Types of Acne Scar Removal Treatments Available Today

It is still unknown how acne forms into the different acne types. What science can tell us right now is that when the sebaceous glands produce excess sebum (oil), it can mix with the dead skin cells and dirt in the skin. This mixture becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The dead skin cells, dirt and sebum clog up the skin pores. They the manifest themselves as reddish blemish on the skin surface, and this is what we know as acne.

Acne that is close to skin surface are what we know as whiteheads and blackhead, non-inflammatory type of acne. Acne that is painful to the touch and swell up, on the other hand, is the inflammatory type of acne. These are the pimples or zits and they can leave scars since they go beyond the top layer of the skin.

Acne scars vary from person to person. This is because people have different facial topology. Thus, one person with acne scars can have just shallow imperfections (acne scars that are not so deep), another person may have "ice pick" scars (acne scars that look like chickenpox scars), and another person may have deep acne scars.

To date, there is still not a lot of information and research done on acne scars and how they form. Thus, acne scar treatments are not surprisingly limited. Acne scars and their treatment then needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. There is not a single acne scar treatment that works for everyone. If you have acne scars, you'll need to talk to your dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon to find out what procedure or treatment is most appropriate for you.

A number of treatments for removing acne scar are available, and the treatment type depends on the type of acne scarring. Again, it's best to talk to your dermatologist and find out which acne scar removal treatment (or even a combination of treatments) is the best for you.

Below are a few of the acne scar removal treatments available today:

* Dermabrasion

With this treatment, the skin is numbed or frozen. A machine removes damaged skin to make way for new skin growth. Dermabrasion is not the same as microdermabrasion. The latter wont remove acne scars.

* Laser resurfacing

This acne scar removal treatment uses laser to remove old skin that has been damaged to allow new skin to grow. Laser resurfacing is becoming very popular, and is promising to surpass dermabrasion as the treatment of choice when it comes to acne scar removal.

* Chemical peel

Chemical peeling is an acne scar removal method wherein the top layer of the skin is removed by applying acid or chemical. The procedure allows for a new smoother skin layer to grow.

* Punch

This acne scar removal method is recommended for people who have deep, pitted scars. The procedure involves removing the scar and the wound closed so that it can heal. This method has three techniques: punch excision, punch replacement and punch elevation.

* Subcision

This acne scar removal method involves detaching the acne scar from the deeper tissues. This lets a pool of blood to form under the acne scar and clot. The blood basically helps in the formation of connective tissues under the scar so that the acne scar area comes up level with the skin surface.

* Augmentation

In this acne scar removal method, the acne scar is injected with a material, either collagen or one's own fat, with the goal of bringing the scarred skin to surface level.