Your Guide To Acne Scars: Causes, Treatments And Prevention Strategies
If you have acne scars, then you know just how difficult it can be to feel confident in your skin. Acne is a condition that affects millions of people every year, and acne scars are the aftermath.
The good news is that acne scar removal treatments do exist! In this article, we will discuss acne scar causes and prevention strategies so you can get rid of acne scars for good.
What Causes Acne Scars?
A number of different factors can cause acne scars. It is a great idea to take preventative steps to protect your skin as early as possible, especially by keeping the skin hydrated and protected by regular use of a Franz Microcurrent Facial Mask. The acne itself is the biggest culprit, causing deep pits and craters in your skin that can last forever if not treated. However, acne scars can also result from picking at acne lesions or other aggravating forms of self-injury without proper inhibition control.
In addition to acne breakouts themselves causing acne scars, there are certain drugs that have been known to cause acne scarring as well, such as steroids and lithium medication (for bipolar disorder). Suppose you think one of these medications may be responsible for your acne scarring. In that case, you should consult with a dermatologist immediately to provide treatment options for this form of acne scar removal.
Here is the list of factors that can cause acne scars:
Genetics
First on our acne scar causes list is genetics. If acne runs in the family, you are more susceptible to acne scars simply due to your genetic predisposition. While this factor cannot be changed, it can help doctors determine which acne scar removal treatment will work best for your skin type so they can get rid of acne scars faster than usual.
Hereditary Acne Effects
While genetics play a role in whether or not you develop acne scars, there's also something called hereditary acne effects that affect people who have cystic and nodular forms of acne breakouts (the most common kind). This form of inherited hyperpigmentation leaves dark spots on the skin after an active breakout heals up. The good news is that these kinds of dark marks fade after time, but acne scar removal treatments may be necessary to speed up the process.
Self-Injury
Some people find themselves with acne scars as a result of acne self-injury (pick at acne lesions). Picking at acne breakouts without proper inhibition control can lead to inflammation and infection, which can leave permanent marks on your skin, known as acne scars.
While it's not always easy to stop this behaviour, there are ways you can prevent yourself from doing so, such as wearing gloves when cleaning or working in the yard where there is dirt that could get underneath fingernails, for example. Using sunscreen daily also helps reduce instances of picking since they cause less irritation than usual!
Improper Hygiene
Another acne scar cause is acne related to poor hygiene. For example, acne breakouts can be caused by not cleansing and exfoliating the skin daily, which leaves dirt and oil trapped in pores that eventually lead to acne breakouts or acne scars.
Sun Exposure
The sun isn't all bad! The problem with overexposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight (or tanning beds) is that they age your skin prematurely, leading it to look older than what you really are both on the outside and inside your body, as well as where collagen production slows down. While there's not much you can do about UV damage other than sunscreen every day, try avoiding excessive exposure whenever possible, if only for preventive reasons since this type of scar removal treatment doesn't exactly work.
Acne Medication Side Effects
Finally, another acne scar caused is acne medication side effects. While some acne medications are known to treat acne very well, others can actually leave your skin in worse condition than before you started taking the meds due to acne scarring. Some known acne medications that increase acne scars include steroids like corticosteroids and lithium (for bipolar disorder). Your dermatologist will be able to provide you with a list of different drugs, so they know which acne treatments are right for them!
What Are My Treatment Options?
There are acne scar removal treatments available to get rid of acne scars. Chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser resurfacing are all efficient ways to remove acne scars; however, each treatment has its own set of pros and cons depending on your needs.
Chemical peels: acne scar removal through chemical peels can be done at home or in a dermatologist's office. Chemical acne scars are normally light to medium, so it won't take long for them to show results. Peeling agents used include trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and glycolic acid, which work by breaking down the skin's topmost layers.
Microdermabrasion: acne scar removal through microdermabrasion is also a great option for those who prefer not to go under the knife or use laser resurfacing as it's an acne scars treatment that can be done at home by yourself since all you'll need is a special kit and some gentle puffs of air. It's also a gentle acne scar removal treatment, so it won't irritate your skin or cause any unnecessary discomfort.
Laser Resurfacing: acne scars are removed by laser resurfacing using either CO (carbon dioxide) lasers which remove the top layers of your skin to get rid of acne scars while leaving the surrounding tissue intact, or erbium lasers, which remove acne scars by penetrating deep into the skin to destroy acne scar tissue. Keep in mind that both CO and erbium laser acne treatments are best for treating acne scars on darker-skinned individuals since they tend to be more effective.
How to Prevent Acne from Scarring?
While there may not be so much that can be done about genetics, there are some things you can do in order to prevent acne breakouts from forming into acne scars, such as using sunscreen daily (even when it isn't sunny out), washing with non-comedogenic cleansers - or even avoiding makeup altogether if possible! There are also many other options for preventing acne, including changing diet habits, so acne is less likely to infect your skin in the first place.