Struggling with scars post-acne vulgaris is almost as disheartening as the acne itself. Except, with acne, you have hope that someday it will go away. As defined by the free dictionary online, a scar is “A lingering sign of damage or injury.” It lingers. And with acne, it is normally a multitude of scars that linger, forming the likes of an abandoned war zone on the side of your face. Fortunately, the battle is not yet won. Some effective solutions for acne scars have emerged with the development of new technology.
Searching For Acne Scar Solutions: Been Around the Block
You may be rolling your eyes. Yeah, yeah, acne scar treatment, been there, done that. And maybe you have tried these older methods. But for many people they have provided some degree of respite and are doubtless worth mentioning.
- -Topical Creams: Topical retinoids can help the skin increase the rate of new cell production. This is effective for treating milder acne scars.
- -Punch grafting: This technique surgically excises each individual scar and replaces it with donor tissue, usually from behind the patient’s ear. Severe acne marks, such as deep “ice pick” scars, benefit most from this procedure. Resulting discoloration or unevenness is later smoothed out with microdermabrasion or chemical peels.
- -Microdermabrasion: A mild form of acne scar treatment, this method deeply exfoliates the skin by applying finely ground particles like magnesium salt crystals to the affected area. This must be employed as a course of several treatments in order to see results. In any case, results are typically only a slight change.
- -Dermabrasion: This much harsher exfoliation uses a diamond fraise or textured metallic surface to actually sand the skin. Through the process, the top layer of skin is entirely excoriated, causing substantial bleeding, with possible scarring and discoloration as a result. Recovery can take as long as eight weeks.
New, but Tried and True – Treatments for Acne Scarring
Newer methods to arise with the evolution of laser technology have proven highly effective. These revolutionary techniques get the job done with fewer risks and fewer potential complications.
- -Fraxel Repair Laser: This laser uses photo thermolysis to send microscopic shafts of light in through the skin. The result is a light-induced burn at the superficial and deep layers of skin, which stimulates new collagen growth. This can only be used on fair-skinned people.
- -Fraxel Dual Laser: This laser uses intense heat beneath the superficial layers of skin to soften the densely formed collagen fibers (the cause of scars) and produce new collagen. After several procedures, the new collagen creates smooth surface skin. This acne scar treatment is safe to use on darker skin tones.
Long laser wavelengths like the 1550 and 1927nm of Fraxel Dual offer a safe way to promote new collagen formation to improve the appearance of acne scars in ethnic patients.*