Acne Scars Treatment Specialists

Acne Scars

Acne scars are part of the skin’s healing process. It’s a condition caused by injury to the skin from the inflammatory cystic lesions of acne. Unfortunately, acne scarring is not uncommon.

Types of Acne Scarring

There are two different types of scars your skin creates:

• Hypertrophic: Where scar tissue is raised and forms a keloid, a type of scar
• Atrophic: Where you experience a loss of tissue that causes depression in your skin:
  • Scars with a more shallow dip or depression are sometimes called rolling acne scars
  • Scars that are very deep and narrow are sometimes called ice pick scars

More often, acne causes atrophic scarring, which can be unsightly and permanent without proper treatment. The deeper the dip created by your scarring, the more difficult it is to treat. Your treatment depends on the severity and depth of your acne scars. Your New York City dermatologist can help guide you through diagnosing your acne scars and picking a treatment that will be most successful.

The Difference Between Acne Marks and Acne Scars

Acne marks (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and scars differ in their permanence on the skin. Acne marks are pink or brown in color and often resolve on their own after many months or even years. The fading process may be expedited with the use of various prescription lightning agents. Acne scars, on the other hand, are permanent and require a dermatologist to treat.

Acne Scarring Prevention

Prevention of new blemishes in conjunction with scar treatment gives your face the best chance to reduce permanent damage. Seeing your NY dermatologist is an important first step no matter what stage your acne is in because you’ll need to treat existing acne to prevent further scarring before treating old scars.

Acne Scarring Treatment

Your New York City dermatologist meets with you to diagnose your condition and come up with a personalized plan to effectively treat your acne and minimize your acne scars because treating both is necessary. Below are some of the common methods for treating acne scars:

• Laser Resurfacing: Laser resurfacing is a technique commonly used for acne scars that have caused depressions in your skin. It’s a highly effective technique that causes micro trauma to the scarred skin in order to encourage fresh collagen deposition in the area of the depressed scar.
• Microneedling: Similar to laser resurfacing, micro needling leads to tiny injuries to the scarred skin, encouraging the area to heal properly.
• Surgery: Considered one of the most effective ways to treat deep acne scars, subcision and punch grafting fills in the depression, thereby minimizing the scar’s appearance. You will face some bruising and healing time that’s commonly associated with this procedure.
• Injections: Using dermal fillers, your dermatologist injects and fills in the dips caused by acne. This procedure has to be repeated every few months as the filler degrades.
• Chemical Peels: Your dermatologist applies an acidic solution, which causes your skin to shed its top layer. This damage forces new collagen deposition and reduce the visibility of old acne scars. Healing time for chemical peels is usually several days, depending on the depth of the peel.

Acne scarring is common and a real problem for many people of all ages. The scars can cause self-confidence issues and depression. But acne and acne scars can be treated.

Important Reminder: This information is only intended to provide guidance, not definitive medical advice. Please consult dermatologist NYC about your specific condition. Only a trained, experienced board certified dermatology doctor or pediatric dermatologist could determine an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.