and Don’t Let Old Acne Scars Affect Your Confidence!
By: Anne Pickering
Think of scars as a natural alternative to tattoos—they’re marks on your face and body that tell your story, be it those stitches you earned in 4th grade, the C-section you weren’t expecting, or the acne you endured as a teen. Scars are simply a natural part of the body's healing process.
When skin is distressed for any reason, including cuts, scrapes, burns…or a bad breakout, the body’s natural defenses swoop in to heal the wound and in most cases, a scar is the result.
A Scar is Born
When skin is damaged, the body works fast to produce new collagen fibers to mend the damage, and viola! A scar is born. The new scar tissue has a different makeup, and therefore a different texture than the skin around it, which is why it will likely stand out.
Some scars are flat and pale, however they may have a pitted appearance caused by damage to the fat beneath the surface of the skin; this is frequently the case with acne scars, and they can take several different forms:
What Can I Do About My Facial Scars?
Fear not, there are ways to improve the appearance of your scars. Some are expensive and invasive, but there are also highly effective topical treatments you can get without a prescription.
The most popular dermatologist-recommended methods for removing facial scars include:
Topical Treatments: Many over-the-counter ingredients have proven very effective at fading scars, particularly Allantoin, Allium Cepa (Onion Bulb) Extract, and other soothing and protective ingredients.
Steroid Injections: A course of steroids injected directly into a scar and administered by a medical professional may help improve their size and depth.
Dermabrasion: Using a specialized medical device, a surgeon removes the surface of skin so, once you heal, scars blend better with the healthy surrounding tissue.
Laser Resurfacing: Similar to dermabrasion, a medical professional uses a laser to remove skin’s top layers to reduce scars.
Filler Injections: Dermal filler is injected into sunken scars by a medical professional, providing temporary smoothing results which diminish over time as the filler is absorbed by the body.
But, I Want Results NOW!
Sadly, there are no quick fixes. Steroid injections must be administered over the course of weeks and, much like filler injections, they must be repeated regularly to maintain results.
Dermabrasion and laser resurfacing often require more than one treatment and results are seen after a minimum of 12 weeks, including the “down time” required after the procedures.
Your best bet is to start with a topical treatment like a scar gel or cream. With regular use, you’ll likely see results after 1 month with full results seen after 3 months of use. The best thing about a topical scar treatment is there’s no down time and no damage to the surface of the skin, so you can go about your daily life while you get rid of old scars one day at a time.
