Acne Scarring
Lone Tree, CO 80124
What it is
Indentations, raised scars, or pigmentation left behind on the skin from the damage and inflammation caused by blemishes.
Common Causes
- Cystic acne– inflammation from cystic acne causes the pore to swell and bacteria from the blemish enters into surrounding tissue. The body tries to repair itself by forming new scar tissue thus resulting in a scar
- Picking– popping and/or picking at blemishes or cysts/nodules causes trauma to the skin and your body tries to heal itself, which causes pigmentation or scabs
- Chronic UVA/UVB sun exposure– sun damage to the blemish causes hyperpigmentation because your body is trying to protect itself by laying down excess melanin
- Inadequate collagen production– this happens at the healing stage of the blemish, where the body produces too little of collagen (indentation scarring) or an excess of collagen (keloid scarring)
Types of acne scarring
Ice picks
Box Car
Rolling
Hypertrophic/Keloid
Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
How to treat acne scarring
Medical grade skincare:
Using customized medical-grade skincare such as a retinol and AHA/BHA exfoliant is important to help relieve active acne as well as scars because these active ingredients help expedite cell turnover. Also, using a medical grade skincare regime while undergoing treatments helps patients reach results quicker and see a bigger difference.
VI Chemical Peel
This medical grade chemical peel penetrates deep into the inner layers of skin to chemically resurface the outer layers of skin. This works best for mild acne scarring or hyperpigmentation caused from acne. A series of 3 is usually recommended for best results with maintenance as needed. This treatment is safe for all skin-types but skin-prep before and after may be recommended for certain individuals.
ResurFX
ResurFX is a non-ablative laser that resurfaces the skin to improve collagen production and thus rid the depth/appearance of acne scars. This treatment works by the laser penetrating into the second layer of skin, coagulating the tissue so that healthier tissue and collagen is formed. This works best for mild to moderate acne scars and usually needs a series of 3-6 treatments or until the individual is happy. This treatment is safe for all skin-types but skin-prep before and after may be recommended for certain individuals.
RF Microneedling:
RF Microneedling combines the power of microneedling with radio frequency. Microneedling causes controlled wounds to the skin to signal healing which creates collagen production, while radio frequency tightens the skin. This works on all ranges of acne scarring, especially pitted acne scars. Again 3-6+ treatments are usually needed to see results depending on the severity of the scarring. This treatment is safe for all skin-types but skin-prep before and after may be recommended for certain individuals.
Regular Microneedling:
Regular microneedling with FDA approved SkinPen is a great treatment to lessen acne scarring of all types. This treatment helps to diminish acne scarring by using controlled needles to create wounds in the skin. The body recognizes this wound and signals a healing cascade that in turn produces collagen and elastin fibers to even out the texture from acne scarring. It is recommended to do a series of 3-6 for optimal results depending on the individual’s scarring severity. This treatment is safe for all skin-types.
Dermal Filler:
Dermal fillers can help to even the skin texture by raising depressed areas of acne scarring such as ice picks, boxcars, and rolling scars (see image above). Some dermal fillers can also act as collagen stimulators that not only add volume to depleted areas of scarring, but also work to produce natural collagen and elastin for a more long-term effect. A series of treatments are recommended depending on the individual’s severity of acne scarring.
*Of Note*
Acne scarring is a permanent skin condition that can take several treatments to improve. Scar tissue can vary from person to person, so it is crucial to go to a trained medical professional to get a proper diagnosis first, especially since there are many variations/severities of acne scarring. Without continual care and treatments for acne scarring, this condition may not get better. No treatment is a permanent solution but with maintenance you can keep the condition at bay. See a trusted provider for a complete, individualized treatment plan, just for you!