Get Rid Of Those Acne Scars - Dr Ruchi Agrawal

 
Treating acne requires patience and perseverance. As if dealing with the pimples was not enough, you then have marks that can haunt you as an adult. The good news is that there are many options from ointments to lasers to reduce the appearance of acne scars. The best treatment for you depends on the severity of scarring. Your doctor may refer you to a plastic surgeon.
Treatment for acne scars starts with a proper assessment.  The acne scars could be either brown to black flat spots/marks or pits/depressed scars. The kind of treatment depends on the varying proportion of these two post acne problems.
Treatment for post acne marks
AT HOME

1. Creams containing azaelic acid, kojic acid, arbutin or glycolic acid can be used daily at home.
2. Face wash containing glycolic acid (an exfoliant) is a good option.

IN-OFFICE

1.  Glycolic peels: Excellent for lightening the marks and scars. This procedure exfoliates the dead cells and lightens the pigmentation in the deeper layers of the skin.
2. Microdermabrasion: Aluminum oxide crystals are used to exfoliate dead cells and lighten the scars.

Treatment for acne scars or pits
MILD TO MODERATE SCARS:

1. Glycolic peels combined with microdermabrasion gives an improvement.
2. Dermaroller: This is an advanced scar treatment procedure which gives higher level of scar reduction than peels and microdermabrasion. The doctor uses a hand held device which has multiple fine needles. After numbing the skin, the device is moved on the concerned area in a specific mode. This induces new collagen in the skin and in turn helps fill up the scars. It requires three to six sessions with each session three to four weeks apart.
3. Laser: The commonly used lasers are fractional erbium glass for moderate scars. For severe scars, fractional CO2 (carbon dioxide) can be used after adequate consultation. Lasers help to cause injury as part of treatment and this help newer, better skin to regenerate and induce collagen to fill up the scars. The number of sessions varies depending on the severity of the scars.

SEVERE ACNE SCARS:

1. Dermaroller and lasers would be treatment of choice.
2. Subcision: It is a mild surgical procedure to lift up the scars. It gives good results but may require few repeat sessions.
3. Fillers: Hyaluronic acid gels are used to fill up scars temporarily. However, scars need to be judiciously selected for this procedure. It is best done after subcision.

Don’t let acne scars ruin your lives by causing self-doubt and low confidence. You don’t have to live your life in hiding. Consult your dermatologist to bring back radiant, spotless skin.