They all look unsightly, but not all acne scars are created equal. As a result, the treatments necessary to make them disappear are also not the same. This makes it important to find acne scar removal pictures and determine the type of scar. This gives doctors a better chance of prescribing the right treatment for you.
- ice pick scars
Deep acne scars can be narrow as if piercing the skin, hence their name. It creates the illusion that they make a hole in the skin since they can penetrate to the dermis. There are even cases where an ice pick scar opens up a pore.
These scars come from a cyst infection or other deep inflammation of the skin. It travels up to the surface, leaving a long scar that looks like a column. Ice pick scars are usually treated with punch grafting or punch excision.
- boxcar scars
When looking at pictures of acne scar removal, you will often notice scars that are larger and appear deeper. If so, then you’ve already seen a boxcar scar. Unlike ice picks, they are broader and appear as round depressions in the skin. This gives the affected area a pitted appearance.
Depression is caused by the destroyed collagen that supports the skin and gives it its shape. These scars can be superficial or, in extreme cases, severe depending on the amount of tissue that has been lost. They have the same treatments as ice picks, plus laser resurfacing and dermal fillers.
- rolling scars
These scars appear as ripples on the skin as acne scar removal pictures suggest. This happens because the outer layer of skin is pulled away from the tissue below. In this case, subcision is the best treatment available.
- Keloid scars
Unlike boxcar scars, keloid scars are the opposite in that they appear as bumps rather than depressions. It is often seen as a raised mass of tissue on the skin. They are larger than the acne itself and are found on the torso of men. An excess of collagen makes this possible.
These are a common sight in most acne removal images. You can also find them as hypertrophic scars. To treat keloid scars, cortisone creams are applied to flatten the scar. Interferon injections are also given to soften acne tissue.