What is Acne Scarring and how can you Treat it?

Acne is one of the most common and annoying skin problems, for both men and women. It’s something of a rite of passage for young people, many of whom come out on the other side feeling more hardened against other problems and confident in their appearance.

But it’s not only the spots that can significantly reduce self-confidence – in some cases, but acne scarring can also occur in the form of lumps, indents or pigmented marks on the skin. We’re here to answer your questions about such scarring and how it can be treated.

What is acne scarring?

It can appear in the form of lumps in the skin or a depressed scar, of which there are three main types you need to know about:

• Ice pick scar: triangle indent in the skin
• Rolled scar: soft edge, the larger indent in the skin
• Box scar: square indent in the skin

Does it happen to everyone?

As with acne itself, acne scarring doesn’t happen to everyone. Some people have more of a tendency to scar than others, but you can reduce the chances of this happening to you by keeping your hands away from your face and not picking or squeezing spots.

Is the scarring permanent?

It is difficult to reverse true scars but even these can be radically improved through appropriate treatment. The type and degree of scarring will first need to be identified, following which a skin specialist can work with you to determine the best course of action.

Does diet matter?

There are some foods which have been found to make acne and, in turn, acne scarring worse, such as sugar foodstuffs and starchy foods such as pasta and bread. You should also try to stay away from polyunsaturated fats such as sunflower oil and vegetable oil, as these can worsen cases of inflammation. There are some foods that are great for your skin which you should look to include in your diet, including vegetables, olive oil, nuts, avocados, and coconut oil.

Before you can begin to treat acne scars, the active acne will first need to be treated so that there are no new breakouts. Some great treatments for acne include apple cider vinegar, milk and honey, and tea tree oil. A home treatment that can provide good results for acne scarring is azelaic acid, which prevents spots but also has anti-pigment effects.

What skin treatments are available?

At The Medispa in Cheshire, we offer three main treatments to reduce acne scarring:

• Dermapen: The micro-needling treatment provides lasting results, but a course of treatment with 4 to 6 weeks between each one is often best for achieving significant improvements to the skin
• Obagi: This is a superior skin treatment system, unlike common alpha-hydroxy peels. The system uses Tricloracetic Acid (TCA) and as many coats, as required will be applied, depending on the degree of acne scarring
• Harmony IPL: The laser uses fluorescent lights to help provide a significant improvement to the skin in cases of acne scarring