What Are The Types Of Acne Scars And How To Treat Them Effectively?

Acne scars are the worst ruiner of first dates. Imagine sitting with your partner, and all they are focused at is your acne scars. This can be the most uncomfortable scenario that can get you. Although most of us are found in this situation, who doesn’t want an acne-scar free face? Despite healing from acne being a long and tiresome process, the aftermath is always traumatizing. The acne scars can affect anyone, be it adults and adolescence and this makes them suffer from time to time. In this modern world majority of the people are overly conscious of how they appear. Ugly acne scars on face or other visible areas is a huge setback. Despite the fact that acne scars cause physical irritation, the scars are also embarrassing. Therefore, most of us keep wondering on whether there are acne scar removal treatment options. As there are more than twenty million people have permanent acne scars and sixty million people each year suffer from acne in the word, it would be important to understand that there are different types of acne scars and various ways of treating them effectively. For us to understand ways of treating acne scars, we first have to understand their types. However, for starters who need to understand about acne care, we have to understand from the beginning.

What Are Acne Scars?

Acne scars are a result of inflammation of the lesion, such as a papule or cyst. They are mainly caused by skin pores engorged with excess oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. This causes the pore to swell hence causing a break in the follicle wall. Although there are hallow lesions that are usually minor and usually heal quickly, there might be a deep break in the pore’s wall causing the infected material to spill out into surrounding tissue to create more in-depth lesions. To repair these lesions, the skin forms new collagen fibers. These repairs are never clear and flawless as the original skin and pockmarks, discolored areas and black spots on the skin can be seen. These are the acne scars.

When understanding acne care, we learn that there are different types of acne scars. They are as follows;

1. Ice Pick Scars

a. What Are Ice Pick Scars?

This is among the types of acne scars that result from acne breakout and can lead to extra damages below the entire skin. Ice pick scars are in-depth and narrow scars that have been extended into the dermis. The skin will look that which has been pierced by an ice pick. The scars may tend to make a small and deep hole in the skin although other scars may look large with open pores.

b. What Causes Ice Pick Scars?

Ice pick scars are caused by a cyst infection. Here are some of the causes:

• Inflammation – The ice pick scar can also be caused when inflammatory acne and deep blemish get formed on the surface. When the skin tissue is destroyed, a long column like scar will develop known as the ice pick scar.
• Comedone – Ice pick scars form as a mild type of acne called comedones. This creates a soft plug blocking the follicle.
• Pressure – When inflammation builds behind acne lesion, there is pressure built. The pressure makes inflammation move deeper into the skin thus causing more damage hence the formation of the scars.

c. How To Treat Ice Pick Scars

In Acne care, these scars can be treated in various ways. One of the treatment options is

• Punch excision also is known as punch grafting. This is intended to make the pore size smaller through cutting it out and suturing it closed.
• Laser CO2 treatment involves the use of a laser to remove the top layer of the skin. Under acne care, the dermatologist will pass the laser over the around three times.
• Skin needling treatment can be used to treat acne scars where a needle can be used to puncture on the site with acne. As the site heals, new collagen will grow thus reducing the appearance of scarring.

2. Boxcar Scars

a. What Are Boxcar Scars?

This is one of the types of acne scars that form around with vertical sides. They are wider than the ice pick scars in size, and they give the skin a pit like an appearance.

b. What Causes Boxcar Scars?

• Inflammation – Inflammation destroys collagen and tissues are lost. The skin around this area is left without support leaving a depressed area.

c. How To Treat Boxcar Scars

Treatments for boxcar scars

• Punch Excision Or Elevation – A punch biopsy tool is matched in the size of the scars than the punch cuts around the damaged skin. The skin edges are then sutured together.
• The Dermal Fillers -Synthetic material is directly injured to the skin with the intention of plumping the area where the scar was formed.
• Laser Resurfacing – This treatment involves pulsating beams of light at the irregular skin to correct scars.
• Subsicion – A sharp needle is used go under the surface and break up that scar tissue.

3. Rolling Acne Scars

a. What Are Rolling Acne Scars?

This is one of the types of acne scars that rolling depressions across a normal-looking skin. The scars have smooth edges looking like tiny hills and valleys on the skin. Rolling scars resemble like little saucers making the skin have a wavy texture.

b. What Causes Rolling Acne Scars?

• Rolling acne scars are formed when fibrous bands of tissues are created between layers of skin.
• Injury to the tissue when acne builds up bacteria and excess oil in the follicles causes the injury.

c. Rolling Acne Scars Treatment

• Subcision – This is a simple surgical procedure where the scars base is cut so that it can elevate to the level of the rest of the skin.
• Laser Treatment – They help in resurfacing the skin. The scars can be reduced through use of lasers such as the matrix CO2 that removes the outer layers of the affected skin through burning away the scar tissue and stimulating new collagen production.
• Use Of Fillers to plump the scar.
• Use Of Scar Removal Gels or chemical peel to heal the depressed acne scars as they might contain essential ingredients that can boost this long-term healing process.

Related:- EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REMOVE ACNE SCARS ON FACE THAT GIVES BEST RESULTS

4. Keloid Acne Scar

a. What Are Keloid Acne Scars?

This is one of the types of acne scars that looks raised and discolored. The scars are as a result of the body trying to recover from the inflammation caused by cystic acne.

b. Cause Of Keloid Acne Scars

• High production of fibroblasts or dermal cells is also known as overproduction of collagen during the healing process of acne.

c. Keloid Acne Scar Treatment

• Cryotherapy – It involves freezing the scars with liquid nitrogen.
• Laser Treatments And Injections – They are used to help shrink and flatten the scar. Injections are used to soften scar tissue.
• Steroid Treatment – This is one of the alternative treatment of the various types of acne scars. However, it is the best option for Keloid scars as steroids are injected into the scar tissue causing them to shrink and flatten.

In conclusion, some of these acne scar removal options such as use of ablative laser may be very expensive. To avoid such costs, always treat acne as soon as possible so that they can’t get worse.

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