Can Acne Scars Be Removed?

To understand acne scars, you need to understand acne. Acne refers to lesions or pimples caused by hormones and enlarged oil-producing glands in the skin that leads to increased oil production and bacteria in the pores. Acne is usually found on the face, neck, and upper body. Acne comes in different forms:

mild acne, which refers to the whiteheads or blackheads that most of us get at various times (usually the worst possible times, like right before the prom or school pictures)
moderately severe acne, which includes red inflamed pimples called papules and red pimples with white centers called pustules
severe acne, which causes nodules - painful, pus-filled cysts or lumps - to appear under the skin
Nodules are more likely to leave permanent scars than other types of acne. Most serious scarring is caused by more severe acne, and the best way to deal with it is to get treatment soon after the acne appears. If you have nodules, see your doctor or dermatologist right away. He or she will assess your acne and will probably prescribe some combination of topical gels or creams. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotic pills, oral contraceptives for some teen girls with acne (the hormones in birth control pills can help control acne in some cases), or other medication such as isotretinoin if the acne is severe.

If you have serious scarring from previous bouts with acne, there are some things you can do. The newest form of treatment is laser resurfacing, which can be done in the doctor or dermatologist's office. The laser removes the damaged top layer of skin and tightens the middle layer, leaving it smoother. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour and isn't painful because the doctor will first numb your skin with local anesthesia. It usually takes between 3 and 10 days for the skin to heal completely.

Another more traditional method for treating acne scarring is dermabrasion, which uses a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument to wear down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new, smoother layer replaces the abraded skin. It may take a bit longer for skin to heal using dermabrasion - usually between 10 days and 3 weeks.

Both of these types of treatments will cause skin to turn red, and this may last for several months. You can only have these treatments if you don't have an active case of acne at the time of treatment.

Depending on the severity of your scars, your doctor or dermatologist may also suggest a more mild chemical peel, which is also done right in the office, to help improve the appearance of the scarred areas.

In some cases, the doctor may recommend surgery to remove deeply indented scars.

One thing you shouldn't do to deal with acne scars is load up your face with masks or fancy lotions - these won't help and may irritate your skin further, making the scars red and even more noticeable. You should also avoid tanning to make scars less noticeable - though the sun may temporarily make your skin look clearer, it actually clogs pores and can lead to premature wrinkles and skin cancer later on.

If you have a red or brownish mark on your face that you got from a bad zit, have no fear - it will eventually fade, just like the scars you had on your knees after you fell off your bike when you were a kid. However, it may take 12 months or longer - so your best bet is to avoid these kinds of marks by not squeezing or popping your zits, no matter how tempting it may seem.

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