Breakouts! They bother teenagers and adults alike. And now that we are also dealing with “maskne”, I’m seeing more patients with breakouts. Acne is a medical condition that most often can be addressed with the correct treatments and medications. But, what about scars from previous breakouts?
Types of scars
There are different types of acne scars:
- Atrophic scars appear as small indentations in the skin. These occur when the skin does not make enough fibroblasts in the healing process.
- Hypertrophic scars occur when the skin makes too many fibroblasts as the acne spot heals, causing a raised scar.
- Keloid scars are typically much thicker than the original acne spot. They are usually darker than the surrounding skin and can be red or brown.
Heal those scars
Patients’ skin may respond differently to treatments. That’s why I have various options to help you reduce the appearance of your scars.
- Injections: For patients with hypertrophic or keloid scars, I can inject corticosteroids to help treat raised acne scar tissue to help soften and flatten the scar out. This treatment typically consists of a series of injections.
- Microneedling: Microneedling stimulates your skin’s ability to make collagen, making it an effective way to soften the appearance of atrophic acne scars. Since results are usually subtle, you may need to have a series of treatments to accomplish the results you want.
- Laser: There are laser options for atrophic scarring as well. The lasers most often used are fractionated lasers.
Here for your dermatological needs
Know that you’re not alone dealing with acne scars. Talk with us about which treatment is best for you. Our goal is to help you have and keep your skin looking its best. Please feel free to contact us to make an appointment.