ZENMED Cosmetics

Scars caused by severe acne are common in all age groups. Long after being cured of acne. People may be left with many deep pitted scars that are very unsightly. Let’s explore some of the modern options for acne scar removal.

Chemical peels also known as derma-peeling work by taking the top layer of skin off. They work well for improving the appearance of mild scars.There are many different acids available for chemical peels. Milder forms of chemical peels include Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA). A stronger form is called Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA). Chemical peels are an outpatient procedure that can be done in a doctors office.

Another option is punch excision with grafting. Local anesthesia is used on the scar area. A punch instrument punches a hole through the skin at the site of the acne scar. A skin graft using the patient’s own skin is taken from behind the ear and placed in the wound created by the punch tool. It’s held in place by a wound healing glue or closure strips. After the graft heals it will still be visible but the depth of the scar will have been reduced. After the punch graft heals other treatments can further improve the scar’s appearance.

Collagen injections are used to replace the lost collagen in the dermis of the skin. It’s often actually a form of collagen taken from cows or pigs because their collagen make up is very similar to humans. A needle is used to inject the collagen into the dermis to fill the void left by the scar. Collagen injections do not last very long for ice pick scars and may require subcision for best results.

Dermal fillers can be used to diminish acne scars. A popular treatment for depressed acne scars is Microlipoinjection. This procedure uses fat from a donor site on the patients own body to “plump up” the area being treated. Autologous fat transfer (Microlipoinjection) lasts longer than other types of fillers. It is also well received by patients because it is completely non-allergenic. It is done on an outpatients basis so there is usually no need to stay in hospital..

Shallow acne scars can be removed by mechanical resurfacing of the skin. Commonly called dermabrasion, it involves removing the top layers of the skin. Mechanical dermabrasion uses a motorised rotary tool with changeable tips. A drum type diamond cylinder spinning at high speed grinds away damaged skin. After months of healing the resulting skin surface is usually much smoother. Potentialy dangerous, dermabrasion should be preformed by only the most skilled surgeons.

Laser treatments work by burning away the scar tissue which promotes the regeneration of collagen and skin cells. They also help to re contour the scar tissue and lighten the reddish color around the scar lesion. Some lasers produce powerful micro bursts of energy that vaporize and remove tissue but leave nearby tissue intact. This helps to speed the healing process.

For depressed acne scars, subcision is another option. When acne scars heal, they often look like pits or depressions because the collagen fibres that hold the skin together between the dermis and the epidermis are too short. The hope with subcision treatment is that when these fibres are cut the new fibres that bind the surface down will be longer and make the scar less noticeable.The process is often helped along with the use of filler agents like collagen or synthetics