Best Treatments to Conceal Acne Scars

Acne is really hard to deal with and unfortunately, they are unavoidable. Even after they are gone, they leave some scars. Some of these may fade away, while some may remain forever. But thankfully, various modern techniques are available now to help you get away with and conceal these. In this article, we will walk you through different methods on how to get rid of acne scars.

Table of contents

Feel free to skip ahead if anyone topic catches your eye:

1. Chemical Peels
2. Microneedling
3. Dermaroller
4. Laser Treatment
5. Filler Treatment
6. Fat Grafting
7. Combination Techniques

Takeaway

• Chemical Peels 

This involves applying a chemical solution to the outermost skin layer to exfoliate and remove it. The inner cells of the skin are stimulated to grow more. This helps in improving skin texture, reducing wrinkles and scarring due to acne. There can be mild, medium, or deep peel based on the depth of skin layers removed. The mild peel can be done at home too with the doctor’s instructions.

Procedure: 

Chemical agents, mostly glycolic acid (AHA), salicylic acid, phenol, etc., are applied to the skin and slowly brushed. This makes the old, rough, and blemished skin blister and fall off. Thus, this allows the underlying new skin to grow which is smooth and unaffected by scars. Avoid facing direct sunlight and always follow your doctor’s instructions.

How does it treat acne scars? 

It reduces the acne scars, especially less deep ones, by replacing the outer dull skin that has scars with an inner layer of new, fresh, smooth, and bright skin.

• Microneedling 

Also called collagen induction therapy, it will help you know how to get rid of acne scars. It uses many tiny needles to make minute punctures in the skin with little bleeding. This stimulates the natural process of wound healing of the body resulting in more production of collagen and elastin (growth proteins).

Procedure:

• The doctor will clean the area and apply the cream to numb it.
• A special microneedling pen, having tiny sterilized needles, is used all over the skin area to make small holes.
• The area of skin is washed with an antiseptic solution and a healing serum is applied.
• It can be twinned by other treatments like PRP, stem cells, and radiofrequency.
• Four to six sessions 1 month apart are usually needed. A single session takes around 20–30 minutes.

How does it treat acne scars? 

It treats acne scars by causing ‘mini trauma to the skin and activating the production of growth substances. It also thickens the skin, which simultaneously makes scars less visible. It also helps to make channels. Through this, products like creams and serums can penetrate deep into the skin and other treatments too can work more effectively.

• Dermaroller

It is a medical device with one end as a handle and the other end with fine needles to make small holes on the skin. It is similar to a micro-needling device. The exception is that the needles in the derma roller are shorter than those used in microneedling.

Procedure: It can be used at home but always follows your doctor’s instructions.

• Before using, sterilize it with an alcohol solution and warm water.
• Wash skin with antiseptic solution or saline water.
• Hold the skin to tighten it and roll over each section, up and down, side to side, and diagonally.
• Wash skin with water, as the skin gets reddened.
• Serum and moisturizer are then applied as they are absorbed more deeply after this procedure.

Dermarollers must never be used on skins with sunburns, sores, moles, etc. Always follow your doctor’s instructions.

How does it treat acne scars?

It is based on the same principle as that of microneedling.

• Laser Treatment

Two types of laser therapy are there, ablative, which removes the topmost skin layer and stimulates the inner skin layers, and non-ablative, which stimulates the underlying skin layers without causing any harm to the top layer.

Procedure: 

Ablative laser therapy involves the use of a high-energy laser beam. It removes the top skin layer which is scarred as well as rough and stimulates collagen to fill in the depressions to get smooth and soft skin. The results may be seen after some time and many sessions may be required.

The Non-ablative laser treatment stimulates the collagen growth within the inner layer of the skin i.e. dermis.

It uses a flashgun that emits broad-spectrum light. It enters through the outer and the inner skin layer and stimulates the production of collagen which adds support to the skin surface. Thus depressions caused by scarring are reduced. One session takes around 20–30 minutes.

How does it treat acne scars?

It works by removing the outer, scarred skin layer along with producing more collagen and elastin through the inner layers.

• Filler Treatment

Fillers are gel-like synthetic or natural substances like hyaluronic acids or poly-L-lactic acids. These are injected into the skin to raise the depressed skin areas due to acne scars and also stimulate the skin’s natural collagen production.

Procedure: 

The fillers are put under the skin, which will fill in the depressions caused by acne scarring, skin laxity, and loss of volume. Used for cheeks, lips, nose, chin, and around the mouth, dermal fillers are safe with minimum side effects, but a skin allergy test must be done before applying.

How does it help to get rid of acne scars?  

They work by filling and lifting the depressed skin areas, replacing lost volume, and smoothening skin irregularities to get rid of scars on the face and pimple marks.

• Fat Grafting

This procedure involves taking fat from one or more areas of your body and putting it somewhere else like depressed areas caused by scars. This reduces the appearance of scars on your face and body even dimpling and deep depressions, resulting in thicker, healthier, and softer skin.

Procedure: 

The donor and graft areas are marked with colored pens. Fat is sucked out through liposuction from one or more areas and after refining the fat (removing blood, oil, and water) it is put in the graft location and smoothened. It takes around 2–5 hours.

How does it treat acne scars? 

It works by filling the sunken areas or lines caused by scars, ageing, etc., adding volume to hollow areas, and plumping up wrinkles and scars. It also promotes collagen production and gives a rejuvenated look.

• Combination Therapies

As acne scars are very complex, therefore one single treatment approach may not work for you. Based on the type of acne scars, the doctor might recommend a treatment plan with a combination of two or more treatment methods that may work to conceal your acne scars.

Procedure: 

Different types of scars need different combination techniques. For example, some may need excision with laser, others may need laser and micro-needling or fat grafting and chemical peels.

How does it help to conceal acne scars? 

Using the principles of individual techniques, the combined procedures help to attain the desired results by getting rid of acne scars, pimple marks, and scars on the face.

Takeaway

SkinQure is the leading skin pigmentation treatment clinic in South Delhi and offers the best skin and hair services in Delhi. It houses the latest technology, infrastructure, and a very experienced team of specialists to provide you a customized, comfortable, and best treatment experience.