There is nothing more frustrating than finally getting your skin to stop breaking out with pimples, white heads, and black heads, only to be haunted by the acne scars from breakouts past. These ugly marks that never seem to fade or disappear may make you feel the need to cover your face with layers of foundation to achieve the look of flawless skin. Wouldn’t it be great to look in the mirror with no makeup and see clear, blemish free skin?

In this article we will discuss how you can achieve that dream with treatments that have proven to be very effective in reducing and erasing these marks.Of course, don’t expect immediate results. Wait for your skin to heal and renew itself. It will take some time but eventually, you will certainly be satisfied with the look of your new, clear skin.

You may have noticed that your skin is home to many different acne scars that don’t all look the same, this is because depending on the way the inflammation from your acne healed at the end of its formation acne scars can appear in a variety of ways. This complicates things because each type of scar may react differently to treatments, with some healing faster in response to one treatment and others healing slower. Unfortunately most people with acne scars have a combination of different types, making treatment complicated. To see what treatment is right for you let’s first take a look at the 5 main types of acne scars.

The Different Types of Acne Scars

The 5 types of acne scars, listed in order of ice pick, box car, rolling, hypertrophic, and brown marks.

Ice Pick Scars

These types of acne scars are named “ice pick” because they are small indents that look like they were punctured by… an ice pick. This type of acne scar occurs when not enough collagen is produced in response to the injury during the healing process. Not all ice pick scars are the same either, some are more shallow while others are deeper.

Box Car Scars

Boxcar scars are similar to ice pick scars in that they are also depressed below the surface of the skin. However, unlike ice pick scars these are wide and have sharp edges. Like ice pick scars they are also the result of too little collagen being produced during the healing process.

Rolling Scars

Rolling scars basically look like hills and valleys “rolling” across your face, like ice pick and boxcar scars they are also considered to be depressed and are the result of too little collagen being produced during the healing process. They can come in deep and shallow varieties, although they tend to be more on the shallow side.

Hypertrophic Scars

In contrast to ice pick, boxcar, and rolling scars, hypertrophic scars appear raised above the skin and are sometimes a reddish color. While the previous versions of acne scars all stemmed from not enough collagen production, this type is because of an overproduction in collagen during the healing process.

Brown Marks

Technically this is not a type of scar, it is a normal part of the healing process. Once your pimple heals, the spot where it was is going to appear darker because of the inflammation. Without treatment, these spots will probably take 1 or 2 years to disappear. It could take longer, depending on how dark your spots are, but that’s where effective treatment comes in, which will speed up the process.

The Solutions

Okay, so now you know about the 5 main types of acne scars but what can possibly finally free your face of them or at least reduce their appearance? At Sarah Laser Center & Medspa we offer a variety of facials and other medical grade treatments that will give you radiant, more clear skin. Microneedling has been proven to reduce or even completely eradicate the appearance of acne scars, especially those of the depressed variety.

Microneedling

Microneedling is a great solution for depressed acne scars (icepick, boxcar, and rolling) because the treatment stimulates the layer of skin below the depression to produce more collagen which will basically “fill in” the depressed area from the inside out. Because the collagen production is caused by the body’s own natural healing process the results are very natural.

Microneedling is also great for acne scar treatment because it opens up channels within the skin that give PRP—the healing factors in your own blood—and skin care products direct access to deeper layers of the skin where they’re needed most, giving you the most rejuvenating skin care experience possible.

To learn more about the microneedling service we offer here at Sarah Laser Center & Medspa click here.

To read more about the benefits of microneedling click here.

IPL Photofacial

The goal of the IPL Photofacial is very similar to microneedling, to stimulate collagen production below the surface of the skin to promote rejuvenation and healing. The difference is that IPL uses light energy to stimulate the collagen, while microneedling takes a more physical approach.

Over time multiple sessions of the IPL Photofacial will drastically reduce the appearance of multiple types of acne scars, and it even helps treat active acne!

Many of our facials combine IPL with other treatments which will lead to even better results, to see our medical grade facials menu click here.

To learn more about IPL Photofacials click here.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a treatment that involves deep exfoliation with a diamond head wand, it sloughs off dead skin cells and other debris that may be clogging your pores, leaving your skin looking softer and brighter. This treatment may not be as effective for treating deep or severe acne scars, but it does improve overall skin appearance and fade imperfections. This treatment can be especially effective at treating brown marks or hyperpigmentation.

Most of our facials start with microdermabrasion, allowing any products or other treatments applied after to penetrate into the deep layers of the skin. To see our medical grade facials menu click here.

To read more about the benefits of microdermabrasion click here.