Acne can be the most stubborn scar on your face and other areas. For some, these scars work like a painful reminder of a bothersome condition, and for others, they sometimes go away. But in most cases, these acne scars can leave you shocked, affect your inner confidence, and make you uncomfortable at public gatherings.
However, the good news is that you can get rid of these acne scars and regain your confidence to clear your skin with the help of home remedies and medical treatments. Here, we will discuss in detail, how you can treat acne scars and their types. To draft this blog we have taken deep insights from Dr. Anika Goel, the founder of Soul Derma Clinic and the top-notch skin specialist for acne scar treatment in South Delhi, So, let’s start by shedding light on acne scars.
Acne Scars: Get An Overview
When a deep pimple or other acne breakout clears, there is a slight chance that a scar can develop. Acne scars refer to the marks that form after acne has cleared. However, not every acne breakout causes a scar.
If you are thinking, are acne scars permanent? While acne scars can fade, there is only a minor chance they completely go on their own. Hence, consulting with a dermatologist can help you get rid of the acne scars. Dermatologists can aid people in getting a smoother and clearer skin tone while removing these acne scars.
The treatment, or any home remedies to get rid of these acne scars, depends highly on the scar type, your skin type, and the severity of the skin. Read on to know more in-depth.
Types of Acne Scars: Treatment And Home Remedies
Atrophic Scars
Atrophic scars appear to be flat, shallow depressions that heal below the skin’s top layer. These scars are usually caused by severe cystic acne. However, there is a possibility that these types of scars can also result from other types of acne.
The atrophic acne scar appearance can significantly vary depending on a person’s history with acne. There are three types of atrophic scars, and they are:
Boxcar Scars: These scars are broad, giving box-like depressions with sharply defined edges. These boxcar scars are usually caused by widespread acne, chicken pox, or varicella (a virus causing red and itchy rashes with blisters). These scars often develop on the jaw and lower cheeks, where skin tends to be thicker.
Ice Pick Scars: Ice pick scars appear smaller, with more narrow indentations that point down into the skin’s surface. These scars are found to be common on the cheeks. These scars can be very tough to treat and usually require persistent and aggressive treatment.
Rolling Scars: Rolling scars give an impression of a varying depth with sloping edges that make your skin wavy and uneven.
Treatment For Atrophic Scars
Home Remedies
At first instance, you can treat atrophic acne scars at home with topical over-the-counter (OTC) retinoids, like Differin. The OTC retinoids promote collagen formation and even out pigment.
Though looking at various advertisements, you might be more tempted to use an at-home chemical peel, dermatologists usually won’t recommend this. It is because there is an increased chance to cause you more damage. It is always best to consult your doctor on what to do with your skin before looking for home remedies.
Medical Treatments
Chemical Peels: Salicylic or glycolic acid chemical peels remove the skin’s outer layer. This treatment is not ideal for deep scarring.
Dermal Fillers: This treatment involves injecting a substance called hyaluronic acid or hydroxylapatite to enhance the appearance.
Dermabrasion: A tool to “sand down” the skin’s top layer is used, eventually making a boxcar even more shallow. This treatment requires multiple visits to your dermatologist. So, it’s best to take follow-ups every time.
Laser Therapy: In ablative laser therapy, high-energy light removes the outer layers of skin and stimulates collagen production in the inner layers of the skin. This therapy uses heat to spark collagen production in the skin’s inner layers.
Microneedling: In this, tiny injuries with needles across the scars are created to form pockets of healing with collagen production to reduce the scar’s depth.
Punch Excision: This treatment involves cutting a scar out of your skin to pull the skin together and stitching it up.
Punch Grafting: This treatment involves removing the scar from your skin and replacing it with the skin taken from another body part.
Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars
Hypertrophic and keloid scars form as raised lumps of scar tissue where the acne was before. It occurs when the scar tissue builds, sometimes from old acne spots.
Hypertrophic scars are examined to be the same size as the acne that caused them. Keloid scars create a scar larger than the acne that develops hypertrophic scars. They are larger and grow beyond the sides of the original spot.
Hypertrophic and keloid scars are more common in the chest, jawline, back, and shoulders. People with darker skin tones are likelier to develop this type of scarring.
Treatment For Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars
The treatment for hypertrophic and keloid scars mainly focuses on reducing the scar’s height so the skin appears smoother.
Home Remedies
If you are looking for home remedy options to treat hypertrophic and keloid scars, you can try several options, like
Bio-oil: It is a topical oil that can help reduce raised scars. It can be purchased at a local pharmacy. However, it is recommended to consult your dermatologist before making the purchase decision.
Massage: Massage can help to weaken scar tissue and reduce the scar’s height.
Silicone Sheeting: When placed on top of your raised scars, these gel silicone sheets can help to soften the scars, reducing their height. However, it is always best to consult your dermatologist before opting for home remedies.
Medical Treatments
Steroid Injections: Steroids are usually injected directly into a scar to soften the scar tissue and reduce its height. Generally, you will require several steroid injections in a gap between several weeks.
Surgical Removal- Sometimes, a dermatologist may recommend removing a large hypertrophic scar or keloid. Those keloids that far exceed the margins of the original wound require skin doctors to reconstruct the surrounding skin tissue and restore as much of the underlying structure as possible.
Laser Therapy- Your doctor can perform both ablative and non-ablative laser therapy.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Once your acne gets healed, it mostly leaves behind a darker or discolored skin patch. However, this is not a scar and can be resolved by following a good sun protection regimen.
Hyperpigmentation can result when the skin gets damaged by severe acne or you’ve picked at your acne. However, in the end, your skin will mostly return to its natural color over time when you follow the proper sun protection. People who experience post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation are generally those who have darker skin and pick or squeeze their acne.
Home Remedies
You can use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 daily at regular intervals.
You can try an OTC retinol like Differin, but make sure you consult your dermatologist about it.
Medical Treatments
The dermatologist may perform any of these to correct post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation:
Chemical Peels
Laser Therapy
Hydroquinone
Topical Retinoids and Retinoids
Know When To Consult A Dermatologist!
Generally, for most people diagnosed with acne, discoloration fades away when following a proper sun protection regime and having an acne treatment. However, in case of discolouration and scarring that lasts for more than a year, consultation with the best dermatologist is a must. This can help develop a treatment plan best suited for your skin, even when looking for any home remedies.
Dr. Anika Goel, the chief consultant Dermatologist of Soul Derma, is the best skin specialist in Greater Kailash to consult with. She holds 10+ years of experience and has successfully treated over 5000+ patients. To start your acne scar reduction journey, book your appointment with her by visiting Soul Derma Clinic today!