Table of Contents
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1. Why Does Acne Cause Scars?
Acne is caused by the inflammation of your skin pores when they get clogged due to excessive oil or bacteria. This causes the pores to swell up, eventually rupturing the walls of the pores and their contents seeping into the surrounding cells. If this rupture occurs closer to the skin surface, the acne would be mild and resolve away more easily with a rare chance of scarring. However, if the rupture occurs deep inside the skin layers, the resulting acne would be more severe with a high risk of scarring.
Once the acne goes away, our skin tends to heal the damaged tissue and produces collagen and elastin. Proper production of these proteins prevents any scars. However, the underproduction or overproduction of collagen leads to depressed or elevated acne scars.
Also Read : Does Hydrafacial Work For Acne?
2. Types Of Scars
The type of scar acne leaves behind depends on its type and severity. While mild acne mostly consists of whiteheads and blackheads as tiny elevations on the skin surface, moderate and severe acne can cause temporary, long-term, or permanent scarring.
Acne scars are broadly classified into depressed and elevated scars, named atrophic and hypertrophic scars, respectively. These categories are divided into different types to determine their true nature and provide the best acne scar treatment. The types of acne scars are explained below:
- 1. Atrophic Acne Scars:These scars appear as depressions on the surface of the skin where the acne was present earlier. Moderate or severe acne inflicts a lot of damage to the tissues in the top few layers of your skin, dissolving away the collagen present there. Once the acne is resolved during the healing process, our skin produces collagen and elastin to repair the damaged tissue. Insufficient collagen production causes the skin to heal along with the underlying layers but not up to the topmost layer. This leads to pitted scars on the skin, which could be deep, shallow, narrow, or wide.
On the basis of their shape and size, atrophic acne scars are divided into the following types:- Boxcar Acne Scars: These atrophic scars are named so because they appear as box-like depressions on the skin. They are usually round or oval and broad with a diameter of about 1.5 to 4 millimeters and a sharply defined outline. Boxcar acne scars are formed as a result of widespread acne and other conditions like chickenpox and Varicella infection, which causes red and itchy blisters. They constitute 20 to 30% of the acne scar cases and mostly occur in areas where the skin is thicker, like the jaw and lower cheek.
- Ice-pick Scars: These atrophic scars are named so because they appear as if sharp, narrow shards of ice have picked the skin. They are thin and vertically penetrate the skin deep, forming a “V.” Ice-pick scars go narrower into the skin, while on the surface, they are wider with a diameter of less than 2 millimeters. These scars constitute about 60 to 70% of acne scars and mostly occur on the cheeks. As they penetrate deep into the skin layers, ice-pick scars are difficult to remove and require constant and aggressive treatment.
- Rolling Scars: These atrophic scars are named so because they lack any proper outline and make the skin look uneven and wavy. Rolling scars can be shallow or deep and have sloping edges, unlike the aforementioned ones. Although it is usually difficult to determine their exact size, rolling scars are, on average, 5 millimeters wide and constitute about 15 to 25% of the acne scars.
- 2. Hypertrophic Acne Scars: These acne scars are elevated bumps formed by building up scar tissue in the region where the acne was. Hypertrophic acne scars could be temporary, long-term, or permanent. During the healing process after the acne is resolved, overproduction of collagen leads to the excessive build-up of the scar tissue between the outermost and the subcutaneous layers of the skin.
Hypertrophic scars usually cover the same area as the causative acne did. However, some such scars seem to spread and cover more areas. These hypertrophic scars are called keloids. A keloid scar could grow over a week, month, or years and stop growing on its own. Although it can be resolved surgically, there’s a high chance that the scar will reappear.
Hypertrophic scars vary in their appearance and are less common than atrophic scars. These are usually associated with body acne.
Also Read : Types Of Acne And Their Treatments
3. Treatment Options For Acne Scars
There are numerous effective methods of acne scar removal. And each of them differs in terms of being more effective on a certain type of scar and their acne scar treatment cost. After a proper analysis of the scars, your dermatologist would determine which of them would work the best on you. Most people have a combination of different types of acne scars, and hence, their treatment involves a combination of two or more methods.
The most common and effective methods of acne scar treatment in Delhi are:
- Microdermabrasion: There are several ways to carry out a microdermabrasion treatment. The most common method uses a special applicator with a rotating tip that has an uneven and abrasive surface. The tip is rolled over the face and removes the upper layer of the skin, exfoliating and rejuvenating the layers underneath. It also stimulates the healing process of the skin and helps in healing the scars. However, the results of this method are subtle, and you might require 4 to 6 sessions to get noticeable results.
- Microneedling: As the name suggests, this method involves the use of a microneedle. It makes use of a handheld device with a very thin microneedle at its tip. The dermatologist would inflict minute injuries to your skin by picking with the microneedle. This would stimulate the healing process in your skin and would increase collagen production. The micro-needling method is simple and relatively safer than the other options as it simply stimulates the skin’s natural collagen production. However, the results are very subtle and noticeable only after multiple sessions.
- Chemical Peels: This method is only effective on shallow scars and gives almost no results in case of deep penetrating scars. It involves applying a chemical solution, usually consisting of salicylic acid or glycolic acid, to the affected region of the skin. This solution peels off the upper layer of the skin, decreasing the depth of your scars. Chemical peels have varying strengths, including deep, moderate, and mild. Please note that you can get only one deep chemical peel treatment and follow up regularly with moderate or mild peels.
- Q Switch Laser Treatment: This treatment is usually provided after dermabrasion. It makes use of high-energy laser light that is applied to scarred skin. This laser light removes the top layer of the skin and stimulates collagen production in the underlying layers. Laser treatment can give quicker results than the other options. However, there is a high risk of scarring in people with sensitive skin. Hence, consult with your dermatologist after undergoing this treatment.
- Face PRP: Also called the Platelet Rich Plasma method, the face PRP method takes a sample of your blood. It obtains the blood platelets from it that are then diluted into a natural serum and injected about 1 millimeter under your outermost skin layer. Platelets play an important role in the healing of wounds in our bodies. Hence, the injected platelets speed up the healing process and assist in the removal of the scars.
- Dermal Fillers: Dermal fillers include hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite. Either of them is injected into the skin close to the scar tissue. These compounds help rejuvenate the skin and stimulate collagen formation to speed up the healing of the acne scars.
Also Read : What Are The Causes Of Uneven Skin Texture?
Take Away
At Clair Skin Clinic, Delhi, we serve by the motto “Beauty is being comfortable and confident in your skin.” Our dermatologists are expert professionals and ensure to provide you with the best solution to all your dermatological issues. We offer numerous high-quality and cost-effective dermatological and cosmetic procedures, including acne scar removal at an affordable acne scar treatment cost.
We use the best hi-tech equipment that determines the best laser strength for your skin with minimal to no side effects—Visit Clair Skin Clinic for a safe, effective, and the best acne scar treatment in Delhi.
FAQs
1. What is the acne scar treatment cost in Delhi?
2. Are there any side effects of laser treatment for acne scars?
3. Can I remove acne scars permanently?
