Acne Scars
An issue that often persists long after your skin has cleared up, acne scars are a nagging reminder of past breakouts that can negatively impact your aesthetic and your confidence. If this is you, know you are neither alone nor without options. Our team at Choosi Skin Face and Laser Spa in Cincinnati, OH, offers a range of safe and effective treatments that can dramatically soften the appearance of acne scars while addressing other common skin concerns.
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What Causes Acne Scars?
Not everyone with acne experiences acne scars, and not all acne scars are of the same type. Several factors, including the type and severity of acne lesions, certain activities and behaviors (like picking at the lesions), timing of breakouts and more can all affect whether or not scarring occurs and the severity of the scarring.
Generally, the mechanism by which acne scars appear on the skin goes as follows:
- Clogged pores promote acne development. When dead skin cells, bacteria and oil block a pore, it becomes irritated and inflamed.
- Deep acne lesions damage the dermal layer. Cystic acne lesions that penetrate deeper into the skin have a much greater chance of damaging the dermal layer than superficial blackheads.
- The skin heals imperfectly. The body does its best to restore the skin to its former state as it remodels the area with key healing factors like collagen, but oftentimes, slight depressions or protrusions result. This lends a scarred appearance.
Squeezing, picking at or otherwise disturbing acne lesions increases your likelihood of developing acne scars. Acne scarring has also demonstrated its heritability within families, meaning children of parents with acne scarring are at greater risk of experiencing the issue themselves.
Types of Acne Scars
Atrophic Acne Scars
This type of scarring results when the skin fails to regenerate enough tissue as it attempts to heal from the damage caused by deep acne lesions. As a result, crater-like depressions of various sizes and depths appear dotted across the affected area.
There are three main types of atrophic acne scars:
- Ice pick scars: Deep, tunnel-like scars that look like puncture wounds, as from a needle prick.
- Boxcar scars: These are shallower, often rectangular-shaped depressions in the skin with pronounced, angular borders.
- Rolling scars: Shallow, broad depressions that give the affected area a wavy or rippling appearance.
Hypertrophic Acne Scars
The exact opposite of atrophic acne scars in terms of how they are developed, hypertrophic acne scars result from an overproduction of collagen during the healing process. While depressions characterize atrophic scars, hypertrophic scars protrude from the skin’s surface. Typically, hypertrophic scars are light red or pink and firm to the touch.
Hypertrophic acne scars are often confused with keloid scars. While each of these can be caused by acne, hypertrophic scars will not grow beyond the borders of the original lesion. Keloid scars will continue to grow, sometimes after the original wound has healed.
How Are Acne Scars Treated?
Considerations for Different Skin Types
Light Skin Tones (Fitzpatrick Types I-III)
Patients with lighter skin tones tend to respond better to laser treatment, as there is a significantly lower risk of pigmentation changes on this end of the spectrum. Alexandrite lasers (755nm) are particularly effective for people with lighter skin tones, as they can target scar tissue and associated pigmentation with virtually no impact on surrounding skin.
Dark Skin Tones (Fitzpatrick Types IV-VI)
Medium and darker skin tones are at a greater risk of inflammation-related hyperpigmentation, making RF microneedling an ideal option because it bypasses the superficial level at which this issue is known to occur. The needles are insulated, reducing the risk of the heat damaging the melanin-rich surface layers. Laser Resurfacing with the Lutronic Ultra System is also a great option for medium to dark skin tones.
Longer-wavelength lasers may still be used on patients with darker skin tones. Like RF microneedling, longer wavelengths penetrate deeper into the skin while minimizing heat produced at the surface.
Sensitive and Mature Skin
Accommodating sensitive skin in the acne scarring treatment context is largely a matter of adjusting treatment parameters. Multiple treatment platforms can still be effective, but lower energy settings and (in the case of microneedling) shorter needle depths are used to maintain comfort while still targeting the treatment area effectively.
A combined approach is particularly beneficial for patients with mature skin, as RF microneedling and laser treatments can address a wide range of common aging-related concerns beyond acne scarring, such as skin laxity, uneven tone and fine lines.
Regain a Fresh-Faced, Youthful Look With Acne Scar Treatment
Having seen firsthand the transformative impact that acne scar treatments have on a patient’s confidence, our team at Choosi Skin Face and Laser Spa is passionate about bringing these benefits to all our patients with acne scarring.
When you’re ready to take major action against stubborn acne scars with convenient, nonsurgical treatments, call us at 513-818-8171 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and we’ll partner with you to create a personalized treatment plan.
Free ConsultationWe are committed to providing effective facial laser treatments and services suitable for all skin types and tones, ensuring that everyone can embark on a journey toward radiant skin.
– Dr. Tiffany Hall
