While acne usually fades away by the twenties, acne scars can remain for a lifetime and can be extremely disfiguring. Nevertheless there are methods to minimise scarring, so what is the best acne scar treatment for you? There are an assortment of methods available, however they are not cheap so you ought to carefully investigate them before you come to a decision which one is right for you.
Microdermabrasion is suitable for small acne scars that protrude above the surface of the skin. This basically exfoliates the skin and eradicates dead or damaged skin on the surface. It is not appropriate for deep-seated scars or those that are sunk below the skin surface. In this technique a instrument is used to scatter extremely small crystals on the the skin’s surface in a stream under pressure. The crystals used are mostly aluminium oxide but others such as sodium chloride, magnesium oxide or carborundum, are sometimes used as an alternative. This method removes the very top layer of the skin and is very useful to completely clean out pores. It also eliminates dead skin cells. It is a low risk procedure and does not need any healing time.
Laser Skin Rejuvenation is a gentle method that does not take away the skin’s top layer as other laser techniques do but uses rays of light which get through to the lower levels of the skin. This speeds up collagen growth which then starts to fill up the scars over the following months. There is no down time as there is no injury to the skin and it takes only around twenty minutes to carry out. There may be a slight reddening of the skin which is transient and is easily covered by the use of makeup. Laser skin rejuvenation treatments are generally carried out over approximately four weeks with around five to six treatments.
Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing is available in two different forms called ablative and non-ablative. Recuperation from non-ablative laser treatment is to a great extent faster and is typically used for mild scarring. The laser is used to make small areas of damage to the skin close to the scars which initiates the growth of additional collagen in these areas which helps to heal the scar. Fractional laser skin resurfacing is often regarded as one of the best acne scar treatments but is also the most expensive.
Acne Scar Thermage Treatment is an alternative treatment which makes us of waves that are in the radio frequency range and is mostly used for fine lines and wrinkles on the face. This method speeds up the growth of collagen and as a result doesn’t deal with scars in the same way as fractional laser skin resurfacing. It is painless and is not invasive and takes around an hour.
Dermal Filling is mostly temporary and employs collagen injections which help to fill the scars. A few months later the filling material used is absorbed by the body. The collagen is derived from either natural or animal sources so if you’re using collagen derived from animals you will need to be tested for allergic reactions before undertaking the treatment. Newer dermal fillers, for example Restylane®, use man-made materials which do not have the risk of an allergic reaction and typically last a lot longer than the other collagen procedures. If you would prefer a inexpensive, although temporary method, this may possibly be the best acne scar treatment for you.
Chemical Peels are not so prevalent as they were once as acne scar treatments such as laser skin resurfacing are being used more frequently in their place. In spite of this they are relatively valuable for mild to moderate acne scarring as they essentially blister the top layer of the skin which then allows new unscarred, healthy skin to grow. The most popular type of chemical peel uses glycolic acid which is an organic acid derived from plants and fruit. Chemical peels only take about 15 minutes and is almost pain free although there might be some stinging. Side effects sometimes include flaking and redness of the skin which might last from a couple of days to around a week depending on the type and severity of the chemical peel treatment. A course of at least three treatments is desirable to see any obvious improvement in scarring.
In Conclusion
What then the best acne scar treatment? This will certainly be dependant on the degree of scarring you may have and, evidently, on your budget. Several of the most useful acne scar treatments are expensive and need recurring visits to be effective. Take into account how deep your scarring is and arrange a consultation with a dermatologist to discuss the laser treatment for scars that will be best for you and your skin.
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