Acne is a major problem to many people especially those in their teens or early twenties. Scars from acne can be very disfiguring but they can be treated. What is the best acne scar treatment and how do you decide which one to have? All of the treatments are expensive and you should consult a dermatologist who will be able to tell you which is best for your skin. We’ve put together the following information so that you can be aware of the different options and be able to talk to your dermatologist about all the treatment options.

Laser Skin Rejuvenation is a moderate procedure that doesn’t take away the skin’s top layer as other laser methods do but makes use of rays of light which get through to the lower levels of the skin. This stimulates the growth of collagen which then helps to fill up the acne scars over the next few months. There is no healing time as there is no damage to the skin and it only takes 15 or 20 minutes to carry out. There might be some slight skin reddening which is temporary and can be easily covered by the use of makeup. Laser skin rejuvenation treatments are customarily done over around a month with about four or five treatments.

Microdermabrasion is suitable for small acne scars that protrude above the surface of the skin. This basically exfoliates the skin and eliminates damaged or dead skin on the surface. Microdermabrasion is not suitable for deep scars or sunken scars. In this technique a machine is used to send out very small crystals on the the skin in a pressurized stream. The crystals are typically aluminium oxide but others, for instance sodium chloride, magnesium oxide or carborundum, can be used as an alternative. This removes the top layer of the skin and also cleans out the pores. An added benefit is that it strips off dead skin cells. It is very low risk and doesn’t require any recuperation period.

Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing is obtainable in two different forms called ablative and non-ablative. Recovery from non-ablative laser treatment is much faster and is typically used only on less severe scarring. The laser is used to make small areas of damage to the skin around the scars which initiates the growth of additional collagen in these areas which then helps to heal the scar. This procedure is is usually thought to be one of the best acne scar treatments but is also the most high-priced.

Dermal Filling is mostly temporary and consists of injections of collagen which fill in the scars. A few months later the material used is absorbed by the skin. The collagen can be made from either animal or other natural sources therefore if you are using animal derived collagen you must be tested for allergies before use. Other dermal fillers, for example Restylane®, use synthetic materials which don’t have the risk of an allergic reaction and usually last much longer than the other collagen techniques. If you are happy with a inexpensive, although temporary method, this may perhaps be the best acne scar treatment for you.

Acne Scar Thermage Treatment is a newer treatment which employs radio frequency waves and is mostly used for lines and wrinkles on the face. This method speeds up collagen growth and as a result does not heal scars in the same way as fractional laser skin resurfacing. It is painless and isn’t invasive and takes less than an hour.

Chemical Peels are not as prevalent as they were in the past as acne scar treatments such as laser skin resurfacing are being used more frequently in their place. Nevertheless they are fairly valuable for mild to moderate acne scarring as they essentially blister the top layer of the skin which then allows new unscarred, healthy skin to grow. The most common variety of chemical peel uses glycolic acid which is an organic acid that is found in plants and fruit. A chemical peel will only take about 20 minutes and is more or less painless though there may be some stinging. Side effects sometimes include redness and dryness of the skin which may perhaps last from a few days to over a week depending on the type and intensity of the chemical peel treatment. A course of at least two treatments is needed to see any clear improvement in acne scarring.

Conclusion

there are a varoety of  ways to cure acne scars and we hope this information proves useful and it will help you to decide on the best acne scar treatment for you and your budget.