A pimple occurs when a pore in your skin becomes blocked by an oily substance known as sebum. The sebaceous gland continues to secrete sebum into the blocked pore until the pore erupts into the characteristic pustule known as a pimple. A pimple can rupture into an open lesion, which may scar if it fails to heal properly. A dermatologist will typically need to treat a pimple scar with methods that include dermal fillers, laser resurfacing, chemical peels and dermabrasion.
Step 1
Receive an injection of a dermal filler. Your dermatologist injects a dermal filler such as collagen, which fills out the indentation caused by a pimple scar. Your body will eventually absorb most dermal fillers, so their effects are generally temporary. You'll typically need to repeat a collagen injection every six months.
Step 2
Undergo laser resurfacing. A dermatologist may also use a laser to vaporize the upper layers of your skin. A computer automatically controls the laser's actions based on parameters that the dermatologist provides. A carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is an older type of laser treatment that results in a recovery time of about 10 days. An erbium, yttrium, aluminum and garnet (Er:YAG) laser is a more recent type of resurfacing laser treatment that involves a recovery period of three to five days.
Step 3
Select a chemical peel. An at-home chemical peel is generally suitable for removing light scarring only, since it doesn't penetrate very deeply into the skin. The chemical peels for home use generally have a maximum concentration of 20 percent glycolic acid. Dermatologists use chemical peels that contain up to 70 percent glycolic acid, which removes the top layer of skin and results in the improvement of scars due to regeneration of the skin.
Step 4
Ask your doctor about dermabrasion. Your dermatologist may also use a variety of tools to remove scar tissue from your skin. These tools typically have a head that's coated with diamonds and rotates at least 18,000 times per minute. Dermatologists most often use dermabrasion to remove acne scars and surgical scars from a person's body. Recovery time is between five and seven days. When your skin heals, the surface appears clear and smooth.
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