Yuck! Nobody likes to suffer through an outbreak of acne, but even that can go from bad to worse if scars develop. Not only do you have to live with the acne, but you could be stuck with the aftermath for years to come, especially if you have severe outbreaks. However, there is good news because there are a lot of options for acne scar reduction.
The following is somewhat simplified, but it’s enough to give you the information you need to start treating your acne scars. When you have a bad outbreak of acne and sores develop, and that can lead to an infection which causes collagen and elastin to decrease. If that happens, then the skin cells themselves become damaged. The body then sends out its natural defenses and tries to repair the skin near the damaged area with connective tissue, and it’s this tissue that causes scarring.
Prevention of scarring is by far the best thing you can do. That may sound obvious, but all too many people overlook it. A good first step is to start treating your acne as soon as possible. Though it is often easier said than, you should never pick at the sores from your acne. Of course, if you start treating right away, there will be fewer sores to pick at.
You can always try using medicated treatments for acne scar reduction. Again, do what you can to prevent and treat outbreaks first. Over-the-counter medications may work just fine, but if not, you can always talk to your doctor or a dermatologist about prescribing something for your outbreaks.
You may not be able to do much in the way of prevention if you already have some scarring, but there are things you can do to minimize or eliminate the appearance of existing scars.
The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor or dermatologist about your treatment options. They will be able to give you advice based on your personal medical history. Even if you want to try some home remedies for acne scar reduction, you should still talk to a medical professional about your concerns.
Laser treatments are becoming more and more popular as people see how well they work. The laser has to be used by a qualified dermatologist, so it will require an office visit. In simple terms, the laser burns of some of the skin in a controlled manner, then the scars are minimized when the new, healthy skin grows back.
Dermabrasion is where the top part of the skin is abraded or scraped off. A machine or buffer is used to make this happen. The idea here is that it will reveal the healthier skin underneath, but it also encourages new skin cell growth which adds to its effectiveness.
There are also different medicated lotions, creams and supplements that can help with acne scar reduction. Remember, you don’t have to live with yucky looking scars, so take advantage of any of these options right away.