Acne Scar Removal Treatments

There are several acne scar treatments that can be used to remove acne scars. Although none of these treatments give you immediate results, they can at least, depending on the severity of your acne scarring, reduce acne scars or completely remove them over time.

Acne scar treatments aim to remove damaged skin cells and replace them with new healthy ones. However, not every treatment of acne scars will work for everyone.

In fact, the best acne scar treatment for you will depend on many factors including the type of your acne scars, the severity of your scarring, your body’s response to treatment, any possible allergic reactions you may have to treatment and how much you can afford to get rid of acne scars. Below are the most popular acne scar removal methods:

Over-the-Counter Acne Scar Removal Products

There are many over-the-counter (OTC) products to help you remove mild or recent acne scars, but you it is best to consult a dermatologist or you doctor before trying any of these products. Your doctor will assess the severity of your acne scars and will help you decide which treatment is best for you, and may also prescribe other acne products for you.

Chemical Peel

Chemical peel, also known as derma-peeling or chemexfoliation, that can significantly helps improve the appearance of your skin. During this treatment, a solution known as a chemical peel is applied to your skin.

A chemical peel is an acidic solution that that cause the outer skin layers to disintegrate and peel away to expose the underlying healthy skin layers. Chemical peels are commonly used to treat face acne scars. However, they can also be used to treat neck and back acne.

Chemical peel treatments vary from mild to deep penetration, depending on the severity of your acne. They can be done at your local saloon, your doctor’s surgery or at the comfort of your home.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a gentle exfoliating technique that is used to remove mild or recent acne scars. In this acne scar treatment, light abrasion technique is used to remove the dead outermost layer of the skin (called the stratum corneum). This acne removal technique may need to be repeated over a period of time to be effective.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is an exfoliating procedure similar to Microdermabrasion but is less gentle and more invasive. During this acne scar removal technique, the damaged outermost layer of the skin is frozen and then removed by abrasion/sanding using dermabrader (i.e. a powered rotating brush or similar device).

Contrary to Microdermabrasion, Dermabrasion is painful and requires the use of anesthesia. Afterwards, the skin is very agitated and can take several months to heal.

Both Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion can be very effective for acne scar removal when the scar is raised above the surrounding skin, but are less useful with sunken scars.

Acne Scar Laser Treatment

Laser treatments for acne scarring is the most advanced and effective procedure to remove acne scars. Basically there are two types of laser acne scar removal technique: ablative and non-ablative.

Ablative laser (also known as resurfacing) burns off the outer layers of the skin, i.e. the Epidermis including scar tissues. This procedure causes dermal collagen to tighten up and reduce the visibility of acne scars. The skin can take months to heal after the ablative laser treatment for acne scars.

Non-ablative laser targets the dermis causing collagen synthesis while the epidermis remains intact. This type of acne scar laser treatment is less invasive than the ablative type. However, this procedure is only effective with superficial acne scars.

Punch Techniques

Punch techniques are often used to remove deep acne scars. During this procedure, the scar tissues are physically removed using a punch biopsy tool. The resulting wounds are then sutured, or a skin graft is carried out using skin from other body parts to fill the wounds.

Removing Acne Scars with Surgery or Subcision

Removing acne scars by a surgical treatment or subcision is typically used for deep rolling acne scars. This procedure aims to separate the scar tissues from the dermis allowing blood to flow underneath. This helps the deep rolling acne scars to level off with the surrounding skin.