Acne Scar Removal – Ways To Reduce Skin Scarring Effectively

Finding an effective acne treatment is imperative as well as finding the best acne scar removal treatment. Almost everyone who suffers from acne have their skin damaged from mistreated pimples causing it to have bumps, dark spots, pits and acne scars.

However, there is no one simple solution to cure all types of acne scarring. Factors such as the size, depth, location and number of scars are critical in choosing the right acne scar removal procedure.

Types of Acne Scars

Not all scars are the same. Either they are atrophic (caused by tissue loss) or hypertrophic (caused by excess tissue). Acne scars have four types and falls under these categories.

• Ice pick scars – most common acne scarring; looks like a deep puncture in the skin or a huge open pore
• Boxcar scars – pitted or round scars that often appear on the cheeks and temples
• Rolling scars – appear like waves on the skin
• Keloid scars – is a hypertrophic scar and often looks like a thick bump of tissue on the skin

Treatment Options For Skin Scarring

There are several remedies for this. A combination of one or two of these treatment options for acne scar removal can be more effective, depending on the severity of the condition.

Laser Acne Scar Treatment

Is a skin resurfacing technique that uses laser surgery and should be done by a doctor or dermatologist. It is the most expensive which costs at around $6000 per treatment. There are two types of laser therapy:

• Ablative lasers – take away the top layer of the skin by burning off the scar tissue and tightening up the dermis to stimulate cell reproduction, thus minimizing the appearance of scars. Most common procedures are CO2 or Carbon Dioxide and the e-YAG laser resurfacing. This treatment has the greatest risks because the skin is left exposed and takes a long time to heal. One needs to be patient to reap positive results.
• Non-ablative lasers – do not take off the outer skin layer making it a lot safer and quicker to heal than the former. However, this needs to be done in several sessions to be more effective. Common procedures are the fractional laser and the pulsed-dye laser.

Scar Removal Cream & Oils

Are topical solutions for acne scar reduction and a lot cheaper than surgical or laser procedures, but may not be as effective for severe acne scars. Applied externally and comes in the form of creams, lotions, gels or oil.

• Acne Scar Cream – Probably the best acne scar removal system is the Zenmed Scar Treatment Kit ($60) which uses microdermabrasion that encourages new skin to resurface. The kit consists of a grainy clay substance that you rub on the face at night and followed by a skin lightening cream that reduces dark or red spots.

  Other products worth trying are Bioskinexfol Microdermabrasion Scar Removal Cream ($89) and the Mederma Gel ($29).

• Oil – many natural or essential oils are known to have good effects in treating ugly acne scars and for general skin care. They have healing properties and are gentle to the skin. They are probably the most affordable and may fall in the category of home remedies. The most common oils for scar treatment are the following: Jojoba oil, Olive oil, Salmon oil, Vitamin E, Tea tree oil and Lavender oil.

Natural Treatments

Not everyone can afford surgery so others resort to natural or home remedies. These are concoctions you can put together in your own kitchen. It may be effective for some but may not be as quick acting as their commercial and chemical counterparts. However, you do need to be patient and determined to see good results.

• Lemons – Lemon juice is known to have lightening abilities and can improve the look of dark acne scars; apply on your face using a cotton ball, let it set, then wash off with water.
• Tomatoes and Cucumbers – has vitamin A, refreshing, tightens the pores and improves skin texture; create a face mask out of these two ingredients and leave on the face for a few minutes, then rinse.
• Sandalwood and rosewater – has a cooling and soothing effect; mix together to form a paste, use as a mask and leave overnight, then clean off with water.
• Aloe Vera – the juice or gel is an effective and natural treatment for reducing pimple marks.
• Ice cubes – apply on the skin for fifteen minutes daily and see how it can improve the appearance scars and marks without spending a dime.

Chemical peels or acid peels

One of the easiest procedures to get rid of pimple marks and future skin breakouts using different kinds of chemicals. It can peel off the skin’s outer layer hence encouraging new skin cells to come out. This should be administered by a dermatologist. Here are 3 kinds:

• Alphahydroxy or AHA Peels – also known as fruit acid peels; it is a painless procedure that reduces fine lines, gets rid of acne scars, evens out skin tone and stimulates cell reproduction; shows visible improvement on the skin after the first treatment.
• Betahydroxy or BHA Peels – uses a lighter chemical combination consisting of glycolic acid, fruit acids, salicylic acid and lactic acid; ideal for removing mild scars and occasional breakouts.
• Medium-Strength Peels – uses TCA or tricholoractic acid that is commonly used in Obagi skin treatments; a versatile chemical peeling procedure that effectively treats acne and scars.

Dermal Fillers and Punch Techniques

• Dermal fillers – administered to the scarred skin area through a series of injections which levels the surface giving it a smooth and even look. Popular types of dermal fillers are – fat, human collagen, polytheyl-methacrylate microspheres with collagen, hyaluronic acid derivatives and bovine collagen.
• Punch Techniques – is a surgical procedure done in 3 different ways – excision, elevation and grafting. This technique is best used to treat deep scars and to follow up with skin resurfacing procedures.

One of these acne scar removal techniques may be the answer to your problems. For more information about acne scarring and other treatment options, it is best to consult a trusted dermatologist or surgeon to make sure that you are getting the right procedure for your skin condition.

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1. Acne Cure And Prevention Advice
2. Acne Advice & Information
3. Top 5 Questions About Acne Products