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Acne Scar Treatment |
Acne Scarring Video
(you will need Windows Media Player)
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Acne is an inflammatory condition involving hair follicles. Hair follicles become plugged with keratin and oil produced by the sebaceous glands, which is acted upon by the acne-causing bacteria, creating compounds that are irritating to the skin. Those compounds cause irritation in the hair follicle, resulting in a massive inflammatory reaction. This causes a typical and red acne bump. People with dark skin or those with the ability to tan frequently get brown spots at the site of acne marks. This happens because the surface layer that contains melanin pigment to protect us from the sun is temporarily damaged. This pigment, which is supposed to reside in the top layer of skin (the epidermis), then falls into the deeper layer of skin (the dermis). This is especially true if the person with the pigment is constantly in the sun. |
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Although they can last a very long time, these brown marks are not usually scars and thus can be made to go away with topical bleaching agents. If inflammation is too great, the skin surrounding the hair follicle is damaged and a scar can result. Scars are composed mostly of collagen that is arranged differently that the collagen of non-scarred skin. Acne scars are usually depressed areas of skin at the site of severe acne. They can be shallow depressions or become deep holes, as with "ice-pick"-type scars.
I often use a combination of topical treatments and laser treatments to improve acne scars. I have three non-ablative resurfacing lasers that I routinely use for treating acne scars. Depending upon the type of scar, I will use different combinations of lasers and topical treatments to derive the most improvement. Most treatments result in no down time at all. I have had significant success with the infrared lasers for treating acne scars. Most often a series of 4 treatments is best for improving these scars. I prefer laser treatment over dermal fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, since laser induce you to make new skin on your own. Acne itself also improves following laser treatment, and the improvement can be long-lasting in many cases, although response of acne is often more variable than the consistent improvement most often seen following treatment of acne scarring. |
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Acne scarring before (left) and after (right) non-ablative laser treatment.
Please also visit The Patient’s Guide to Acne Scars website located at www.acnescars.com. The Patient’s Guide is an educational resource for treating acne scars, pricing and to find pre-qualified providers nationwide.
To answer your specific questions or schedule a consultation, call Dr. Bernstein today at 610-581-7400.
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Dr. Eric Bernstein
is a nationally recognized dermatologist. His office is located in Bryn Mawr, next to Philadelphia, Radnor, Villanova, Devon, Gladwyne, Ardmore, Haverford, Wynnewood, Narbeth, Rosemont, Penn Valley, Elkins Park, and New Hope.
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