Posted on December 5, 2017 by Paul A. Boulos Acne scars can be some of the worst scars, as they’re often on our faces and can be nearly impossible to cover up. While there are creams, masks, and chemical peels that claim to eliminate the scars blemishes leave behind, only laser skin rejuvenation has been proven to treat acne marks that change the texture of your skin.
So, if you’re wondering if laser skin rejuvenation can really remove acne scars, the answer is yes.
How Scars Form
Scars will develop after damage is done to the dermis layer, or the outer layer, causing the body to react by creating collagen to fix the damage. While the body can usually heal damage without leaving a mark, sometimes your body produces too much or too little collagen, causing the kinds of scars that completely change the texture of your skin. In the case of acne scars, those who suffer from constant blemishes will suffer from scars that either leave large lumps on the skin’s surface or deep, pitted marks.
Kinds of Acne Laser Skin Rejuvenation Can Treat
There are two overall types of acne scars: atrophic and hypertrophic. Atrophic acne scars result in depressions in the skin caused by collagen leaving the damaged area during the healing process. There are several variations of these kinds of scars, as other issues during healing will give different results. Hypertrophic acne scars are a result of the opposite problem, when collagen is produced in excess during the healing process. The result is lumpy, keloid type scars.
Both of these scar types create imperfections that can be damaging to one’s self esteem, as they’re so difficult to cover up and can’t be treated with most over-the-counter acne medications. Fortunately, laser skin rejuvenation has been able to not only significantly reduce the appearance of acne scars, but completely remove them all together. These are the most common types of acne scars that can be treated with a few laser sessions.
Ice Pick Acne Scars
Ice pick acne scars appear as small, deep marks that penetrate the entire dermis layer of the skin. These scars tend to look like tiny holes in the skin but can be as large as oversized pores. They tend to develop after an inflamed cystic pimple gets infected and doesn’t heal properly, destroying the skin tissue when not enough collagen is produced.
Boxcar Acne Scars
Much larger than ice pick scars, boxcar acne scars appear as oval, misshaped depressions on the skin’s surface. These pitted marks are caused by damage to the collagen in the inflamed area, eliminating the collagen when it’s needed in the healing process. The result is tissue loss and acne scars that no amount of makeup or concealer can cover up.
Rolling Acne Scars
More noticeable than boxcar acne scars, rolling scars appear on the skin’s surface like a ripple or wave of scars. These crater-like depressions in the skin’s surface are produced when fibrous bands of tissue develop between the skin and tissue below it. This causes the skin to pull, resulting in the rolling appearance these scars do to the face.
Hypertrophic Acne Scars
Also referred to as keloid scars, hypertrophic acne scars will appear on the skin as raised, firm pieces of tissue. Caused by the overproduction of collagen during the healing process, these kinds of acne scars are most common in men and are more likely found on the chest, shoulders, and back. Hypertrophic acne scars can appear worse than the original blemish, as these scars are usually larger than the original mark or inflammation.
How Laser Skin Rejuvenation Removes Acne Scars
As all kinds of acne scars are caused by improper healing of the skin after a blemish or inflammation appears, the only way to get rid of them would be to target the damaged skin cells left behind. Laser skin rejuvenation is a noninvasive procedure that uses fractional lasers to create microscopic wounds in the skin, targeting these damaged skin cells and ultimately destroying them. The body then naturally works to heal itself, creating new skin cells that won’t carry the imperfections of your acne scars.
Additionally, laser skin rejuvenation will stimulate collagen production. This is essential for those who suffer from atrophic acne scars, as collagen will help fill in these marks and make them less visible.
Since the wounds created by the laser are microscopic, there are usually no visible side effects after each treatment. This means that there is likely no need for downtime after your laser treatments. In fact, many people choose to get them done on their lunch break from work since each laser session typically takes just 20 minutes. Contact your licensed medical laser technician to schedule your free consultation and learn how a few laser treatments can reduce the appearance of your acne scars.
