Many people with acne scars believe that those scars harm their quality of life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology or AAD. Some people feel they can't date or that their career opportunities are limited because of their acne scars. If you're one of these people, you may want to consider procedures to remove your acne scars. Although acne scar removal results vary, most patients see good to excellent results, the AAD states.
Scarring Causes
According to the Mayo Clinic, acne forms when the body's hormones surge, causing too much oil production in the skin. This oil can build up in hair follicles and combine with dead skin cells, causing irritation and eventually plugging follicles completely. When infection and inflammation set deep into a blocked hair follicle, a cyst or nodule can form. These are particularly likely to cause scars once they clear up.
Surgery Results
Dermatologists use acne scar surgery to treat two types of acne scars: depressed scars and raised scars, according to the AAD. To treat depressed scars, your surgeon can will cut out the scar completely and graft skin in its place, or possibly use a scalpel to raise the scar.
Results tend to be good, the AAD notes. For raised acne scars, your dermatologist likely will try corticosteroid injections first to shrink the scar. If the injections don't work, then the dermatologist might try surgery. However, raised acne scars often recur following surgery.
Laser Therapy Results
Ablative laser treatment, used to treat depressed acne scars, strips off the top layer of skin. As new skin forms, depressed acne scars become shallower. Medical studies show that laser treatments can effectively treat depressed acne scars.
In one study cited by the AAD, 158 patients with various types of depressed scars had ablative laser treatment. Patients with shallow scars or smaller deep scars had good to excellent results, and even a few patients with large, deep scars had good results.
Medication Results
Some people develop dark spots on their skin after pimples clear. Although these spots will fade eventually, you might want to hurry the fading process. If you have skin discoloration related to your acne, your dermatologist likely will recommend a prescription cream containing the active ingredient hydroquinone, or possibly a combination cream containing hydroquinone, tretinoin and a corticosteroid, according to the AAD. These creams, used consistently, should fade your spots within a few months.
Considerations
Regardless of what types of acne scars you have and which treatments you choose, it will take time to see results.
If you had a physical procedure such as surgery, your skin will need time to heal. Those who choose laser treatment might have an especially long wait for the final results, as some people continue to see improvements for up to 18 months, according to the AAD. However, the results may not be perfect.
It's generally difficult or impossible to duplicate the skin tone you had before your scars, the AAD reports. Your dermatologist can discuss possible treatments and predict the results you can expect from each option.
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