Acne Scars: The Aftermath

Years of fighting your acne, and only to be left with acne scars huh?

I know the pain of that. Acne scars are like the cruel reminder of our past, that we've tried so hard to overcome and forget. But yet they lag around, day after day to torment our reflections in the mirror. So what can we do?

Just kidding, I'm not going to get too dramatic about this. However, this does need to be discussed for anyone with this problem, as there are things than can be done! There are many types of acne scars out there, and I'll bring up the main ones that we suffer from here:

• Icepick scars
  
• Rolling scars
• Boxcar scars
• Hyperpigmentation

Now lets see, which do you have?

So these are really small scars, that are very common among people who've had acne. They are very small in diameter, but can go quite deep into the skin as you can see here --->

It's rumored that picking at your acne and lesions can cause these acne scars, and though that may be true, they also surface sporadically. They usually surface after an infection from a cyst or troublesome pimple has taken place. These are the least visible;due to their small size - though up close that can be quite unsightly, creating tiny pits all over your skin.

Treatments for Icepick Scars

• To be honest, the only thing that can give you the most likely chance of complete removal of these scars, is surgery. But don't worry! They can be very effective,and not too expensive.
• Punch excision: With these, the top layers of skin with the scar are literally cut out, and then skin is taken from somewhere else on your body and put over the scars.This skin is usually taken from somewhere that won't be seen (your underthighs, behind the ears, etc.- you get the idea). Once the new skin is put over the scar areas, it is then smoothed out, and usually works quite well.
• Laser resurfacing: Sounds dangerous huh? This is a somewhat new method, but has been proven to work in many cases. Layers of skin are literally removed with these lasers, to remove the baby skin we all have hiding underneath. Multiple treatments are usually needed for an extreme improvement, but this is still a very effective method.

These types of acne scars aren't as deep as icepick ones, but they are usually even more visible. The reason for this is they are much wider at times, and though shallow in depth, they cover more area on your face. These scars can leave your face looking uneven, as if your skin is elevated at different levels, giving the appearance of waves on water. They can even be discolored too which emphasizes their appearance on your face - Not a good thing. However, even for rolling scars, there are methods that do help you:

Treatments for Rolling Scars

• Dermabrasion is a popular method for these scars. Luckily for you, these aren't as deep as Icepick scars, so the dermabrasion method can work to an extent. Basically, the skin is "sandpapered" with a medical tool, that grinds of the top layer of your skin, which is then replaced with naturally grown new skin that your body will produce. Though this may sound painful, it is worth the small pain for the improvements it has shown.
• Subcutaneous subcision: Or in other words, cutting away the fibers that tighten your skin and stretch it, giving you that wavy look. This can improve the levels of the skin, giving you that even and natural look.

These can look similar to rolling scars, and are usually mixed in with them as well when a person has one of the other. They are a bit more spread out however, and these acne scars tend to be a little deeper than the rolling scars. They can also be wide, which gives them an unsightly look.

Treatments for these, as they are very similar to rolling scars are usually alike.

Dermabrasion to laser resurfacing, they will affect this just as well.

This is a very common type of acne scar. Though many get this at one point or another, it is usually quick to fade on it's on. A red/purplish hue is usually seen on the skin that has been affected by this,or even brown colored, and it can stay there for any amount of time. There are many methods to treat this though, the most popular being topical ways -

• Many creams for "whitening" the skin, or at least lightening the colors from these scars, are sold over the counter. There are literally thousands of them, and some that I have used that have helped use hydroquinone in them. Though this is just one alternative of course, there are many great creams out there for skin discolorings.
• Laser resurfacing can also get rid of this problem fairly easily, as the problem lies on top of your skin.

So I understand there are many of us who don't want to go to the dermatologist, or can't afford to. I'm part of that group as well.

So there are things that we can do at home to try to combat our scars as well - These methods are controversial, but they also have many followers and I have used some myself, such as the : Dermaroller, or copper peptide serum!

So here are some links to websites that have great acne scar treatments, that you can do right at home!