Acne Scar Removal: How to Get Rid of Acne Scars

Acne is just one of the many skin problems that occur during one's youth. Although these usually do not cause any serious complications, for some, scars left behind become a painful reminder of the skin problem they had years ago. However, for those who have these marks, there is no need to despair. Study and research on acne have not only helped us understand reasons that cause acne, but have also led to finding ways to remove these acne scars.

How to Get Rid of Acne Scars

Laser Therapy
Using laser therapy is a very effective and precise way of getting rid of acne scars. The precision comes from the fact that surgeons performing this treatment have a laser-emitting instrument which they use to specifically target the scarred area. Skin surgeons use two types of lasers. The first kind is the 'Erbium or YAG laser' that produces wavelengths of very precise energy. The heat produced by the laser is quickly absorbed by the moisture of the scarred skin and hence the healthy skin surrounding the treatment area remains undamaged. The second type is the 'carbon dioxide laser' that removes the scarred tissue layer by layer. Post surgery, there may be some physical discomfort, however, proper care of the skin for the first few weeks after surgery can ease out minor side effects that may be caused.

Punch Techniques
Punch techniques are most suitable for removing deep acne scars. There are three types of punch techniques:

Punch Excision: This involves physically cutting out the whole scar using a punch biopsy tool. First local anesthesia is applied to the area and the acne scar is removed. The skin of the surrounding area is then sutured and the wound is allowed to heal.

Punch Replacement: This procedure is the same as punch excision. However, instead of suturing the skin surrounding the scar, a graft of skin from the patient's body is put over the area that has been treated.

Punch Elevation: In this procedure, the scar is removed in the same way as in punch excision. The underlying tissue of the scar area is then raised to the level of the surrounding skin and held with steri-strips or skin glue. After the treatment is over, the skin appears even. The pitted or pock marked look is greatly reduced. Although this treatment may leave behind a scar, it is much smaller than the original one, and can be further treated using techniques like dermabrasion or chemical peels. This technique is most suitable for deeper scars like the boxcar scars.

Subcision
In this procedure, a needle is inserted just below the epidermis to cut the scar tissue that grows below the outermost layer of the skin. This tissue pulls down at the skin giving it an uneven texture. Cutting out the underlying tissue relieves the strain on the skin and it immediately looks smoother. This treatment is also known as subcutaneous incision treatment and is best for rolling acne scars.

Dermabrasion
In this process, the area to be treated is first numbed. Then the topmost layer of the skin is removed by treating the skin with an abrasive rotating disk, which could be a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument. As the skin heals, the treated area is covered by a layer of new, smoother skin. The patient may take 1 to 3 weeks to recover completely. Dermabrasion is useful in removing superficial scars and in reducing the depth of more depressed scars.

Autologous Fat Transfer
Fat is taken from any part of the patient's body other than the one to be treated. This fat is then injected beneath the skin that covers the scar. This elevates the depressed area of the scar to the level of the rest of the skin. However, as the fat is reabsorbed into the body within a period of 6 to 18 months, the procedure has to be repeated periodically.

Chemical Peels
This refers to treating the skin with different types of chemicals that remove the topmost layer of the skin. After a chemical is applied, the person is required to wait for some time before the chemical is washed off. The chemical works by dissolving the scarred skin cells and spurting the growth of new tissue. Chemical peels are useful in removing only mild scars.

Despite the fact that there are various treatments by which old acne scars can be removed, one should understand that certain treatments work on some specific scars only. Also, the results of the treatments may very from individual to individual. Self-diagnosis is not recommended. It is best that one does good research and finds a good dermatologist for safe and effective treatment.