Acne is a very common problem for teenagers and it is not rare for adults. Though acne is not that injurious to health, its result is very bad. The ugly scars it leaves on a person’s face never go away totally. Though there are some treatments that show hope to affected people, till now there is no 100% effective remedy. Throughout this article we will know about the cause of those permanent red marks and scars, how to prevent them and what can be done if you have already got them.
Why do acne scars appear?
Mainly because of hormonal imbalance during the puberty acne is formed. When the levels of some definite hormones become higher than normal the skin becomes oily and creates the base for formation of acne. Later bacteria and dirt accumulates around a root of a hair follicle and gradually result in pimple or acne. Now, when a pore is blocked and the acne bacteria starts to multiply in it, your body treats that as an infection as attacks it. Pain is felt because both oil and bacteria continue to increase. The acne pimple or ‘pustule’ is formed at this time. If the blockage becomes very large or if you pick and press on the pimple, collegian fibers in your skin surrounding the blockage can be injured. This impaired region does not heal even after the pore finally heals. A permanent red scar is left behind on that spot.
How can you prevent acne scarring?
Though we cannot prevent acne with present environment pollution, stress of modern life and of course hormonal imbalance. But there are ways to prevent those ugly scars resulting from acne. From the previous paragraph it can be easily understood that to avoid picking or squeezing acne pimples is the first thing to do for preventing the scars. Instead of picking the acne blemishes you should steam the area with a hot wash cloth so that the pore opens and the blockage is gone. You may need to go through this process several times for each pore. But compared to the cost and pain involved in the treatment of the scars, this is a very easy task. You can also use tea tree oil on the pores and cleanse the pimples with care.
Treatment of acne scars
There are several methods to deal with acne scars though no method is 100% efficient till now. We will learn about the most common treatment procedures of acne scars.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is being used for acne scars for a long time. It is a medical procedure. In this process the whole surface of the skin is re-damaged and the skin then heals gradually revealing an even surface. But there is risk of additional scarring and infection.
In this method the skin surface is sanded down mechanically by removing the outer layer, like a bad scrape or rug burn. The process has been proven effective for many people. But there are some limitations of this process. Apart from the risk of infection and additional scarring, a discoloration line has formed on the skin of some people. The line forms where the treated skin and untreated skin meet. And the cost of this process is also very high. A few thousand dollars are normally needed to complete the procedure.
Skin Peels
This process is somewhat similar to dermabrasion but not as deep. Here chemical acid is used to remove the outer layer of the skin. The skin then heals itself within a few weeks. You may need to go through several of these processes for satisfactory results. But this process also has some limitations. Additional scars and infection can happen in this process too. If you have darker skin you may face the problem of skin discoloration. And of course check whether the chemical reacts with your skin before applying it on your face. Inner arms may be used to do this test. If you need to go through the treatment process several process which is normal, do the test every time before the treatment. The reason behind doing so is that your body can react each time differently. Another thing to remember is that the cost of this treatment varies from place to place. So check out some treatment centers before making your final decision.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is a relatively new technology and is still developing. It has already been accepted in various types of cosmetic treatments. The laser is a powerful light beam which stimulates the skin cells and the treated are is ‘plumped up’. Laser treatments have been notably successful in the field. But laser treatments are very costly and there is no money back option if you are not satisfied with the result.
Natural Treatment
Until now there is only one patented non-chemical method to deal with acne scars. The treatment was invented by Chris Gibson and detailed explanation of the procedure can be found in his book “Acne Free in 3 Days”. The process is totally pain and infection free and is effective on all kinds of skins. The discussion of the process is out of the scope of this article.
Conclusion
As you can see, treatment of acne scars is very costly, time consuming and painful. And there is no surety that the process will be totally successful. So the best thing to do is to be aware so that the scars are not created in the first place. But unfortunately if you have already got them then choose a suitable treatment option.
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