Acne is extremely common, and most people will experience it at some point. For some people, acne is just a minor nuisance. However, others experience more severe acne, usually during their teen years. Even once the acne itself has cleared up, it can sometimes leave behind scars.
Acne scarring can have a significant effect on a person’s self-esteem and confidence. Many people are looking for a way to address acne scarring, hoping to get smoother, more even skin. Modern medicine has several different ways to address acne scarring.
What are some of the options? What can you do about acne scars?
Chemical peels
A chemical peel uses a solution of acids applied to the surface of the skin. This causes the outer layer of the skin to slough off, revealing healthier tissue underneath. Chemical peels can be more superficial or deeper, depending on which layers of the skin are being targeted. With acne scars, it’s common for deeper layers of the skin to be affected, so a deeper chemical peel will generally be needed to get good results.
Deeper chemical peels do carry some risk of discoloration of the skin. This risk is greater in those with darker skin tones. People with lighter skin tones can consider using chemical peels for acne scars, but it may not be the best option for those with darker skin. A series of peels spaced a few weeks apart will usually give the best results.
Microdermabrasion or dermabrasion
Another way to remove the outer layer of the skin is through microdermabrasion or dermabrasion. These procedures use friction, rather than chemicals, to carefully remove the surface layers of the skin. As with chemical peels, this will only give good results if the procedure is performed to a deep enough level to target the acne scars.
The risk of discoloration of the skin is also present with this option, particularly in those with darker skin tones.
Microneedling
Microneedling uses a device covered in extremely tiny needles. This is passed across the skin, creating tiny punctures in the skin’s surface. The needles are so small that many patients don’t even feel them. The small punctures stimulate the body to produce collagen, which causes tightening of the skin. This can help to reduce the appearance of acne scars.
For people with darker skin tones who may not be good candidates for chemical peels, microneedling may be a safer treatment option, since it’s less likely to cause discoloration of the skin in this population.
Laser skin resurfacing
Another way to target the outer layers of the skin is by using a laser. There are several different types of lasers available. In some cases, the laser energy is applied to the entire surface of the skin. In other cases, it’s applied in only small discrete areas; this is known as a fractional laser treatment.
Similarly to chemical peels and microdermabrasion, laser treatment will lead to sloughing off of the outer layer of the skin. Also similarly to those options, lasers carry a risk of skin discoloration in certain populations.
Dermal fillers
Dermal fillers offer a different way to address acne scars. With acne scars, the surface of the scar is often indented below the surface of the skin. In order to make the scar less visible, a small amount of dermal filler can be injected below the scar, to raise its surface up to the same level as the skin.
This option is safe for people of all skin tones. However, it’s usually only used on one or a few scars that are particularly problematic. If you have many acne scars, then injecting fillers under all of them is not likely to be a practical solution, and another option may be better. Fillers also don’t last forever; if you enjoy your results, you’ll need to repeat the treatment periodically in order to maintain them.
Surgical repair
In some cases, surgery may be the best method to address acne scars. If there are particular scars that are bothersome, these may be surgically removed. Of course, any surgery leaves a scar, so there will still be a scar in the area. However, a skilled plastic surgeon can create a scar that’s far less noticeable than the old one, so it has less of an impact on your appearance.
A technique called subcision can also be used, in which a needle is inserted below the scar to break up scar tissue and stimulate the body to produce new tissue to raise the scar. In some cases, this is combined with dermal grafting. After performing subcision, a piece of tissue taken from the skin on other parts of the body (such as behind the ear) is placed underneath the scar tissue. This helps to fill in the defect left by the scar. This is somewhat similar to filling in the scar with dermal fillers, but the effects are more permanent.
Acne scar treatments Scottsdale
If you’re bothered by acne scars, then you have many different options that may be helpful. You’ll want to talk over your various options during a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon. This will give you a chance to get personalized advice about what’s likely to work best in your case. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Caniglia, please contact our front desk.
