Acne scarring is caused by your body’s reaction to the damage that acne does to your skin. They can range from dark spots to large raised areas known as keloids. Different types of scars require different types of treatments and your dermatologist may recommend a combination of treatments to that he feels will be the most effective. It is best to prevent acne breakouts in order to prevent acne scars. If you have breakouts that do not respond to over the counter products such as Clearasil or Oxy washes and creams, you should make an appointment with a dermatologist and seek prescription strength treatments. This will help to minimize acne breakouts and their resulting scars.

Types of Acne
Acne scars differ from other types of scars because the majority of the damage is done in the deep layer of the skin called the dermis. This is the layer in which the hair follicles and sweat glands reside. Acne occurs when a build up of skin cells, sebum – the natural oil that your skin produces – and other debris collect in a hair follicle and block it. Open follicles are known as blackheads and are characterized by the black plug that blocks the follicle. Acne that occurs under the skin is known as pustules, papules and cysts. These types of acne are harder to treat and carry the danger of infection.

Causes of Acne
Acne may be caused by hormonal changes and heredity. Contrary to popular beliefs it has not be scientifically proven that certain foods cause acne. Lack of hygiene does not cause acne, in fact washing your face too often or too vigorously can aggravate acne. Acne does not only strike teenagers. Some women suffer from acne their whole life from hormone fluctuations. Changes in birth control pills and some medications may also cause acne. Your dermatologist can tell you the cause of your acne and decide on your best treatment options.

Types of Acne Scars
Acne scarring can be either raised or depressed. Raised scars are hypertrophic areas or keloids. Hypertrophic areas respond better to treatment than keloids and keloids have a tendency to reoccur after treatment. There has been progress made in the treatment of keloids and your doctor may prescribe a combination of treatments. Depressed scars include icepick which leaves you skin looking like it has been pricked several times with an icepick; boxcar scars have very well defined edges; and rolling scars give your skin a wavy look from the damage done to the dermis layer of your skin. Depressed scars react very well to surgery, injections, dermabrasion and laser therapy.

Effective Treatments for Acne Scars
Raised acne scars can be treated with injections to shrink the area and relieve the pain and itching that may occur. Some of the other treatments for raised acne include surgery, cryotherapy (freezing the affected area), laser and light therapy and creams, gels and tapes. Depressed acne is treated with surgery, laser resurfacing, fillers, chemical peels and dermabrasion. Both types of acne respond well to surgery. For raised acne scarring, the affected areas are removed and filler may be used to help smooth out the skin. Recovery time for treatments vary on the intensity of treatment and the treatment procedure your doctor uses. The time can be from immediate to up to three weeks. After laser treatment and resurfacing, you may continue to see an improvement in your skin for up to 18 months. If you receive injections of your own fat cells removed by liposuction the results may last up to three years while injections from synthetic materials or collagen may last only six months.

The type of treatment that will work best for you will depend on the type of acne scarring you have experienced. The best way to prevent scarring is to prevent acne breakouts, but there are effective treatments available to your dermatologist to help improve the look and feel of you skin.