There is no denying the fact that effective acne treatment really is all about prevention. But even as you are working to get your acne under control, what do you do about blemishes that are already there?
As if having pimples on your face or in other prominent spots was not aggravating enough, there are often marks left behind in places where the pimples were. These marks can range from almost invisible pinkish spots and to brown spots to scars of all sizes. It is estimated that up to 95% of people with acne have some sort of skin scarring. Generally the longer acne lesions persist, the more likely that some degree of scarring will happen.
Scarring happens when scar tissue replaces normal skin and skin structures. Scarring is the final result of tissue deformation and healing process. Many factors can influence the type of scar that will occur and the extent of scarring, such as genetics and skin pigmentation. If you have lesions that last a long time and are picked at, they are more likely to leave a scar behind.
Unfortunately, acne scars can last a lifetime, and many people choose to have them removed using one of the methods currently available for scar removal treatments.
There are various treatments available today to improve the condition of skin with acne scarring. Over the last several years, laser technology has assumed an increasingly important role in the treatment of acne scars. Laser skin resurfacing is now one of most common procedures for treatment of acne scars.
Lasers Used in Acne Scar Treatments
Acne scar removal is most often it is performed with a carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser), so called because the laser beam passes through a chamber with carbon dioxide gas, or with an Erbium:YAG laser, called after the crystal through which the beam passes.
The CO2 laser has revolutionized the treatments of skin resurfacing, because of its precision and ease of use. The treatment is highly effective, but it takes a long time for the skin to recover. Patients feel pain and look as if they have a bad sunburn for months.
Although each patient responds differently, dark colored skin is usually affected most severely, and the treatment often results in changes in the skin color. That is why, dark-skinned patient of Asian, African American, and Hispanic background should choose a specialist that is experienced with treating dark skin.
The Erbium laser provides much gentler treatment alternative because it produces less heat. As a result the treated area recovers more quickly and with less redness or skin discoloration. However, this also means less dramatic effect of the treatment, because there is less collagen remodeling.
To maximize benefit while limiting the pain and redness, some laser specialists use both procedures on the same patient. This minimizes the adverse side effects of CO2 laser resurfacing, while taking advantage of superior collagen remodeling capacity.
The type of treatment you choose should be the one that is best for you in terms of your type of skin, the price, what you want the treatment to accomplish, and the possibility that some types of treatment may result in more scarring if you are very susceptible to scar formation.
Before committing to treatment of acne scars, you should carefully select an experienced dermatologist and ask him/her any questions that you have about your treatment options, possible side-effects, and kind of results you can expect after the treatment.
You should have realistic expectations for the treatment. Although scar treatment will usually improve the condition and appearance of your skin, complete restoration of the skin to the way it looked before you had acne is often not possible.
Read more about Acne Skin Care: Acne Removal using natural methods, Natural Acne Removal Treatment, and Baby acne.
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