Acne Scar Treatment
- lisablackmore
- Jul 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 9
Microneedling Stamford
Acne is awful at any age but sadly it seems to hit teenagers at one of their most vulnerable times, adolescence. Some seem to escape it entirely in their teenage years, others avoid it until their 20's and 30's but at some point, most of us are directly or indirectly impacted by acne.
My personal experience was adult acne, in my late 30's. Huge, inflamed papules which never really became pustules (white heads) and seemed to takeover my entire neck and stay for weeks. Then, just as one died down, another would pop up! More recently I have been impacted by my teenage sons acne experience. Classed as severe, nothing worked for over two years, eventually we headed down a medical route which thankfully worked although it was not without its own difficulties. Fortunately I am now able to effectively treat his acne scars and we can already see progress after the first stage of his treatment plan.
Obviously, being in my 50's anti-aging skin care is of huge interest to me ... after all, we all want to look just that bit younger. However, for every mum I meet in their 30's, 40's & 50's, they seem to have a teenager struggling with acne or at least significant congestions. And sadly, it''s not just acne that requires treatment, once acne has settled or is being managed, dependent on it's severity, acne scarring can be left behind.
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Different types of Acne Scarring & Treatment Protocols
Atrophic or depressed acne scars
Atrophic scars, often appearing on the face, can understandably be a source of concern for many. These scars sit below the surrounding skin, creating a recessed appearance. They develop when the body’s wound healing process doesn’t produce enough collagen. When treating atrophic acne scars, it's important to consider the three types:
Rolling Acne Scars
Rolling scars are depressions or indentations in the skin, typically characterised by sloping edges. Often measuring between 3 to 5mm these scars can appear in large clusters and create a significantly large pitted area. Rolling acne scars respond well to all resurfacing treatments such as skin peels and microdermabrasion and also benefit from collagen induction treatments like Microneedling with Hikari Mesotherapy, in particular STRETCH-M.
Boxcar Acne Scars
Wide, U-shaped scars that often have sharp edges, boxcar acne scars can be shallow or deep. Shallower scars respond better to less invasive skin resurfacing treatments such as microdermabrasion and gentle peels. Deeper scars can be treated with more invasive treatments such as microneedling and stronger skin peels.
Microneedling can be classified as either Cosmetic (less than 0.5mm) or Medical (greater than 0.5mm). Acne scar treatment requires Medical Microneeding and a topical numbing cream is advisable to ensure the required depth is reached. The optimal depth, to trigger the skins own healing response is between 0.5 and 2.00 mm, dependent on location.
Ice pick Acne Scars
Ice pick scars are V-shaped, narrow scars that penetrate deep into the skin, resembling small round or oval depressions similar to chickenpox scars and creating a pitted effect. They are particularly challenging to address due to their significant depth beneath the skin's surface and in my experience, clients often mistake them for enlarged pores.
Medical microneedling (greater than 0.5mm) helps to reduce the appearance of ice pick acne scars, again using mesotherapy cocktails which in particular include growth and stretch factors.
More invasive peels which include Trichloroacetic (TCA) or Glycolic Acid are most effective for treating ice pick acne scarring. I recommend BioRePeelCL3 and COSMEDs Glycolic Peel, both of which are followed by a soothing Mesoheal mask.
A combination protocol of treatments is highly advisable and a review of your home skin care routine is essential.
Hypertrophic or raised acne scars
Most frequently found with chest and back acne, these scars rise above the skin's surface due to excessive collagen production during the healing process. Prior to initiating any treatment plans, it is important to confirm that these scars are not keloid scars, for which an in-person consultation is strongly advised.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Discolouration (Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation) that remains after a pimple has healed is not considered a scar. These marks are characterised as flat areas with varying colors like pink, red, purple, brown, or black, depending on the skin type. They can be effectively treated with resurfacing procedures such as cosmetic microneedling, skin peels, and microdermabrasion. The crucial aspect is promoting cell renewal to facilitate the removal of damaged cells from the epidermis, revealing brighter and clearer skin cells underneath. Vitamin C serums can help hugely as a support protocol, read my blog about the benefits here.
Hopefully the above summary has helped you understand the different types of acne scars. Please feel free to book either an in person or a telephone consultation with me to discuss your skin's needs. The Skin Within Clinic is located between Stamford, Peterborough and Bourne and very close to Market Deeping. Open Monday to Fridays, late evenings and on Saturdays if required, I look forward to meeting you.
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