Acne Scars FAQ’s
Acne is a frustrating skin condition that affects as many as 8 out of 10 teenagers. While these embarrassing breakouts can often be considered as a “rite of passage” or “fact of life” during adolescence, there are many individuals who continue to suffer from the effects of acne well into adulthood. It is not uncommon for teens and adults to complete an active battle with acne, only to be left with unsightly acne scars.
Acne scars can be categorized as ice picks, boxcar scars, rolling scars and craters. Regardless of the type you have, it is important that you understand how they form and what you can do to lessen their appearance. A board certified plastic surgeon can offer effective treatment for mild, moderate or severe acne scars.
How do Acne Scars Form?
To understand acne scars, it is helpful to understand how acne itself develops. When your skin pores fill with excess oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, inflamed blemishes are created. Certain skin types are more prone to acne due to pore size and hyper-reactive pilosebaceous units. Like any irritation in the body, your skin will attempt to heal itself after a pimple or blemish forms. This triggers collagen production, which can unfortunately be too little or too much to create an uneven skin surface. Some patients may end up with pitted or raised scars. Those that used steroids to treat their acne breakouts are more likely to experience pitted or crater-like scarring.
Are Acne Scars Permanent?
Although it may not be the news you want, most types of scars (including those brought on by acne) are permanent. However, it is common for acne scars to get more shallow and less contoured over time and there are a number of advanced treatment options to reduce the appearance of acne scars, ranging from micro needling and fillers to lasers and even surgery!
Will I Get Acne Scars if I Pick or Pop My Pimples?
It is hard to convince a teenager to leave an inflamed zit alone, it is the best way to avoid scarring. In fact, popping a pimple with your hand only pushes the majority of the pus back into the dermis layer of the skin while also causing further disruption and damage to this outer skin layer. Let your pimples heal naturally or be safely extracted by a dermatologist.
What Treatment Options Are Available for Acne Scarring?
Just because you get acne, doesn’t mean you will suffer from acne scars the rest of your life. Some acne scars may be very mild while others may drastically improve over time. However, for those that have more noticeable and persistent acne scars, there are treatment options. While there is never a one-size-fits-all solution for acne scarring, a range of treatment modalities can be used (often in combination). Acne scars can be improved with chemical peels, fillers, laser therapy and surgical excision for more extreme cases.
At the Beverly Hills Center, we are proudly equipped to treat acne scars with the latest and most proven techniques. We understand the devastating effects that acne can have on your self-esteem, and the scars left behind can be equally detrimental to a confident complexion. Schedule your consult with Dr. Ben Talei to learn your treatment options today.
