Did you know, acne scarring is primarily caused by inflammation in the skin as a result of the healing process of acne lesions?
Acne forms when the pores become blocked with oil, dead skin cells and bacteria. In the case of severe acne (cysts and nodules), this can cause the pore to swell and rupture. If the wall of the pore becomes compromised, this infected material can spread into the surrounding tissues, causing deeper inflammation.
The body attempts to repair this damage by producing collagen. Scarring occurs when either too much, or too little collagen is produced. When too little collagen is produced, this can cause atrophic scars (depressed scars like ice-pick, boxcar, or rolling scars), and when too much collagen is produced, this can cause hypertrophic or keloid scars (raised, firm scars).
Unfortunately, some people are more genetically predisposed to certain types of scarring. Darker skin tones may develop post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), and those with fairer skin tones are more prone to red or purplish marks called post inflammatory erythema (PIE), these can often remain some time after the acne lesions have healed.
There are several things that can aggravate or worsen scarring, these include, picking or popping pimples, as this causes more inflammation in the skin, as well as risking spreading to nearby areas. Delaying treatment, as this allows more time for the acne to persist and worsen, this can lead to more widespread and severe tissue damage, as well as the risk of repeated trauma from recurrent breakouts.
What options are there for treatment of acne scars?
The treatment options for acne scarring can vary depending on multiple factors such as, the type of acne scarring that is present, and your skin type.
For those with mild scarring, showing signs of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, topical treatments such as peels, and products containing retinol and brightening agents can work incredibly well to gently resurface and lighten dark spots.
For more moderate to severe scarring, a combination approach is often required. This may include resurfacing, collagen stimulating treatments such as SkinPen microneedling, in combination with scar subcision (a technique where a needle is used to break up and release fibrotic strands in depressed, sunken scars). In areas where there is significant volume loss or indentations left in the skin, a very soft dermal filler can also be used to give the skin a smoother, more uniform appearance.
If you would like to find out more about our Acne Scarring treatment options, please call us on 01296 614 441, and book a Free Consultation.