What can you do about acne scars?

Acne scar treatment Charlotte 

Acne is very common, and most people will experience it at some point during their lives. While it’s just a minor annoyance for many people, there are others who experience more severe acne, often in their teens. This type of acne can lead to permanent scars, which often look like indentations in the surface of the skin.

Many people with acne scars are bothered by them, and their self-esteem and confidence may be affected. If you’d like to have smoother and more even skin, is there a way to get rid of acne scars? What are your treatment options?

Chemical peels for acne scars

A chemical peel uses a solution of acids, which are applied to the surface of the skin. This creates some irritation, which activates the body’s healing response. The outer layer of the skin will slough off after a few days, and a smoother, healthier layer of skin will be revealed beneath.

There are various types of chemical peels, which target different depths of the skin. In general, a very superficial chemical peel won’t be effective for acne scars, because these affect deeper layers of the skin. A deeper chemical peel is needed to address this issue. These chemical peels do carry certain risks, such as discoloration of the skin. This risk is greater in those with darker skin tones, so people in this group might want to consider other options.

Laser skin resurfacing for acne scars

One effective option is laser skin resurfacing. The laser energy may be applied all across the surface of the skin, or in certain discrete areas. In some cases, the laser treatment causes the outer layer of skin to slough off, much like a chemical peel. In other cases, there’s no sloughing of the outer layer, but the treatment stimulates the healing response in the deeper layers of the skin. This causes the synthesis of proteins like collagen and elastin (the main structural proteins of the skin), which tightens the skin and reduces the appearance of acne scars. 

Laser skin resurfacing can also carry a risk of discoloration of the skin, especially if the outer layer of skin sloughs off. 

Microneedling for acne scars

Microneedling uses a device with many tiny needles, which is passed across the surface of the skin. The needles are extremely tiny – so small that they’re difficult to feel. These create very tiny puncture wounds, which stimulate the skin’s healing response. This results in increased synthesis of collagen and elastin, with resulting skin tightening and shrinking of acne scars.

The effects of microneedling can be boosted by passing radiofrequency (RF) energy through the needles. This creates heating of the tissues, which further stimulates the skin’s healing response.

Microneedling doesn’t carry the same risk of skin discoloration that chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing do. For those with darker skin tones who are at higher risk for this complication, microneedling is often the preferred option for dealing with acne scars, because the risk of skin discoloration is much lower.

Dermal fillers for acne scars

It’s also possible to use dermal fillers to address particular acne scars. These are injected just below the scar, to push its surface up so that it’s level with the surrounding skin. This helps to make the scar much less visible.

Fillers can be a good option if you have just one or a few scars that are particularly problematic. It’s common to have a large number of scars across the surface of the skin. It generally won’t work to inject dermal fillers below each and every one of these scars – this is simply not practical. However, if you have one or a few scars that are particularly deep or that bother you because of their location, it may be possible to use dermal fillers to address these.

Acne scar treatment Charlotte 

If you’re looking for a way to address acne scars, there are several different ways that cosmetic medicine could be helpful for you. A consultation with one of our qualified professionals will help you to learn more about your treatment options, and to get personalized advice about what would be recommended in your specific case. To schedule your free consultation, please contact our office at 704-896-5556.