Acne Scar Removal Techniques: Procedures That Fit Each Type

Deciding on the acne scar removal technique for a patient would depend on a lot of factors; not least of which is the kind of scar that the patient has. Before undergoing any procedure or using any medication, a patient's scar should be categorized first. Only then can a proper cure be chosen and administered.

Types of scars
Acne scar removal procedures start with determining the type of scar. There are two general categories: hypertrophic and atrophic. Hypertrophic scars are thickened scars that resulted from tissue growth. They are more commonly known as keloids. Atrophic, on the other hand, are those that resulted from loss of tissue. Atrophic has several sub-types.

Atrophic scars can be fibrotic, or those that have the appearance of depressed valleys. There is also a milder form of fibrotic which has the same appearance but smaller in size. There are also the so-called ice pick scars or those that have the appearance of deep pits made on the surface of the skin. Macules are skin colorations that often appear as bluish, while follicular scarring is characterized by lesions with slight elevation.

Treatment techniques
For hypertrophic scars or keloids, a technique that is often used is dermabrasion. It entails removing the topmost layer of damaged skin to depress the elevated scars. This procedure commonly makes use of laser which is deemed to be easier to control and more effective in removing the damaged part of the skin.

Chemical peeling is a technique that makes use of certain chemicals designed to peel off the damaged part of the skin. The skin is then allowed to regenerate or produce a healthier, smoother replacement. However, this procedure is not recommended to older patients unless a complementary procedure for skin regeneration is also done. This is because adult skin might be harder to regenerate than younger skin.

For depressed scars or pit-like marks, collagen injection is one option that is often used. In this procedure, collagen is injected to the skin to raise the depressed area to the same level as the surface of the original skin. It aims to smooth-out the damaged skin and remove the appearance of pits. In some cases, autologous fat transfer is the process used. This involves getting healthy skin from another part of the body to be used as "filler" for the depressed or crater-like damage.

Laser procedures, one of the more common techniques for treating scarring, are usually chosen to get rid of discolored scars. Laser is used to burn away the damaged skin cells and stimulate collagen growth. This technique can be done more than once; the more severe the scar, the higher the number of laser procedures that will be conducted.

Different acne scar removal methods are available for different types and varying levels of scarring. A patient should always have a thorough discussion with a doctor before making any decision on what procedure to use.