Acne leaves scars like any other skin lesion. Severe cystic and nodular acne always leave a scar, while mildly inflamed acne also leaves scars in some people. Healing depends on the individual’s response to injury. As we age, these scars become more visible due to the loss of collagen in the skin. Scars look ugly and need to be prevented and treated. Let’s find out more about acne scars.
When the acne resolves, a dark spot forms on the skin. Most of the time it is PIH (Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation). This dark skin color is the result of the body’s natural repair. PIH fades in about a year. If the PIH does not resolve during that time, you may have an acne scar that needs treatment.
Raised Acne Scars-
Acne scars can be depressed or raised. Raised acne scars form in those people who develop keloids. A keloid is a growth of tissue at the site of the injury. It is not easy to remove keloids through surgery. That can result in more new keloids. Keloids are treated differently.
Depressed Acne Scars-
Fortunately, most get depressed acne scars. Depressed acne scars form as a result of tissue loss at the acne site. Tissue is lost when acne spreads within the skin. Some collagen is lost in this process. After the acne clears up, the depression remains and new skin grows over the depression. That is a depressed acne scar.
These depressed acne scars can be categorized as: ice pick, boxcar, or rolling scars. Such acne scars do not fade with time. Depressed acne scars are removed with surgical and physical procedures like dermabrasion, chemical peel, microdermabrasion, surgery, soft tissue filler, laser, etc. Some topical formulations are also available that reduce the intensity of the acne scar and lighten it.
This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Follow any advice given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not responsible for any results or damages that result from the information obtained from this article.