Acne is a common skin issue that occurs as when the pores or follicles of your skin become clogged with sebum oil from the sebacious glands and dead skin cells. Mild cases of acne (such as blackheads or whiteheads) pose little risk for acne scarring, but as acne progresses to more serious types (such as cysts or nodules) pressure builds up behind the acne lesion, causing damage deep into the skin tissue until the lesion bursts, causing further scar tissue. When acne scars develop, there are several treatment methods available to lessen the appearance of the scarring.
Chemical Peel
Have your dermatologist perform a chemical peel on the scarred area. Chemical peels use substances such as salicylic acid, phenol, and glycolic acid to remove the outer layers of skin from the affected area. As the skin peels off, new smoother skin cells are revealed, lessening the appearance of the acne scar.
Laser Treatments
Laser treatments can also be used on acne scars. There are two types of lasers that can be used for acne scars, ablative and non-ablative. An ablative laser works similar to a chemical peel in that it removes the outer layer of scar tissue from the body, allowing new healthier tissue to replace it. Non-ablative lasers focus deeper into the skin, using their energy to activate the body's production of collagen. As collagen supplies grow beneath the scar, the scar tissue is stretched and plumped up even with the surrounding skin, making deep scars (such as "ice pick" scars) less noticeable.
Dermal Fillers
For deep pitted scars, dermal fillers may also be used to lessen the scar's appearance. Dermal fillers include substances such as hyaluronic acid and collagen, that can be injected directly into acne scars. Dermal fillers fill the space beneath scars, stretching the affected tissue and evening the scar with the surrounding skin. Some forms of dermal fillers are bovine (cow) based, making them more susceptible to allergic reaction. To prevent a reaction from occurring, your doctor may perform a skin allergen test before injecting the filler into the scar.
Surgical Intervention
A common form of surgical intervention for more serious scars are punch grafts. Punch grafts use specialized surgical equipment to remove the scar tissue from the skin. Skin grafts are then taken from other areas of the body to replace the removed scar tissue. Although a new scar may form where the graft was placed, surgeons are trained to make the new scar less noticeable than the original acne scar.
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