Considering the growing number of prescription medications, innovative treatment options, and home remedies to reduce scarring caused by acne, it is not surprising that people typically feel overwhelmed when trying to find the right acne scar treatment. It is true that different people respond to medication, treatments, and remedies in unique ways but rather than feeling confused or overwhelmed, people with acne scarring need to realize because of the vast number of solutions they have both effective and safe options.
We wanted to offer some helpful information about acne scar categories and types along with information regarding how to remove acne scars. From the perspective of the person who struggles with acne breakouts and scarring, key information provides hope of living without any level of scarring. In addition, understanding categories and types would help with the process of choosing the most effective acne scar treatment available.
Of course, if someone had questions or concerns, having a consultation with a doctor that specializes in problems associated with acne would be highly suggested.
Understanding Acne Scarring
Before any treatment could be considered, a person would need to have some degree of understanding about the categories in which acne scarring resides. Two different categories exist, with different types of scarring found in each. These categories include raised and depressed, as outlined below.
- Raised – For this, scars actually begin to form on the skin’s surface although after some time, these scars increase in size and actually start to itch and produce pain. Because of this, raised acne scars become more and more visible as time passes.
- Depressed – In this case, there would be depressions on the skin of varying degrees. Unfortunately, the indentions or pits associated with depressed scarring worsen with age.
Types of Acne Scars
Another aspect of how to remove acne scars, people need to know about the types of scars within the two categories mentioned above. Within the raised category are Hypertrophic and Keloid scars whereas for the depressed category, the types of scars include Icepick, Rolling, and Boxcar.
- Hypertrophic – Acne scarring of this type are found within the wound’s margin. Initially, these scars are red although they do fade over time.
- Keloid – Of all acne scars, this is one of the more challenging for a variety of reasons. For one thing, Keloid scars actually continue to grow even after the acne outbreak has subsided. These scars are quite large and thick, the surface is smooth, and they are pink or purple. While Keloid scars can affect people of all ethnic groups, visibility is increased in African Americans, Asians, and Latinos. Several treatments exist for Keloid scarring but challenges exist for older scars in that removing them is quite difficult.
- Icepick – This type of depressed acne scar involves deeply pitted skin
- Rolling – The appearance of rolling scars is wavy with some degree of texture
- Boxcar – The last of the depressed acne types is boxcar, which make it appear as if a person has extremely large pores
The way in which acne scars are treated depends on the category, type, and level of severity. In addition, the individual and even the age of scarring would be determining factors as to the success of treatments. The following information covers some of the more beneficial treatments for the two different categories already mentioned.
Raised Acne Scar Treatments
- Injections – Known as intralesional injections, this involves corticosteroids being injected directly into raised acne scars with a flat surface. With this, the size of scarring is diminished and scars appear smoother. For thick scars, doctors use injections of interferon, which help soften the texture. Typically, a number of injections would be administered over a three-week period after which time the doctor would look for degree of change, if any.
- Surgery – Although not anything major, one solution how to remove acne scars is with outpatient surgery. For Hypertrophic scars, surgery usually produces quick and favorable results whereas for Keloid acne scars, two types of surgery are usually performed to include scar removal and acne surgeries. The reason is that Keloids can return and in fact, they do in 45% to 100% of cases.
- Pressure – For this option, an individual with raised Keloid acne scarring would wear a special garment or device that applies pressure as a means of keeping the scar from resurfacing.
- Radiation – Although one of the newer treatments for people with raised , radiation when used specifically for this purpose has shown great promise.
- Laser Therapy – In the discussion of how to remove acne scars, laser treatments have become all the rage for a variety of uses because they work. A qualified professional would use PDL or Pulsed Dye Laser for individuals with darker skin and IPL or Intense Pulsed Laser for people with lighter skin as a means of reducing discoloration, eliminating itching and pain, and flattening the surface of raised scars.
- Cryotherapy – This treatment actually freezes the acne scar, causing the connected tissue to die and the scar to come off. Along with corticosteroid injections, people with raised acne scars have experienced improvement
- Topical Solutions – One of the best acne scar treatments is with creams, lotions, or gels formulated with Tretinoin that decreases the scar’s size, as well as discoloration, pain, and itching.
Depressed Acne Scar Treatments
- Surgery – While surgery is the most serious choice it is also the most effective when dealing with depressed acne scarring. Under light sedation, a doctor would use a process in which large, deep scars actually become smaller. Usually, following the surgery and healing period, laser treatments are used to reduce the size of scars further.
- Laser Resurfacing – Of all scar treatments, this one works great for depressed scars regardless of type although people with icepick or boxcar scarring seem to have the best outcome.
- Fillers – Many people search how to remove acne scars with fillers and for good reason. Key benefits include an immediate transformation and no time needed for recovery. To achieve the best results, different types of fillers are used although when a person’s own body fat is extracted and then injected, as well as Polymethylmethacrylate or hyaluronic acid into the scarred area, results would be permanent.
- Chemical Peels – While ongoing maintenance would be required when using this treatment for depressed acne scars, because chemical peels have the ability to penetrate deep into the skin, they produce good results for people with types of depressed scars.
- Microdermabrasion – This treatment causes no pain although the top layer of the skin is removed. For people with mild scarring, as the skin heals after microdermabrasion, scars are barely visible, if at all.