When a body repairs a wound, it often uses a fibrous scar tissue, or fibroblast, to do so. This scar tissue looks different than other skin because it is reinforced. Your body does this reinforcing in an attempt to keep your skin from tearing open again. It is unable or perhaps unwilling to take into account how a large, shiny, pink lump of flesh on your face is going to affect your emotional state. But then, your body is the one that started this whole pimple thing, isn't it?
The answer to acne scarring is not simple. Certain people seem to have a certain genetic predisposition to acne. But often, acne or pimples are made worse by not treating them correctly. And ultimately the pimple scars, for the most part, could have been prevented. You should know that I am not a doctor. And serious cases of acne, the ones that cause scarring, should be taken to a dermatologist. The dermatologist will offer some advice and a few different courses of treatment. This article is a collection of information designed to help you make an informed decision—not to make the decision for you.
Steps to Getting Rid of Pimple Scars
The best way to get rid of pimple scars is to avoid pimples altogether. Of course, that in itself is a completely ridiculous notion. There are a few ways to reduce the number of pimples that you have and will get. But to completely avoid acne and pimples altogether is pert' near impossible. To the left, you will see some related articles that can help if you want more info on getting rid of pimples or acne. Pimple scars are most commonly caused by scratching and irritating the skin around pimples and zits. When you scratch, squeeze or pop a pimple, you turn a small wound into a big, open, bleeding, seeping one. You increase the likelihood of infection and may be contributing to the next pimple by spreading bacteria around your face.
Lasers have proven effective at reducing the appearance of both hypertrophic and atrophic pimple scars. The CO2 and Er:YAG are the two most popular lasers used to treat acne scarring. They work by burning the top layer of skin off to expose new, smoother skin. This type of laser is called an ablative laser. The Er:YAG is a less harsh form of the CO2 laser, which means it is less damaging but may require more treatments. The fractioned version of the ablative laser is also effective, but requires more treatments because it affects only a small area, or fraction, of the skin at a time. Healing time for this procedure will depend upon how much skin is removed at a time and whether or not it is done in conjunction with other therapies.
Dermabrasion is used treat acne scars and is very similar to laser therapy. But instead of a focused beam of particles burning the skin from your face, a circulating metal brush is used to grind it off. The tool is a small, motorized rotor tool, much like a Dremel tool. Another form of skin removal, microdermabrasion, is essentially the same thing except that less skin is removed at a time.
Dermaplaning is usually used in conjunction with dermabrasion to treat acne scars. It is pretty much what it sounds like. A tool is used to shave skin off your face and expose the healthier, smoother skin beneath. The tool used is similar, or perhaps identical, to the tool used to shave skin off butts and backs to treat severe burns.
Chemical peels are used to exfoliate skin to remove the acne scar tissue. They are industrial-strength versions of exfoliants that are available in weaker forms without prescription or license. Three chemicals are commonly used as chemical peels: alpha hydroxy acids, trichloracetic acids and phenols. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic, lactic and fruit acids, are the mildest. The trichloracetic acid (TCA) peels are the next strongest. The phenol peels are the strongest chemical peels. Consult a physician for the specific risks of each.Pimple Scars and Pimple Scar Treatments
If you use an exfoliant at home on a daily basis, it will take a few months, but you may successfully remove pimple scars on your own. That is going to depend on your situation and the extent to which you're scarred. The best thing that you can do is to make an appointment with a dermatologist and get a recommendation. If you are willing to spend the money to get professional scar treatment, tell the doctor so. If you would prefer to try something less expensive and potentially painful, ask. There are sound arguments for both courses of treatment. The downside of the more invasive treatments is that there is always a possibly that the scar tissue will come back or that your skin pigmentation will be off afterward. As far as natural treatments are concerned, there are a few recommendations to the right: two that will help with healing and one exfoliant that will, slowly but surely, remove scar tissue and fibroblasts. Basically the same thing the expensive treatments do—just a whole lot slower.
