Lets see what is an Acne first before going into Acne Scars. Acne refers to lesions or pimples caused when the hair follicles on the skin become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. A plugged follicle is the perfect place for bacteria to grow and create the red bumps and pus-filled red bumps known as pimples. The usual bacteria that causes acne is called Propionibacterium acnes. Hormonal changes during the teen years often cause increased oil production that contributes to the problem.

Causes of Acne Scars

In the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue.

They are the visible reminders of injury and tissue repair. In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body’s inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle.

Two types of true scars exist, depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and raised thickened tissue such as keloids.

Things to remember before going for Acne Scar removal

People experience different types of scarring from acne, and every person is left with different facial topography. Therefore, acne scar treatment must be addressed on a case by case basis. No single treatment is right for everyone. You and your dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon will have to decide what is right for your type of acne scarring.

Since getting rid of acne scars is a complex process, often several of the treatments listed above will have to be combined to produce the best results. For example, punch techniques followed by laser acne treatments is common. Ice pick acne scars might require undermining the acne scars (subcision) followed by injections (augmentation). It is not uncommon to see more than two procedures combined as well.

Basic research into how acne scars are formed and how they respond to treatment is very limited. It has not been a well treated condition in the past.

Prevention and Treatment of Acne Scars

The best way to prevent post-inflammatory changes caused by acne is to prevent acne lesions from occurring. This is done by understanding the factors that cause acne and using the appropriate treatments for the different acne types.

If you have scarring, the acne scar treatment you get will depend on the type of scars you have, as well as on your skin type. Most experience has been gained treating facial scars. Generally, scars on the chest and back do not respond as well.

Collagen injection. Collagen, a normal substance of the body, is injected under the skin to “stretch” and “fill out” certain types of superficial and deep soft scars. Collagen treatment usually does not work as well for ice-pick scars and keloids.

Autologous fat transfer. Fat is taken from another site on your own body and prepared for injection into your skin. The fat is injected beneath the surface of the skin to elevate depressed scars.

Punch Excision - Ice pick acne scars have hard, irregular jagged borders and often the depth is irregular as well. Simple excision of these scars with a sutured closure allows the dermatologist to bring the dermis back together, get rid of the ragged margins and close the area with a fine, uniform line.

Subcision - In this procedure the dermatologist undermines the acne scar with a sharp instrument such as a tiny scalpel or needle. Subcision helps break fibrous bands of scar tissue that are creating tension between the epidermis and deeper structures and also helps induce new collagen formation.

Dermabrasion - This procedure has fallen somewhat out of favor with the availability of newer, easier to use techniques. In dermabrasion, the skin is anesthetized and frozen and an extremely sharp rapidly rotating blade sheers away damaged tissue.

Laser Treatment. Lasers of various wavelength and intensity may be used to recontour scar tissue and reduce the redness of skin around healed acne lesions.

Skin Surgery. Some ice-pick scars may be removed by “punch” excision of each individual scar. In this procedure each scar is excised down to the layer of subcutaneous fat; the resulting hole in the skin may be repaired with sutures or with a small skin graft. Subcision is a technique in which a surgical probe is used to lift the scar tissue away from unscarred skin, thus elevating a depressed scar.



Thanks to Rachel Broune for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Home Remedy To Cure Acne

In Atlanta, microdermabrasion is a very popular procedure that both men and women use to keep their skin looking young and fresh. This is why there are several skin treatment centers in the city that offer their own take on the popular Atlanta microdermabrasion treatments.

Atlanta microdermabrasion is used mainly to eliminate or at least minimize the visible signs of skin aging such as age spots, lines, and wrinkles. Atlanta microdermabrasion is also effective as an acne prevention and treatment procedure, as well as in dispelling acne-caused scars.

Among the numerous treatment centers that specialize in Atlanta microdermabrasion is the Golden Clinic, a skin care facility founded by the world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Robert M. Golden.

Dr. Golden has been practicing cosmetic surgery in Atlanta for more than 15 years and is an active member of both the American Society for Liposuction Surgery and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

With his considerable experience in the field of skin care, Dr. Golden is more than qualified to perform Atlanta microdermabrasion on his clients. In fact, the Golden Clinic boasts of having some of the best skin experts in the area.

Besides the Atlanta microdermabrasion treatments, the Golden Clinic also offers several other dermatologic procedures such as skin surgery and skin cancer treatment. However, the Atlanta microdermabrasion treatment is probably the most popular procedure that the clinic offers.

Atlanta microdermabrasion actually takes a very short time, which is why so many people just love it. You can go in for your appointment and come out a few hours later with much younger-looking and more radiant skin.

After you undergo Atlanta microdermabrasion treatments in the Golden Clinic, they will apply a special moisturizer to revitalize your skin, which will all but eliminate the time you need for recovery.

Right after your Atlanta microdermabrasion treatment, you will notice several positive changes on your skin. Your lines and wrinkles will not be as defined anymore, and your age spots will have faded considerably. Do not expect to see a complete transformation, though. It may take a few sessions of Atlanta microdermabrasion to achieve that perfectly blemish-free and wrinkle-free skin that you really want.

The skin experts will also warn you that immediately after the Atlanta microdermabrasion treatments, your skin will be very vulnerable to elements such as the sun’s rays. Therefore, you will be advised to apply a mild sunscreen with an SPF of not lower than 15, if you are planning to go outdoors. For more info see http://www.microdermabrasionhelp.com/Microdermabrasion_Cost on home microdermabrasion kits.

If you wish to visit the Golden Clinic for an Atlanta microdermabrasion treatment, it is located in Alpharetta, Georgia, which is actually a suburb of Atlanta. We assure you that if you do decide to have your Atlanta microdermabrasion treatment in the Golden Clinic, you will be completely satisfied with the results.



Thanks to Wade Robins for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Severe Acne Treatment

Can you answer Liz’s question about Acne?:

I have mild acne on the sides of my face (mostly blackheads with like two red pimples). I’ve been using benzoyl peroxide to treat it and now my face is dry and flaky. Is it okay to use a microdermabrasion cleanser on my skin? Do you think it will help the flakiness? Will it make my acne worse? Please Help?

Glycolic Acid Pads

Can you answer Ronny’s question about Acne?:

I have some acne scars on face that I hate. I was wondering what is the best at Home Microdermabrasion that could help heal these scars. I was reading about Youthful Essence and Dermanew and was wondering if anybody tried these for scars. I can’t really afford the a real professional job right now and was wondering about the home products.

Natural Acne Scar Treatment

Ever been called, "Freckle Face?" Have you been called names because of your freckles? While some people have learned to live with freckles, some have trouble finding gratification when you are frequently mocked because you have spots and marks on your face.

Freckles are harmless tan spots usually found on the face and torso of people with fair complexion. During wintertime, freckles fade but exposure to sunlight prompts their reemergence during summer time since extremely pale skinned people do not produce enough melanin to protect themselves from the sun.

To some people, freckles eventually fade with age, and it is possible to clear freckles nowadays. Microdermabrasion is a proven way of completely eliminating freckles including discolored skin. Microdermabrasion is an advanced, non-invasive procedure that abrades the top layer of the skin. The process of abrasion removes and scrapes off dead skin cells and encourages the production of new cells. It also cleans and unclogs the pores and helps in the oil production in the skin.

Microdermabrasion systems use various particles including diamonds, aluminum oxide and salt crystal to abrade the skin. Before the treatment, the area is thoroughly cleansed to take away excess oil. The resurfacing device gently scrapes off the skin removing dead skin cells, allowing smoother and plumper skin to reveal. The vacuum attached to the device unclogs the pores and aids with the stimulation of the blood hastening the blood circulation that provide the nutrients needed for the skin regeneration.

Some microdermabrasion machines send out ultrasonic heat not only burns fat but it accelerates blood circulation. After the procedure, the skin will have pinkish glow and resumption of work or normal activities is fine. The procedure can even be done during your lunch hour. Depending on the severity of the freckles on the face or other parts of the body, the procedure has to be done more than once. Microdermabrasion will improve the texture of the skin and skin elasticity and skin clarity will be obtained only after a few sessions. The series of treatment can produce a nice anti-aging result.

The microdermabrasion machines come with different levels of power depending on the need and harshness of the discoloration of the skin. Microdermabrasion can also eliminate tiny moles and wrinkles on the face. The special emulsions applied on the skin before the treatment is full of nutrients that will promote quick renewal of skin cells as well as replenish the moisture of the skin. Immediate result can be seen and felt as soon as the treatment ends. There is no doubt that after each treatments, the over-all condition of your skin will improve thereby improvement of the quality of life is expected.

There is simply no danger associated with microdermabrasion. It is safe and can even be done in the convenience of your home. Several clinics and spas offer microdermabrasion treatments. Physicians, aesthetician, and dermatologists are trained to use the microdermabrasion machines. Several do it yourself microdermabrasion machines are also available in major stores nationwide.

Learn more about microdermabrasion and microdermabrasion machine in our information guide, or consult with an anti-aging specialist in your area for a consultation about your procedure.



Thanks to Saurabh Yadav for contributing this article to our Acne blog:

Get Rid Of Back Acne