Acne breakouts are annoying, but the scars left behind can be even more frustrating to deal with. Luckily, there are several treatments that can restore your appearance. These include chemical peels and surgical excision. Less invasive treatments such as DermaPen, SilkPeel, fillers and laser are also methods of treating acne scars. Before starting a treatment plan for scarring, it is important to first eliminate the acne. That is because acne breakouts can lead to new scars that must then be treated. Treating acne early is the best way to prevent and limit acne scars.
About acne and acne scars:
What causes acne? When tiny holes in the skin called hair follicles are blocked, acne is created. Whiteheads are formed when the plugged hair follicle is near the surface of the skin. Alternatively, blackheads are formed when the plugged hair follicle is open to the skin. The difference between them is that whiteheads are closed pores while blackheads remain open. These acne bumps usually appear on the face, but can also appear on the back, chest, neck and arms. As for acne scars, these happen when a breakout penetrates the skin deeply and damages the tissue underneath.
Treatments:
Before acne scars are treated, your doctor will determine what type they are, since certain types respond better to certain treatments. There are several options to treat acne scarring: laser resurfacing, chemical peels and surgical excision (which might be used if the scarring is deep). Otherwise, two microneedling options are DermaPen or radiofrequency (RF) microneedling. DermaPen is a microneedling device that tightens and rejuvenates the skin. It induces the production of collagen and elastin, which diminishes skin blemishes such as acne scars. On the other hand, RF micro-needling delivers heat stimulation for collagen and usually goes deeper in the tissue.
SilkPeel (now called Dermaglow) and HydraFacial are other options to consider. SilkPeel is a wet microdermabrasion technique that exfoliates the skin and delivers serums below the surface. These serums target specific skin conditions, such as acne scarring and acne in general. It is ideal for patients with more sensitive skin that can’t withstand harsh chemicals and devices. Another choice is laser skin resurfacing, a method where the skin is removed layer by layer with precision. The new skin cells that are produced are tighter and have a more youthful appearance. You can also consider fillers, whether hyaluronic acid fillers or fat grafting. Please contact us to discuss the treatments available.
Read our blog post about the benefits of SilkPeel here.
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