Acne finally cleared from your face but left scars behind? Don?t despair there is help. There are several effective methods for acne scar removal. This article will help you to understand your options, so you can decide what is best for you.
What are effective acne scar removal treatments?
1. Dermabrasion
During dermabrasion the doctor removes top layers of the skin using an electrical machine. Right after the treatment the skin is red and feels irritated, but after it heals the surface appears smoother. This method is relatively cheap and suitable for removing mild acne scars.
2. Laser treatment also called laser resurfacing
This method burns away damaged skin with high-energy light. It is used to minimize wrinkles as well as to get rid of acne scars. Many doctors recommend laser scar removal over other methods because it produces lasting effect and problems rarely reaccure.
3. Chemical peels
Chemical peels is a popular procedure to make skin look fresher, it is used not only for acne scars but also to minimize sun-damaged skin and to get rid of irregular pigmentation. During this method the top layer of skin is also removed, so it is very similar to dermabrasion, but instead of abrasive instrument, chemicals are used.
4. Collagen injections
During this treatment collagen is injected under the scared skin. The idea is to replace the body's natural collagen that has been lost. It works well for acne scars, but in most cases the effect is not permanent and injections have to be repeated. Collagen injections often used after one of the peeling treatments has been performed.
5. Punch grafts
Punch grafts are small portions of skin used to replace scarred skin. Replacement skin usually comes from your ear lobes, sometimes also skin from the inner part of the thigh is used. Punch grafts are effective for treating deep acne scars, where none of the peeling methods would work. This is an expencive procedure, but it produces very good results.
6. Autologous fat transfer
This is a delicate and expensive treatment. It involves collecting living sells from your body, growing them in the lab and then inserting into your scars. If everything goes well, inserted sells continue to grow, filling the scar. Usually three injections are made. This method is used to tread deep scars from cystic acne. If done properly, it gives good lasting results.
Questions to ask your doctor about acne scar removal
Would the scars go away completely or just became less visible?
You should keep in mind that if you have deep scars, no treatment probably can remove them completely. Even after several treatments, you skin will not be perfect. However, in most cases, it is possible to make acne scars less obvious. If your scars are not very deep, an effective treatment like laser therapy will make the scars disappear from your face.
Does the treatment give permanent results or have to be repeated after a while?
While some methods, laser scar treatment, for example, remove your scars permanently other treatment need to be repeated. Collagen injections, is one that you will have to do more than once.
What would be the total cost of the treatment?
Often doctors recommend more than one scar removal method. While chemical peels or dermabrasion don?t cost all that much, other scar removing treatments are very expensive. If would help, if you know in advance an approximate cost of full treatment.
One more thing, did you know that your diet also can help with scar removal? Doctors recommend antioxidants to decrease acne breakouts and improve skin texture. Diet high in antioxidants helps your skin to regenerate faster, so it is important for acne control. Foods that are high in antioxidants are tomatoes, leafy vegetables, apples, oranges and most berries.
It pays off to see what options are available to you, before you commit yourself to a particular treatment. Unfortunately, the deeper your scars are the more expensive and complicated the treatment it would be. It might be a good idea to try a cheaper acne scar removal treatment first, and see if you are happy with the results. Just remember that you have options, so there is no reason to leave your scars as they are thinking that there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.
