Non Permanent acne scars

Macules or "pseudo-scars" are flat, red spots that are the final stage of most inflamed acne lesions.  

Post-inflammatory pigmentation is discoloration of the skin at the site of a healing inflamed acne lesion. It occurs more frequently in darker-skinned people, but occasionally is seen in people with white skin.

Permanent acne scars

The keloid (or hypertrophic) scar is usually 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter. They can persis for years, but may diminish in size over time. Overproduction of collagen is a response of skin cells to injury. The excess collagen becomes piled up in fibrous masses, resulting in a characteristic firm, smooth, usually irregularly-shaped scar. Keloid scars tend to "run in families"?that is, abnormal growth of scar tissue is more likely to occur in susceptible people, who often are people with relatives who have similar types of scars.
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Ice-pick scars They are usually small, with a jagged edge and steep sides?like wounds from an ice pick. Ice-pick scars may be shallow or deep, and may be hard or soft to the touch. Soft scars can be improved by stretching the skin; hard ice-pick scars cannot be stretched out.

 Depressed fibrotic scars are usually quite large, with sharp edges and steep sides. The base of these scars is firm to the touch. Ice-pick scars may evolve into depressed fibrotic scars over time. 

Soft scars, superficial or deep are soft to the touch. They have gently sloping rolled edges that merge with normal skin. They are usually small, and either circular or linear in shape.

 Atrophic macules are usually fairly small when they occur on the face, but may be a centimeter or larger on the body. They are soft, often with a slightly wrinkled base, and may be bluish in appearance due to blood vessels lying just under the scar. Over time, these scars change from bluish to ivory white in color in white-skinned people, and become much less obvious. 

Follicular macular atrophy is more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with acne. These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin?somewhat like whiteheads that didn?t fully develop. This condition is sometimes also called "perifollicular elastolysis." The lesions may persist for months to years. 

Microdermabrasion - With the Toronto Acne Clinic microdermabrasion acne treatment, you can see immediate improvements in your acne scars. Microdermabrasion is the latest technology available in the relm of skin peeling techniques, this unique approach removes dead, damaged and flaking skin cells stimulating the production of fresher, younger skin cells and production of collagen. Micro-silicate particles are discharged from the handset to remove approximately 10-30 microns of surface skin. Microdermabrasion is effective in the treatment of surgical scars, pigmented , depressed and raised acne scars, chicken pox and minor burns. Typical facial treatments can be done in about 20-30 minutes. Treatments can be repeated as often as every 7 days. To learn more how microdermabrasion treat acne scars, click here.

Recovery: The procedure is not painful and the healing time averages a few hours.
Possible complications: Low risk of complication, in some case cause mild skin redness.
Cost: $80 to $150 per treatment. 12-18 treatments are needed to achieve results in patients with moderate acne scarring.
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Chemical Peels or Glycolic peels - can be used to get rid of acne scars and other blemishes on the face. It works by the removing of the top layers of the skin which are scarred. If you have severe acne on the face, it is recommended to wait for the acne to heal before going in for peel treatment to remove scars.

Chemical peels come in various strengths and concentrations, Celluline specialist will suggest the concentration that your skin needs. However, the general mantra is to go in for the lowest strength to check your skin's response and slowly keep increasing the concentration.
For Chemical Peel Aftercare is important to wear a strong sunscreen lotion after undergoing the peel. It is best if sun exposure could be avoided altogether. Since skin tends to run dry and hence, it is important to use a moisturizer during the aftercare period.

To learn more about chemical peel acne scars treatment click here.

Recovery:  The lower strength peels also known as lunch time peels can be used like a lunch time peel as the recovery time is very little. However, strong peels that treat deep scars require a long period of recovery time as the face can look un presentable for a few days.

Possible complications: in some extreme cases, it might require hospitalization as the skin becomes prone to infection.

Cost: $90 to $150 per treatment, 3 weeks is recommended before between your first peel and your next peel.
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Collagen injection - Collagen, a normal substance of the body, is injected under the skin to "stretch" and "fill out" certain types of superficial and deep soft scars. Collagen treatment usually does not work as well for ice-pick scars and keloids. Collagen derived from cows or other non-human sources cannot be used in people with autoimmune diseases. Human collagen or fascia is helpful for those allergic to cow-derived collagen.
Lasts: 3 to 6 months. Additional collagen injections to maintain the cosmetic benefit are done at additional cost.

Autologous fat transfer - Fat is taken from another site on your own body and prepared for injection into your skin. The fat is injected beneath the surface of the skin to elevate depressed scars. This method of autologous (from your own body) fat transfer is usually used to correct deep contour defects caused by scarring from nodulocystic acne.
Last: 6 to 18 months
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Laser Facial resurfacing - with a CO2 laser involves very aggressive treatments, prolonged recovery periods, and higher risks for infection.

Recover / Complications: several months, chances of infection.

Skin Surgery - Some ice-pick scars may be removed by "punch" excision of each individual scar. In this procedure each scar is excised down to the layer of subcutaneous fat; the resulting hole in the skin may be repaired with sutures or with a small skin graft. Subcision is a technique in which a surgical probe is used to lift the scar tissue away from unscarred skin, thus elevating a depressed scar.

Skin grafting - may be necessary under certain conditions?for example, sometimes dermabrasion unroofs massive and extensive tunnels (also called sinus tracts) caused by inflammatory reaction to sebum and bacteria in sebaceous follicles. Skin grafting may be needed to close the defect of the unroofed sinus tracts.