Skin Disease Information

For generations acne scars were a painful reminder of our skin’s difficult history, a history of red pimples and other acne that could not be erased. This fin

ally began to change, first with the use of dermabrasion and today lasers. With the development of many new technologies we are finally beginning to see the smoother, less scarred skin of our prepubescent days. From the advent of non-invasive lasers to rebuild and rejuvenate skin, to invasive techniques, which can remove the scarred skin, there is hope for patients with acne scars. This site is designed to help educate people with acne scars and hopefully improve their understanding of what is available for them.

Causes of Acne Scarring

As an acne cyst forms, the neck of the sebaceous gland expands, filling with bacteria, cells and sebum that are unable to pass through to the skin’s surface. Eventually the cyst ruptures this “foreign matter” deep within the dermis, quickly attacked by white blood cells responsible for fighting infection.

All acne scars are not alike. A forceful inflammatory response can have two results. The most common outcome is loss of tissue as collagen is destroyed. Skin overlying the collapse of the area is provided no support and a soft saucer-shaped depression (aka pock mark) or jagged ice pick scar is formed. This is more typical on the face and is seen in both men and women.

Acne scars are a result of tissue damage. Once the tissue is damaged by the acne then the body reacts by starting the repair process and attempting to protect itself against infection. Part of the bodies repair process is to send collagen to the damaged area. However, in some instances the body produces too much collagen. When too much collagen is produced the excess will build up into a mass that ends up being a smooth and firm acne scar that is irregular in shape.

Sometimes acne scars can also result when the tissue is lost. This is the more common cause of acne scarring. Within this category there are several types of acne scars including the ice-pick scar, depressed scars, soft scars, atrophic macules and other scars.

Treatment Options for Acne Scars

One treatment option is collagen injections. This is an effective method for many people who suffer from acne scars. However, this form of treatment needs to be repeated regularly about every three to six months. The collagen is injected under the skin and it puffs out the scar area which then makes the scar less noticeable.

Another option is a treatment option called autologus fat transfer. This is a process that uses a person’s own body fat. Fat is taken from one part of the body and injected into the acne scar to fill out the area. This treatment also needs to be repeated but not as frequently as collagen because the fat will eventually start to absorb back into the skin.

Dermabrasion is one of the most common treatment methods for those who suffer from acne scarring. This form of treatment is done using local anesthesia. This procedures involves removing a thin layer of surface skin using a brush set on high speed. By doing this is can actually remove some of the shallow scars that are close to the surface and it will make the deep scars less apparent. Microdermabrasion is another process that removes the surface skin but uses crystals of aluminum oxide that pass through a vacuum.

The newest option is laser treatment. This treatment uses lasers of various intensity and wavelength to change the shape of the scar. Depending on the type and extent of the acne scar this form of treatment can sometimes have permanent results. However, multiple treatments may be needed.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 1:57 pm and is filed under Acne. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.