Treatments for Acne Scars

Have you got acne scars that are getting you down? It’s not the end of the world! There are some great and very effective treatments for acne scars available from skincare clinics and dermatologists that can help you. There are treatments to diminish the appearance of the scars over time and give you back confidence in your skin.

What Are the Main Types of Acne Scar?

There are different types of scars – some of these will fade away naturally in time, but some are harder to get rid of. The main types are:

1. Macules: flat, red spots where you once had a spot, boil, or acne breakout. These tend to fade on their own after a while.
2. Skin discoloration: where a healed acne scar leaves you with discolored skin. This is sometimes called post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation and can take months to fade completely.
3. Tissue scars: these are the enlarged, raised growths, also called keloids, caused by excess collagen production.
4. Tissue loss: the acne ‘pits’ or scars caused by a loss of tissue.

Acne Scar Reduction

If you have acne scars and you’re unhappy about the way they make you look, there are several options available that you can try to reduce their appearance. The first thing to do is call or book an appointment with a professional, a dermatologist, or a licensed esthetician at a skin clinic. They can assess your acne scars and talk you through the best professional acne skincare option at home or in-clinic.

Common Acne Scar Removal Treatments

Micro-dermabrasion

This is where an esthetician exfoliates your skin using tiny crystals, taking off the surface layer of dead skin and encouraging cell renewal. For deeper scars, you’ll likely need more than one session, so discuss this with the therapist when you consult with them. It’s non-invasive, doesn’t hurt, and requires no downtime, so it is an ideal first treatment for acne scarring.

Chemical peels

A chemical peel is very effective at reducing hyper-pigmentation and also reducing the appearance of shallow acne scars. A chemical peel involves applying a mild type of acid to your skin to remove the very top layer. Taking off the dead skin cells leaves your skin looking brighter and evens out your skin tone. Mild skin peels don’t usually need any downtime, but the harsher ones might leave your skin red for a while – your esthetician will be able to advise you.

Retinoic acid

Always get your esthetician or dermatologist’s opinion before using home acne scar removal treatments – they may recommend using a professionally prescribed cream containing retinoic acid cream on the scars, especially if you have keloid scars. Good thing Brilliant Massage & Skin now offers Brilliant Bakuchiol, an all-natural retinol alternative good for anti-aging and acne scar removal.

Lasers

Several laser treatments help remove the outer layer of your skin and contour the areas of skin around acne scars and lighten any redness. The type of laser therapy that will suit you depends on whether the scar you’re treating is raised or flat. You’ll probably need several sessions, and you may need downtime for your skin to heal after treatment.

All of these treatments can help improve your skin’s appearance and reduce scarring. But with acne scars, you should always discuss your expectations with the aesthetician or dermatologist.

Brilliant Massage & Skin

Burlington, Vermont

Brilliant Bakuchiol- Natural Retinol Alternative