The Problem Of Acne Scars
By
The Beat Acne Team
Acne is a problem that plagues many people at one time or another in their lives. It is often unsightly and can make people feel bad about their looks, which is certainly undesired. Unfortunately, even after the has gone away, some people still have problems as a result, in the form of scars, a reminder of an outbreak that can last for some time. Let’s get a little better understanding of different kinds of scars and how to best prevent them. Pigmentation Scars Pigmentation scares are the lest severe kinds of scars. These usually show as an inflamed area on the skin, leaving it reddened. However, these scars do tend to fade with time. The chances of pigmentation scars increase with the severity of the acne, and while these are unsightly, they are often also less severe than the itself, so many people still feel relief at no longer having the on their face. The best way to prevent pigmentation scars is to not attempt to pop a pimple or to otherwise aggravate the infected area. Ice Pick Scars More severe than pigmentation scars, ice pick scars result in indentations in the skin. If you’ve ever seen someone with a skin texture that you might describe as “craggy,” those are likely the result of scars. Ice pick scars are often more permanent than pigmentation scars and a lot more difficult to treat. Sometimes microdermabrasion or chemical peels can help to even out the appearance of the skin, though. In other cases, surgery is needed to repair ice pick scars, removing the tissue from the scar, which is then closed with a suture or with skin grafting. In other cases, subcision is used to lift the scar tissue away from unscarred tissue, reducing the severity of the scar’s appearance. Hypertrophic Scars In contrast to the ice pick scars, hypertrophic scars are raised above the skin. These scars are created by the buildup of collagen in the skin. The collagen is produced in response to an injury, such as a painful case of acne, and can build up, resulting in a raised scar that is usually firm, smooth at the surface, and has an irregular shape. These can diminish in time, just as pigmentation scars, and often seem to run in families, with relatives of those susceptible to these scars more likely to receive them as well. Unfortunately, surgery to remove these scars is often not an option, since the surgery can provoke the same sort of scarring. As is the case with this and other scars, these are difficult to treat. The best way to avoid scarring is to prevent in the first place with proper skin care.