Acne scar care 

How to care for acne scars

There are a variety of methods to care for acne scarring depending on the results you want to achieve, as some may have longer lasting effects than others.

You might want to consider some of these available options:  

• Creams, gels and skincare routines – Over-the-counter cream and gels can help you manage acne scarring. You can find a range of products at your local pharmacy including the Mederma® range. 

• Home skin care – Some home ingredients could help to reduce the appearance of acne scars without having to leave your house, such as coconut oil, baking soda and even lemon juice^[2].  

These options would require a health care professional to administer them: 

• Soft tissue fillers – This procedure works best for depressed scarring. A small amount of filler is injected underneath the indentations to push the skin upwards. 
• Steroid injection – Steroid injections have the opposite effect to fillers, softening damaged skin tissue to flatten raised scars.  
• Laser resurfacing – A dermatologist will look at your skin type and scars to decide whether ablative or non-ablative laser resurfacing is best for you. Each method will use heat on the scarred collagen under your skin to encourage new collagen and skin growth.  
• Pulsed light sources and radiofrequency devices / skin tightening – Radiofrequency is used to tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of depressed scars. This treatment requires multiple appointments and can also be used for icepick or boxcar scars in some cases. 
• Dermabrasion – Dermabrasion uses friction to remove the top layer of damaged skin and sometimes middle layers. It is most effective for shallower scars rather than deep scarring. 

• Chemical peel – There are different types of chemicals that can be used for a chemical peel. Your skin type will determine which chemical is used to remove the top layer of scarred skin.  
• Micro/Skin needling –This treatment can be used with or without heat to improve acne scars and prevent future scarring. Tiny needles are used to make small holes in the effected skin, which stimulates collagen production and smooths scars ^[3]. 
• Surgery – Some acne scars are more prominent and may need minor surgery. A dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon will apply a numbing cream to the affected area and either lift the scar or break up the scar tissue. Some procedures may involve completely removing the scar tissue. 
• Cyrosurgery – Cyrosurgery is recommended for removal of raised scars on lighter skin, as it can cause light spots to permanently appear. The scar tissue is frozen which eventually causes it to die and fall off. A series of cryotherapy sessions are required for best results. 

When to treat acne scarring

As with any scar care, the earlier you start caring for your skin and scars the better.  

Before starting treatment, you should ensure that your skin is free of any acne breakouts and that you are not taking any medication for your acne, as these can interfere with scar care treatments ^[3].   OTC acne scar creams and gels that help minimize scar appearance, surgery and other methods will have varying results. This will be determined by the method itself but also by the below factors: 

• Your age 
• Type of scar 

To prevent acne scarring keep your hands away from your face, and avoid squeezing or picking your acne. 

Summary

Acne scars can sometimes appear after severe or long-term acne breakouts, or if you have picked or squeezed a pimple. Once the acne breakout is over, you can start to care for your skin with creams, oils and gels to help reduce the impact of possible scarring. If you already have scars, there are a number of approaches available ranging from creams to surgery. Speak with a doctor to find out which is best for you.

References