Although acne is traditionally
thought of as a disorder of
the teenage years, long after
those years have passed and
the acne condition has faded,
many adults are left with
facial scarring from acne
they had years earlier. Thanks
to modern medical advancements,
there are very effective treatments
available today to treat acne
scarring.
Acne is a disease that often
leaves scars behind. There
are several different kinds
of acne scars. Pitting scars
are commonly known as "ice
pick scars." The more crater-like
scars are known as "depressed
scars." In addition, changes
in the color of the skin can
also occur at the site of
previous acne lesions. The
skin can end up darker than
normal, lighter than normal,
or redder than normal.
For a single ice pick scar,
the most effective treatment
is simple excision. However,
when the scarring is more
widespread, other methods
must be used to treat the
scars. Dermabrasion was one
of the first methods developed
for treating acne scars, and
it is still used today. With
dermabrasion, a rotating wire
brush or a spinning diamond
burr is used to smooth down
the surface of the skin. As
the skin heals, a new layer
of skin replaces the abraded
skin, resulting in an improved
appearance in the treated
area. However, dermabrasion
can require 10-20 days to
heal, and may result in redness
that can persist for several
months. For these reasons,
other methods were developed
that have quicker recoveries
and fewer side effects.
We are now using the Fraxel laser for acne scarring.
We believe that the Fraxel
laser is the best modality
available today for treating
more generalized acne scarring.
With the Fraxel, the facial
skin is resurfaced over a
series of 4 or 5 treatments.
Because the Fraxel laser preserves
normal healthy skin between
the areas of skin that the
laser has treated, healing
and recovery occur more quickly
after each laser treatment.
We have been extremely impressed
by the improvement in acne
scarring after Fraxel laser
treatment. The Fraxel laser
is a "home run" when it comes
to the treatment of acne scarring.
Our patients who have acne
scarring are invited to call
our office and make an appointment
to have their scarring evaluated.
In addition to scar excision,
dermabrasion, and Fraxel laser
resurfacing, other treatments
for acne scarring are also
available. Thanks to the development
of a number of different techniques,
acne scars can be treated
with a variety of safe and
effective procedures that
improve the appearance of
a patient's skin. With all
of the modalities available
today for treating acne scarring,
no one should ever have to
live with their acne scars.
About the author:
About The Author Dr.
Mary Lee Amerian is a top
ranked Los Angeles skin care specialist and
dermatologist and is a frequent
contributor to many health
and wellness publications
across the U.S. Dr. Amerian
has also been voted by her
peers as one of the "Best
Doctors in America" consecutively
since 1996.
Resources - Link Exchange
