Acne Scars

Mild cases of acne usually clear up completely without disfiguring the skin, but more serious conditions may leave acne scars. The scarring caused by severe acne can be minimized with proper acne treatment, and acne scar tissue can be removed by a variety of techniques.

Most pimples discolor the skin to some extent, but these are not necessarily acne scars. Usually this discoloration will disappear on its own. Marks and skin defects which remain longer than one year are considered to be acne scars.

Prevent Acne Scar

One of the best ways to prevent an acne scar from forming is to avoid picking the pimples. Squeezing blackheads or whiteheads will cause the acne-causing bacteria to spread, and will also damage the skin which can lead to acne scars.

If you have a mild case of acne, try to keep it under control with over-the-counter medications. More severe cases of acne should be treated by a dermatologist who can prescribe lotions and creams as well as oral medications to keep the acne under control and to minimize acne scarring.

One of the procedures that a dermatologist can do is to physically remove blackheads and whiteheads with surgical instruments. These instruments have been sterilized to prevent bacteria from spreading. You should never attempt to do this kind of procedure at home.

Healing Acne Scars

The bacteria which causes acne is responsible for damaging and discoloring the skin. It may take some time for this discoloration to heal, so if you want to speed up the healing process to clear up acne scars, you can use medications such as Retin-A, Renova, and Alpha-Hydroxy Acids.

Contrary to popular belief, sunshine will not help acne scars disappear. In fact, sunshine can delay the healing process, so it is a good idea to wear a sunscreen whenever you go outside.

Sometimes scabs may form over old acne lesions. These scabs should never be picked off. They are part of the body's healing process and are necessary to protect the skin as it rejuvenates.

Treating Acne Scars

Following the above advice should minimize acne scar tissue from forming. However, some people, despite all of their precautions, are left with mild to severe scarring.

If you are affected with acne scarring, don't give up hope - there are many ways to treat acne scar tissue. Most of these involve removing the top layer of skin with a chemical peel or lasers.

Chemical peels are suitable for mild scarring. They remove the microscopic top layer of skin which allows the skin cells underneath to rejuvenate.

Laser treatment or dermabrasion can be used for more severe acne scars. Lasers are effective because they remove the damaged layer of skin and also cause the skin to tighten which raises the depressions caused by the scarring.

Dermabrasion involves scraping away the surface of the skin to allow new skin to replace the acne scars. This can cause the skin to turn red, but this discoloration will clear up within a few months.