Scarring

Scarring

Acne is a common condition that affects most people at some point in their lives. For reasons that are not understood some people develop severe acne that leads to permanent and sometimes disfiguring scarring. The term "scarring" refers to a process where collagen within the skin is damaged from inflammation, leading to permanent texture changes in the skin. However, many patients refer to scarring when they see color changes that remain for months after an acne lesion has healed. Scarring, color changes, and treatment options will be discussed below.

Types of acne scarring

There are different kinds of acne scarring: ice pick scarring, atrophic scarring, and hypertrophic scarring. Ice pick scars are deep pitted scars with steep edges. Atrophic scars are pitted but have smooth borders and are not as deep. Hypertrophic scar, more common on the back and chest, are thick lumpy scars that sit above the surface of the skin.

Colour changes in acne are more common than scarring and can resolve naturally but may take years to completely disappear. Colour changes come in three basic types: post inflammatory erythema (pink and purple patches at the site of acne lesions), post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (brown/black discoloration at the site of the acne lesion), and post inflammatory hypopigmentation (white marks at the site of a healed acne lesion). Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation is very common in those with darker skin tones or in those who tan easily and can significantly worsen the appearance of acne.

Ethnic skin and acne scars

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions in patients with darker skin. African patients usually have post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and are at higher risk of scarring. Latin and those of Middle Eastern descent also commonly have post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Asians have a lower risk of hyperpigmentation than African, but higher risk than Caucasian patients. The risk of hypertrophic and keloidal scars is 5-15 times higher in African patients and 3-5 times higher in patients of Asian descent. Thus, treating acne early, before scar formation and discoloration is recommended.

What is acne scarring

Acne scarring is a reaction to the inflammation in the skin caused by acne. During the inflammatory process, tissue is destroyed and in an attempt to heal the skin, a reaction called fibrosis occurs. Fibrosis leads to changes in the texture of the skin that can be thinner (called atrophic) or thicker (called hypertrophic) than normal skin. Scarring is permanent.

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Scarring before and after pictures

treatment for Acne scars. Can treat face, chest and back areas. A course of 4 – 5 treatments are recommended

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