Acne Scars and How They’re Treated

Acne is a common condition and can be distressing to the best of us, causing spots, oily skin and sometimes feelings of pain and heat on the skin. Acne typically develops on the face, back or chest with facial acne being the most common. Here, we take a look at the scarring caused by acne, exploring how it happens and what you can do to make it less visible.

Causes of acne

Acne occurs when the sebaceous glands, which are found just under the surface of the skin and are attached to hair follicles, produce too much of an oily substance called sebum. This mixes with dead skin cells and blocks the hair follicle. Then, the normally harmless bacteria that live on the skin can combine with the excess sebum to form unsightly pustules, cysts or nodules.

Scarring can occur as a complication of acne, usually when a nodule or cyst bursts and damages the skin. Research has shown that around 47% of acne sufferers develop scarring with three specific risk factors for this being – genetics, the male gender and how severe the acne is.

The three main types of acne scarring are:

• Ice pick scars – Small, deep holes in the skin’s surface that look like puncture holes or large pores

• Rolling scars – Caused by bands of scar tissue that forms beneath the skin to give a rolling and uneven appearance to the surface of the skin

• Boxcar scars – Shallow to medium depth round or oval depressions or craters in the skin, most commonly found across the cheeks

How best to treat acne

Despite the distress caused by acne with some unable to socialise or live their normal lives, treatment for acne is not available on the NHS. Despite the effects on health and wellbeing, acne treatment is considered to be cosmetic surgery.

The best way to have your acne treated is to consult with a skincare professional experienced and knowledgeable in the causes and treatment of acne scars. This way you can be confident that you’ll have access to the latest, up-to-date treatments – usually a combination of clinical in-clinic treatments and skincare products - to suit your circumstances.

What treatments are there?

Whether your acne scarring is on your face, chest or back treatments can include:

Advanced Micro-needling with Radio Frequency. This uses minute needles along with radiofrequency waves to rejuvenate skin by stimulating the growth of healthy new skin. This is a minimally invasive procedure the effects of which can last for one to two years.

Diamond Dermabrasion. Another minimally invasive procedure which uses the power of a diamond-tipped tool to stimulate collagen production and improve the appearance of the skin by also minimising the appearance of pores.

Derma White Treatment Peel. This is a very safe and natural procedure which uses a gentle combination of herbs massaged into the skin, particularly beneficial for black and Asian skin conditions. It helps to promote the production of collagen for clearer, smoother skin.

Intense Pulsed Light. This is an effective treatment for acne scarring that uses multiple waves of light to stimulate the growth if new skin. It works to address hyperpigmentation and scarring of the skin simultaneously.

Vascular Laser Treatment. Scars are exposed to short pulses of light, targeting the blood vessels within the scar tissue – very effective on redness or hyperpigmentation.

All acne scar treatments available at professional clinics are tailored to the individual following a thorough evaluation and explanation of what you can expect during and after treatment. If you’re concerned about your scarring, it’s worth getting an evaluation to see what improvements can be made.

MissLJBeauty