A detailed and comprehensive discussion of acne scars starts with causes of scarring, prevention of scarring, types of scars, and treatments for scars , acne treatment , best acne treatmentbest acne treatment acne treatment

Before talking about scars, a word about spots that may may look like scars but best acne treatment are not scars in the sense sense acne treatment that a permanent change has occurred , acne treatment , best acne treatmentEven though they are not true scars and disappear in time, they are visible and can cause cause embarrassment , acne treatment , best acne treatmentbest acne treatment

Macules or pseudo-scars are flat, red or reddish spots that are the final stage of most inflamed acne lesions , acne treatment , best acne treatmentAfter an an inflamed acne lesion flattens, a macule may remain to mark mark best acne treatment acne treatment the spot for up to 6 months , acne treatment , best acne treatmentWhen the macule eventually disappears, no trace of it will remain—unlike a scar , acne treatment , best acne treatment

Post-inflammatory pigmentation is discoloration of the skin at the site of a a healed or or healing inflamed acne lesion , acne treatment , best acne treatmentIt occurs more frequently in darker-skinned people, but occasionally is seen in people with white skin , acne treatment , best acne treatmentEarly treatment by a dermatologist may minimize best acne treatment acne treatment the development of post-inflammatory post-inflammatory pigmentation , acne treatment , best acne treatmentSome post-inflammatory pigmentation may persist for up to 18 months, especially with excessive sun sun exposure , acne treatment , best acne treatmentChemical peeling may hasten best acne treatment acne treatment the disappearance of post-inflammatory pigmentation , acne treatment , best acne treatment

Causes of Acne Scars

In the best acne treatment the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue , acne treatment , best acne treatmentThey are the visible reminders of injury and tissue repair , acne treatment , best acne treatmentIn the case case of acne, acne treatment the injury is caused by the best acne treatment the body’s inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle , acne treatment , best acne treatmentTwo types of true scars exist, as discussed later: (1) depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and (2) raised raised thickened tissue such as as keloids , acne treatment , best acne treatmentbest acne treatment acne treatment

When tissue suffers an injury, the body rushes its repair kit to the injury site , acne treatment , best acne treatmentAmong the elements of the repair kit are white blood cells and and an array of inflammatory molecules best acne treatment that have the task of repairing tissue and fighting fighting infection , acne treatment , best acne treatmentHowever, when their job is done they may leave a somewhat messy repair site in acne treatment the form of of fibrous scar tissue, or eroded tissue , acne treatment , best acne treatmentbest acne treatment

White blood cells and inflammatory molecules may remain at the site of an active acne lesion for days or even even weeks , acne treatment , best acne treatmentIn people who acne treatment are susceptible susceptible to scarring, best acne treatment the result may be an acne scar , acne treatment , best acne treatmentThe occurrence and incidence of scarring is still not well understood, however , acne treatment , best acne treatmentThere is considerable variation in scarring between one person and another, indicating indicating best acne treatment that some people people acne treatment are more prone to scarring than others , acne treatment , best acne treatmentScarring frequently results from severe inflammatory nodulocystic acne that occurs deep in the skin , acne treatment , best acne treatmentBut, scarring also may arise from more superficial inflamed inflamed lesions , acne treatment , best acne treatmentNodulocystic acne best acne treatment that is most likely to result in scars is seen in these photos: photos: acne treatment

[Photos used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides, Slides, and best acne treatment the Sulzberger Institute for Dermatologic Education]

The life history of scars also is not well understood , acne treatment , best acne treatmentSome people bear their acne scars for a lifetime with little little change in acne treatment the scars, scars, but in other people best acne treatment the skin undergoes some degree of remodeling and acne scars diminish in size , acne treatment , best acne treatment

People also have differing feelings about acne scars , acne treatment , best acne treatmentScars of more or less the same same size best acne treatment that may be psychologically psychologically distressing to one person may be accepted by another person as not too bad , acne treatment , best acne treatmentacne treatment The person who is distressed by scars is more likely to seek treatment to to moderate or remove best acne treatment the scars , acne treatment , best acne treatment

Prevention of Acne Scars

As discussed in the previous section on on Causes of Acne Scars, acne treatment the occurrence of scarring is different in different people , acne treatment , best acne treatmentIt is is difficult to predict who will scar, how extensive or deep scars will be, and how long scars will persist , acne treatment , best acne treatmentIt is also difficult to predict how successfully scars can be prevented by effective best best acne treatment effective acne treatment , acne treatment , best acne treatmentbest acne treatment acne treatment

Nevertheless, the only sure method of preventing or limiting the extent of scars is to treat acne early in its course, and as long as necessary , acne treatment , best acne treatmentThe more that inflammation inflammation can be prevented or moderated, best acne treatment the more more likely it is acne treatment that scars can be prevented , acne treatment , best acne treatment(Click on Acne treatments for more information about treatment of mild, moderate and severe acne) , acne treatment , best acne treatmentAny person person with acne who has a known tendency to scar should be under best acne treatment the care of a dermatologist , acne treatment , best acne treatment(Click on Find