Acne scars are easily recognized by the red skin
of an area formerly occupied by a pimple. The initial form, while not
actually a scar, will lead to one in some cases. Unfortunately, the
only way to know for sure that it is a scar is if the red skin persists
for longer than 6-12 months. It is often better, therefor, to treat all
acne lesions as potential scars.
What Causes Acne Scars?
Acne scars are caused by an overabundance of the connective tissues
your body uses to heal itself. These tissues work to provide a
temporary framework for your skin cells to regrow on. But if there is
too much of this connective tissue, it is not broken down when the
healing is complete, but rather stays permanently. This causes a
discolored or unpigmented section of skin to form.
Avoiding Acne Scars
Since the root cause of acne scarring is acne, preventing acne in the
first place is the best way to avoid scars. But even if you already
have acne, it is still possible to prevent acne scars from forming. The
way this is done is by speeding the healing process as much as
possible. The faster your acne lesion heals, the less time the
connective tissue framework has to overgrow and leave scars.
Speeding the Healing Process
There are 2 main treatments dermatologists use to facilitate the rapid
healing of acne lesions. The first is Tretinoin, an acid derivative of
Vitamin A, also known as all-trans retinoic acid. This chemical speeds
the skin's healing, reducing inflammation and preventing acne scars
from forming.
The second method involves the use of various Alpha- and Beta-Hydroxy
acids, which perform much the same function as Tretoinin, speeding
healing and reducing the chance of scarring.
Helping Yourself
Even if you don't or can't see a dermatologist, there are several
different things you can do yourself that can help prevent acne scars
from forming. The biggest thing is to treat your skin well. Avoid
over-exposure to the sun, as sunburns can dramatically slow the healing
process. Always wear sunscreen when going out in the sun. Don't pop
your pimples, and if there are scabs from lesions, do not pick at them.
Picking at any wound as it heals causes more damage, extending healing
times and increasing the likelihood of scar tissue forming.
Removing Existing Acne Scars
Even with the best of care, scarring still sometimes occurs. But even
if a scar does form, there are several options available that can
reduce or eliminate your visible scarring.
Dermal Fillers
Fillers such as collagen can be injected into the site of an acne scar,
raising the skin surface to reduce the appearance of pockmarks. These
are not permanent treatments, however, and will require re-injection
every 3-6 months.
Laser Resurfacing
An extremely popular and fast treatment for acne scars, laser
resurfacing works by burning a precisely measured upper layer of skin.
New skin then grows over the wound, leaving mostly unscarred skin
visible. But as with the initial acne healing process, care must be
taken to insure that this new skin does not scar as well.
Punch Excision
This procedure is only effective on certain types of scars. A surgical
punch is made to precisely the dimensions of the scar to be removed.
The scar is then punched out, similar to a cookie cutter, and the wound
sewn together. If there is any scarring left after the wound heals, it
can be more easily treated with laser resurfacing than the original
larger scar.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/acne-articles/
acne-scars-treatment-effective-tips-to-prevent-and-heal-acne-scars-
708922.html
About the Author
Abhishek is a Skincare expert and he has got some
great
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his FREE 115 Pages Ebook, "How To Win Your War
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