microdermabrasion is used as a treatment for mild scarring by scraping the outer skin layer. When minute particles are passed through a vacuum tool the skin is activated to produce new cells.

Laser resurfacing is a treatment involving the flattening and resurfacing of the skin layer by the use of laser thus making the scars more even with the surface of the skin. This, to an extent, camouflages the scars. However, this method often causes undesirable side effects such as infection, a reddening of the skin and can sometimes even aggravate the scars. Studies have indicated that laser treatment works better on newly formed scars rather than on old ones.

Punch grafting is done by cutting the acne scar right down to the fatty layer of the skin and then repairing the hole thus created by grafting a small piece of skin.

We give you the recommended treatments for the various types of scars acne brings in its wake. Post hyper pigmentation marks are best tackled with MSM or Alpha lipoic acid acne cream. Dermabrasion or laser resurfacing is the suggested treatment for ice pick scars. Flat or thin scars should be dealt with by administering Collagen injections, which should not be used for ice pick scars. Keloids acne scars can be brought under control with steroid injections, silicone gel dressing, crytotherapy or pulsed laser treatment combined with carbon dioxide laser vaporization (where the keloid scar is not too red or too thick).

Preventive measures for acne Scars

Ideally, acne scar treatments should be tried as a last resort because they are highly expensive and have too many side effects. The best approach would be to first try and get rid of the acne. This will work only if you identify the imbalance in your system which is causing the acne. Try to cure it by using natural methods and avoid taking topical acne treatments, medication that is available over the counter or steroids. Once you have corrected the internal symptoms that caused the acne, you will notice the acne disappearing gradually without leaving any scars. Moreover, you will be saved the expenses and harassment of taking treatments that cannot cure the acne permanently.

We already know that acne and its resultant scarring are not a skin problem but are caused by internal imbalances. Once that is fixed there will be no acne and consequently no acne scarring.

If you succeed in nipping the acne forming process from its roots then you will not have any acne scars to deal with either. In this way you will be permanently free from acne and acne scars and enjoy a flawless complexion forever.