Even after pesky pimples are gone, they sometimes leave you frustrating little parting gifts: acne scars. Acne scars are the little indentions or red marks left on your face after acne is gone. Believe it or not, you can have beautiful and smooth skin again. Removal treatments for acne scars can give you the clear skin you've always dreamt of.
Avoiding Acne Scars
To prevent future acne scars or avoid making current scars worse, don't pick or squeeze your acne. Picking and squeezing leads to further damage to the skin and increases inflammation. It can cause bacteria and pus to go deeper into the skin, causing more damage and leaving deeper, redder scars.
Reducing Redness
To reduce the swelling and redness of your acne scars, try a cortisone or other redness-reducing cream. Look for non-toxic acne-fading creams with ingredients like vitamin C, kojic acid, and arbutin. It should be noted that substances like kojic acid and arbutin should be used with caution to avoid undesired skin-lightening effects. Creams can help fade the discoloration of the skin due to acne scars, but it can't help with the indentation. Luckily, there are other methods that can reduce the indentation of acne scars.
Treating Scar Indentions
- Laser treatment Laser resurfacing is one method that can help smooth out uneven skin with acne scarring. Laser resurfacing uses high-energy light to burn away the damaged, uneven skin and stimulate new collagen formation to fill in indentations. It usually only takes one to three sessions of laser treatment to see results.
- Dermabrasion Dermabrasion involves a machine removing the top layers of scarred skin. This method helps the skin to appear smoother and fresher. Dermabrasion minimizes or eliminates the appearance of acne scars and can even be used for the removal of surgical scars.
- Chemical Peels Chemical peels are best for removing discoloration, sun damage, and superficial scars. The chemical peel is directly applied to the skin. It removes the top layer, triggering regeneration.
- Collagen Injections Collagen injections replace natural supplies that the body has lost. This type of injectable collagen usually comes from purified cow collagen. The collagen helps to create new skin, replacing that which was destroyed by acne.
- Punch Grafts Punch grafts are great solutions for deep acne scars. A punch graft is a small graft of skin usually taken from the back of the earlobe or another discreet place. The graft of new skin is used to replace pitted skin.
- Autologous Fat Transfer Autologous fat transfers are used to elevate the skin under an indented scar. This is done by taking fat from another part of the body and injecting it under the scar. This treatment may need to be repeated, because the body may absorb the fat over time.
Cost
Some acne treatments cost more than others. A dermabrasion treatment can cost as little as $80 per treatment, but they typically cost around $100. Laser treatments can cost up to $300 per treatment. Call your local dermatologist to learn about exact prices for acne scar removal services.
