The psychological impact of acne can extend well beyond the teenage years. Acne scarring is a troublesome problem that provides a life long reminder of a childhood problem. Treatment is varied and depends on the type of scarring which has occurred but always relies on starting with control of the active acne before embarking on any scar removal technique.
Once active acne is controlled, attention can be turned toward helping acne scarring. Unfortunately acne scars are a difficult problem and one of the best treatments possible is preventing the scarring from occuring. For some patients, adolescent acne outbreaks first occur during adulthood, particularly for pregnant women.
Options for acne scar treatment are dependent on the type of skin, color of skin, age of the patient, and type of acne scarring. Options for darker skin individuals is less than those for lighter skinned individuals. Overall, chemical peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, surgical excision, and facial fat grafting are all reasonable options for acne scar revision.
For superficial acne scarring, less invasive procedures can be undertaken to produce excellent results. Light facial resurfacing and procedures to reduce redness left after active acne outbreaks can help to reduce the tell tale signs of acne scarring. While options are available to everyone, the most options exist for patients with light skin and superficial scars.
For deeper scars, a deep chemical peel, ablative laser (CO2 or erbium) resurfacing, or dermabrasion/dermasanding may be necessary. For deeper scars, deeper solutions are necessary. Again, several options exist. Deeper scars can be surgically excised with the larger acne scar replaced with a surgically placed small line. This can later be refined with other rejuvenation techniques. Punch grafting affords a simple method for treating multiple scars. A circular punch is used to create an incision around an acne scar. The scar is then allowed to heal and the resulting skin irregularity is smoothed. Subcision involved releasing the tethering attachments underneath the scar and then filling the space with either a temporary or permanent filler to prevent the scar from reforming when it heals. With the advent of new temporary artificial fillers such as hyaluronic acid, this is a good option for larger depressed scars.
Dr. Verret is a facial plastic surgeon in the north Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas. For more information about torn earlobe or blepharoplasty Dallas visit Dr. Verret online or call for a consultation 972.608.0100.
categories: acne scar,health,medicine
