Acne Scars
Acne is an inflammatory reaction within the skin most often caused by pores that become blocked with oil or dead skin cells. Bacteria that normally sits on the skin surface, gets trapped within the pores or hair follicles and become infected. Acne can also be caused by genetics, hormones and stress. Often the sebum or oil glands become overactive, causing these blockages. Acne is considered either non-inflammatory or inflammatory and is treated accordingly. When the inflammatory response from the acne lasts for an extended period of time the results can be scars.
An acne scar is a visible mark in the skin caused by injury to the tissue. Acne scars are caused when the injury to the skin is due to the body’s inflammatory response to the oil glands, bacteria and plugged follicles. A scar is formed as part of the natural healing process as the body tries to repair a wound or injury to the dermis. Acne scars can be depressions or pitted areas caused when the support structures under the skin are lost or damaged. Other forms of scars can be as a result of too much collagen being produced to heal the injury. These are raised, thick scars also known as keloids.
There is not a specific reason of why scarring happens to one person and not another. Some are just prone more to them. Acne scarring is often the result of severe inflammatory cysts, which occur deep within the dermis. The only way to prevent or limit the extent of scarring is to treat acne when it first appears and continue to treat as long as necessary. If the inflammation can be kept under control the chance of scarring can be prevented or limited.
There are various types of treatment for acne scars. Treatment modalities will depend on the type and extent of the scars in question. Dermal fillers and fat transfer can be used to fill out deep soft scars, plumping out pitted or depressed areas of the skin. Microdermabrasion or the deeper dermabrasion can resurface the skin to make scars appear less visible. Several wavelengths of lasers are also available to treat acne as well as the associated scars, such as the CO2 laser. Skin surgery and skin grafting can treat the scars by removing the damaged tissue, suturing the area closed, or by inserting a skin graft. If the scar is considered hypertrophic or keloid, a surgical procedure is usually not an option, however injections of steroids may benefit in calming down the raised areas of skin.
Acne scars are caused by an inflammatory response to acne bacteria or clogged oil glands. The best way to prevent scars is early intervention for the skin. If you have acne or a known tendency to scar, consult a dermatologist to determine the right course of action to treat active acne or the scars associated with it. |
