Various forms of acne can leave behind what look like holes in the skin. Nodules and cysts are especially known for leaving acne holes. They are also known as “ice-pick” scars as they can look like a little ice-pick was driven into your skin or as “boxcar” acne scars. Luckily there are treatments to remove these scars, though they may require multiple treatments.
Surgery
A tool that looks much like a round cookie cutter is used in punch techniques. In a punch excision, the entire scar is removed and your skin is closed to heal. A punch elevation raises the scar to your skin’s surface to be level with the rest of the skin. A punch graft is when the scar is completely removed and a skin graft is used to fill the opening. Subcutaneous incision is another scar surgery that separates the scar tissue from your skin to raise and flatten the scarred surface.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing involves lasers used to remove the top layers of your skin, forcing it to repair and renew itself. According to the Skin Care Physicians, a study was done with 158 patients who were treated with laser skin resurfacing and the patients with ice-pick or boxcars showed good to excellent results. Recovery time may be needed immediately following the procedure to prevent infection. Continued improvements can be seen up to 18 months following the treatment.
Fillers
Fillers are injected under your scar to plump it and raise it to the skin’s surface. According to Skin Care Physicians, fillers are becoming a popular treatment because there is no recovery time required afterward. Fillers used in the injections are collagen, hyaluronic acid, PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), fat from your own body, or another filler to plump up the scars. PMMA is the only permanent filler, however, and all other fillers will require additional treatments to maintain the appearance.
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are also a form of skin resurfacing. An acid is applied to your skin, causing the top layers to peel, revealing fresh new skin underneath. The type of acid used is determined by your skin type and how deep your dermatologist determines the peel needs to go. Superficial treatments require no recovery time, but deeper peels may require recovery time with skin care requirements to prevent infection.
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