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There are a number of treatments and surgical procedures available to alleviate acne blemishes. These treatments are mainly aimed to help fade or erase acne marks permanently. Unfortunately there is no universal cure to blot out acne marks. Although one treatment process could prove to be useful for others, it might not be effective in your case. Most popular treatments available for acne scar removal are laser treatments, chemical peels, topical medications, dermabrasion, autologous fat transfer, and manual excision. Pockmark caused by acne typically look like “ice pick” pits, craterlike or keloidal scars which could be lightened over time or erased completely.

There are two broad classifications for laser treatment. One is ablative or resurfacing and another is nonablative. In the former method the impinged laser radiation is absorbed by the water molecules of the cells in the affected skin surface. This absorption process is instantly followed by immediate vaporization of water from the cells causing destruction of the cells and the associated scarred cutaneous layer. Thus the damaged skin layer gets peel off and the biological process of dermal collagen production rate gets faster to cover up the area with new healthy skin. Nonablative laser techniques are noninvasive and far more effective than the former one with less downtime. It does not cause any impairment to the epidermal skin layer. In this technique the affected area is initially made extremely cool with a blast of cryogenic spray and this cooling process is instantly followed by a ray of laser beam. This heats up the sebaceous glands and triggers natural collagen formation thereby softening and flattening the deep acne scars from within without harming your skin texture.

Dermabrasion is a method initially a local anesthetic is applied onto the affected area. Then a high-speed brush or fraise is used to sand off the top layer of the skin and modulate the contour of the scar. While superficial keloidal scars could be removed altogether, the depressed scarred skin might get reduced in depth, shaping a smooth and fresh skin. However, this process is not applicable for all sorts of scars and sometimes aggravates the situation. For the non-white people it might cause change of pigmentation which needs separate medical care. Certain topical applications which contain retin-A and alpha hydroxy acid as key ingredients might be quite useful in improving acne as well as stimulating new collagen formation. These two chemicals help in peeling off damaged skin layer rendering a clean and healthy skin. Also a suitable sunscreen lotion is necessary to avoid sunburn on the new sensitive skin texture.

In most of the cases acne lesions get cured unnoticed leaving behind a trace of hyperpigmented or reddish marks on the skin. In a true sense these are not acne scars, rather postinflammatory changes initiated by our skin’s natural healing process which takes about 6 to 12 months to bring itself back to its normal healthy state, provided there is no more acne lesions erupted in that region. However, if any pigmentation or disfigurement persists for more than 1 year, it could be considered as an acne scar. Prevention is better than cure—this famous adage is quite relevant to handle postinflammatory changes caused by acne. As soon as you notice the first sign of acne outbreaks take necessary precautionary measures to remove them root and branch. Early stage mild lesions could be healed easily with the help of numerous topical over-the-counter products or home remedies.

You might follow some very simple defensive measures to avoid the formation of any red marks due to skin’s natural remodeling process. These measures would help you to speed up the healing process, thereby diminishing the likelihood of any postinflammatory changes to take place. Always use appropriate sun screen lotion to protect your skin from undue sun damage which might delay the healing process. Using appropriate formulations of tretinoin, alpha-hydroxy acids, and beta-hydroxy acids help to accelerate the repairing process and heal any red stain caused by acne. You might also see a doctor to ensure whether whatever you are following as acne treatment is the best one for you.

Based on the appearance acne scars are categorized as icepick, rolling, and boxcar. Icepick scars are sharp and narrow which usually extend up to deep subcutaneous layer. Rolling scars form due the tethering of top layer of the skin to the deep dermal tissue giving rise to an undulating shape. Boxcar scars are round to oval dentations over the skin. There are mainly two types of laser treatment: ablative or resurfacing and nonablative. While resurfacing laser technique is invasive in nature, the later acne scar cure is noninvasive and more effective in some cases. Both of the techniques are aimed at removing the scarred skin, rejuvenating the natural collagen formation, thereby fixing the contour of the skin and restoring a new healthy and glowing skin within a very short period.