Acne Scar Removal Options: Putting your best face forward

Any acne a person experiences has the potential to lead to scarring. If you have had to endure pimples as a teen or adult, you may have the scars to prove it. You may be asking, “Is there an acne scar cure or an effective acne scar treatment that is worth trying? What acne scar removal methods really work?”

The most severe forms of acne lead to the most visible scarring. The typical whiteheads or blackheads many people experience leave only a minimum of scarring, which tends to fade over time. However, if you experience inflamed, red pimples (knows as papules) or red pimples with white centers (known as pustules) the potential for acne scarring is increased. If you have severe acne, which causes cysts or pus-filled lumps (known as nodules) under the skin, you should definitely be aware of effective acne scar removal treatments as you are likely to want to take advantage of them.

Your first defense against acne scars is to seek treatment right away for the acne. Especially with the nodule type, you will want to prevent further damage to your skin by preventing the acne from happening in the first place. Do not take a wait and see approach, and especially do not squeeze or pop a pimple, as you might cause an acne scar by doing so.

Most importantly, if your acne is severe, you need to see a dermatologist or physician who can prescribe antibiotic ointments or oral medications which will help treat the cause of the acne. Whatever method you choose for acne scar removal, you must have your acne under control before you can attempt to undergo a procedure, as the symptoms of acne are visible weeks after the flare-up is initiated by your body.

If you have serious acne scarring on your face, there are acne scar removal treatments you can try. One is laser resurfacing, an outpatient procedure which is performed in a dermatologist’s office. A laser acne scar removal treatment removes the damaged top layer of skin, tightens the underlying layer, and thereby improves the skin’s surface.

You and your doctor might also choose dermabrasion for acne scar removal. This method employs an abrasive tool, such as a rotating fine wire brush to remove the damaged top layer of skin, revealing the healthier smooth skin beneath it.

Fractional laser therapy is the latest acne scar cure, and takes the least amount of time to heal. It works below the top surface of the skin, instead of resurfacing the outer layer of tissue. Fractional laser acne scar treatment is expensive, and as with other “cosmetic” procedures, is not usually covered by insurance.

In some cases of acne scar removal, the doctor will inject material beneath a pitted scar to plump it out to the level of the surrounding skin. In the most extreme cases of acne scarring, a dermatologist may recommend surgery.

Most acne scar removal treatments last from a few minutes up to an hour, depending on how much skin surface is to be treated at once. Healing time tends to be between three days and three weeks, depending on the method of acne scar removal you choose. You should plan your treatment at a time when you will not be exposing your skin to the sun.

The bottom line for acne scar removal is that you must decide for yourself what amount of scarring is acceptable to you. If you feel that acne scars are affecting your self confidence, your ability to get a job or move up in the work world, or your ability to attract a partner, then you certainly should investigate the above options as acne scar cures.