Pimple and Acne Scarring Treatment
No one likes the unsightly, embarrassing appearance acne or pimples gives your skin. And if you are not having acne scar or pimple treatment then acne scars removal can take a long time to disappear. This skin problem is not limited to teenagers, and can appear on your skin later in your life. Acne and acne scarring appears on your skin in various forms. It can appear in the form of scaly red skin, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or pustules.
Causes of acne
The cause of your acne may be inflammatory in nature, or related to something else. It usually affects an area of skin that has the densest population of sebaceous follicles (oily skin). These areas include your face, upper chest and back. An acne attack, or acne scarring that doesn’t disappear can result in psychological effects that include poor self-esteem and depression. Genetics and even the quality of sleep you get, your stress levels, your diet, what you drink, sun exposure, smoking and hormonal and psychological changes can play a role in an acne breakout. Acne scaring results when the acne becomes inflamed and cystic acne occurs. Scarring happens when the pores on your skin become larger due the accumulation of excess oil, bacteria or other impurities. This accumulation in the pores causes the follicle to break. As a result, the impurities spread to the dermis where it damages the healthy skin tissue so the acne scar removal becomes essential. This, combined with the over-production of collagen to heal the wound leads to the formation of a scar. There are different types of acne scaring and the type of scarring that occurs on your skin depends on what damage there is on your skin and the skin repair process. The different types of scarring include:
• Ice Pick Scars (deep pits)
• Boxcar Scars (angular scars which normally occur on the temple and cheeks)
• Rolling scars (wave-like appearance)
• Hypertrophic scars (thickened appearance).
Prevention
You can prevent acne by ensuring that you keep your face, neck and body clean.
• Wash your face twice with a gentle, cleansing product and a soft cloth that removes impurities, including make up.
• Tone and moisturize your face and neck to prevent dryness and peeling.
• Wear a sunscreen that is specifically for your face.
• Don’t wear a lot of makeup, and if you have an acne breakout, try not to wear any makeup as it can irritate your skin. It is best to wear oil-free, noncomdeogenic makeup that doesn’t have any added dyes and chemicals in it.
• Watch what hair products you put on your hair as they can get on your face and block your pores, causing a breakout.
• Eat healthier foods and drink more water to keep your body hydrated. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of water to the health of your skin!
• Don’t pick at your acne as this can lead to scarring and spread acne to other areas on your face or body.
Treatment
At Dr Bhabha Aesthetics Johannesburg, our dermatologists offer a variety of acne scar treatments for every acne problem. After a consultation with one of our dr Bhabha dermatologists, the appropriate treatment will be recommended and discussed with you in detail. Some of the treatments we offer for acne are:
Fractional Laser is typically done in a series of one to four treatments, spaced four to six weeks apart, depending on the condition being treated, and the severity of the problem. Healing takes between two to five days, and in most cases you will be able to get back to work and apply make-up within two days after the treatment. Find out more >>
Treatment consists of the layered application of the peel product. After the peel is removed, a soothing moisturizer as well as a sunscreen will be applied. In some cases, slight swelling, redness, mild itching or stinging can occur, depending on the strength of the peel, but usually ends between three to seven days after the procedure. Find out more >>
Laser Resurfacing can be performed as a once–off procedure for a more dramatic result or as a series of smaller, individual treatments with less down time. Your healing time will depend upon the size of the treated area, and the depth of the resurfacing. You may experience Erythema (redness), which may last several weeks. Healing time varies among individuals.