Acne is commonly found among teenagers going through puberty or pregnant women. Some adults also have cases of acne and many people are left with acne scarring once the acne has cleared.
When the hair follicles under the skin clog up, acne appears on the surface of the skin. Acne can be visible as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples or acne vulgaris. The severity of acne scarring will depend on the severity of the acne and also on whether the person picked at the acne a lot.
Types of acne scarring include:
Boxcar scars
Ice pick scars
Rolling scars
Hypertrophic/keloid scars
Not only is acne sometimes very painful, but the scars are sometimes worse than the actual condition. The acne may come and go, but some people believe they are stuck with acne scarring for the rest of their lives. Laser therapy is a very effective away of removing these scars.
There are many other ways to improve the appearance of your skin and remove these scars. Chemical peels are a great method to minimise the effect of acne scarring and other options include facials, creams, gels and serums.
While it is a good idea to try different treatments and methods to get rid of these scars, it should be noted that some of the cheaper over the counter options can do more harm than good and could possibly end up worsening the appearance of your acne scarring.
The option you find will best suit your skin type, should also suit your lifestyle. While it is normal to be shy about your acne scarring and the effect the treatment will have on your face, you should know that most of these painful effects are only temporary.
If you are considering options to have your acne scarring treated or removed, then contact us for honest and reliable advice to best suit your skin type.
Posted on June 30th, 2011 by The Melrose Aesthetic Centre
A testimonial from a client who had suffered from severe acne for most of her life…
I had moderate to severe acne from my young teens. I thought that I would outgrow it by my early 20’s, but once I had finished university at the age of 23, I realised it wasn’t going to happen. I decided I was going to take serous action to clear my acne and improve my skin’s condition. I subsequently tried various face products for a few months and my skin didn’t improve, in fact it was getting worse. I then decided I would go to The Melrose Aesthetic Centre to see what could be done.
Initially I was worried that the doctors might recommend that I go on roaccuatine or the pill. I was pleasantly surprised to find these were not prescribed for me and that there are other effective options. I was also very comfortable with Dr Cohen – I felt that he really knew what he was talking about and that he would be able to sort my skin out.
My hope was that I could clear all my acne for good and then also clear all the pigmentation and indented scars. I haven’t completed my treatment yet, but have been undergoing treatments for about 4 months. My skin is greatly improved – I would say at this stage my acne has cleared up about 85% and is progressively getting better. Now that I am at this level I can begin to undergo treatment for the scarring. I look forward to seeing the results!
All my family and friends have commented on how much better and clearer my skin is looking and I am very satisfied with my results.
Acne is a common human skin disease, characterised by areas of skin with scaly red skin, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and possibly acne scarring once the acne has cleared. Acne scarring is the result of inflammation, within the dermis brought on by acne. The scarring is created by the wound trying to heal itself resulting in too much collagen in one spot.
Acne scars can take two forms: scars with a gradual dip or depression (sometimes called ‘rolling’ scars) or scars that are deep and narrow. A person’s acne needs to be under control before acne scarring can be treated.
Different types of acne scarring:
Ice pick scars – deep pits, that are the most common and a classic sign of acne scarring
Box car scars – angular scars that usually occur on the temple and cheeks, and can be either superficial or deep, these are similar to chicken pox scars
Rolling scars – scars that give the skin a wave-like appearance
Hypertrophic scars – thickened or keloid scars
Treatments for acne scarring:
Laser resurfacing – this procedure can be done in the doctor’s or dermatologist’s office. The laser removes the damaged top layer of skin and tightens the middle layer, leaving skin smoother.
Dermabrasion – this treatment uses a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument to wear down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new smoother layer replaces the abraded skin.
Fractional laser therapy – this type of treatment works at a deeper level than other acne scarring removal treatments like laser resurfacing or dermabrasion. Because fractional laser therapy doesn’t wound the top layer of the tissue, healing time is shorter.
Picking at scabs should be avoided at all costs. Scabs form to protect the healing process that is going on underneath them. Pulling a scab off before it is ready interferes with the healing and remodelling process, prolonging the time that post-inflammatory changes will be visible, therefore increasing the visibility of acne scarring.
Chemical Peels Skin Care For Acne, Scars, And Wrinkles
More and more people opt for non-invasive skin care for acne, scars, and wrinkles. As we age brown and darker spots appear on the skin. Our skins start to sag a bit and can get a tired appearance. Through chemical peels one can remove acne scars, fine wrinkles, stretch marks, and dark spots on the skin. With effective skin care for acne, scars and wrinkles one can look up to ten years younger. Chemical peels are safe, with little or no-downtime required, non-invasive, affordable, and provide stunning results. In addition to Cosmelan®, we also offer Easy TCA® and Unideep® chemical peels of medium depth. For a deeper treatment we recommend one of the phenol peels. Each treatment option is explained to the client and an assessment made of the skin damage to repair. Once we have done the assessment we will provide you with a recommendation of the most suitable skin care treatments for removal of acne scars and wrinkles.
Chemical peels still feature under the top and safest skin care for acne, scars & wrinkles despite new technologies such as laser resurfacing available today. At The Melrose Aesthetic Centre we make use of both methods of skin care for acne, scars & wrinkles because of their effectiveness, skin rejuvenation properties and the general improvement in skin condition. There are various levels of peels that can be performed ranging from superficial to deep phenol treatments. The specific treatment will depend on the skin type, damage level of the skin and the personal preferences of the client. When deciding on the chemical peel to be used we consider the strength of peel required, the concentration and the specific skin type.
When the hair follicles under the skin clog up, acne appears on the surface of the skin. Acne can be visible as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples or acne vulgaris. The severity of acne scarring will depend on the severity of the acne and also on whether the person picked at the acne a lot.