Acne Scars

People who suffer from problems with acne may well find that it can make their lives a misery. It can take all kinds of treatments and time to clear up acne if you are a sufferer but, even if you solve your problem here, you may be left with a longer term issue to deal with -- acne scars.

In many cases people who once suffered from acne will find that clearing it up is just the first stage that they have to go through. In many cases their acne scars will leave their skin damaged and pitted and they may then have to decide whether to have treatment to remedy the after effects at some point in their lives.

In basic terms acne scars can take two forms: hypertrophic scars and atrophic scars. Hypertrophic scars occur if the skin produces too much collagen. This can lead to the skin having small lumps and bumps showing on its surface. Atrophic scars come about when the skin loses tissue. These kinds of acne scars are usually the most common ones -- they leave the skin pitted and pockmarked.

There are various things that you can do to sort out your problems with acne scars if you wish. In some cases this may not be necessary and you may feel that you can live with your scarring. In others you may simply find that they blight your life and you may take medical measures to get rid of the scarring you’ve been left with.

You will probably see the best results in getting rid of your acne scars by seeing your doctor who can then refer you to a specialist dermatologist. There are various treatments on offer that could help you out. Some are only used in severe cases whilst others may be able to help you out with milder problems. In some cases you’ll be able to get treatment on the NHS. In others you may need to pay to have the treatment for yourself if it is viewed as a cosmetic procedure.

Common solutions for acne scars include laser treatments, derma-brasion, skin peels and chemical treatments. Most treatments will not work overnight here and may take weeks or months to clear up your problems. You can, of course, try out other alternatives to traditional medical treatments if you wish but you may want to check these out with your doctor first to see how effective they may be.