Acne Scar Treatments Sydney NSW
Acne scarring can leave your skin in poor condition.
Are all acne scars the same?
No, there are several different types of acne scars. Some scarring may be discolouration such as prolonged redness or pigmentation where acne infection was present. Older scars can be different too, ranging from “open pores” to punched out crater-like scars to gentle skin depressions (atrophic scars) and severe forms called “ice pick” scars. Keloid and hypertrophic acne scars can also occur.
Scars occur as a result of infection of deeper sebaceous glands. Depending on the severity of infection and depth of infection, different types of scars will form.
Many patients will have more than one type of scarring from acne.
What does acne scar treatment involve?
There is no one treatment for acne scars because there are different types of acne scars and each type will usually need specific treatment to get the best results.
There are a few different non-surgical treatments available for acne scarring at Áda clinic.
Treatments available for superficial acne scarring and skin discolouration include:
- Medical grade skin care products
- Prescription only medications
- Microdermabrasion
- Micro-needling – Dermastamp + PRP
- Superficial and deep skin peels
- Intense pulsed light therapy (IPL)
- Laser for red scars
- Laser for brown scars
- Radio frequency (RF) energy devices
- Fractional resurfacing lasers
Treatments available for deeper and older acne scars include:
- Fractional laser- non-ablative resurfacing
- Fractional laser- ablative resurfacing
- Fractional RF skin resurfacing
- Laser resurfacing
- Dermal fillers – especially for depressed atrophic scarring
- PRP Regeneration – as an adjunct to other acne treatments
How will you know what treatment you should have?
As you can see from the list of available treatments there are a number of options. Our experienced doctors will choose the correct treatment for your acne scars after examining your skin. The recommended range of treatments vary from laser and other energy based devices such as RF, to skin peels and dermal fillers.
Is laser resurfacing the best treatment for acne scars?
Laser resurfacing with a carbon dioxide laser can help certain types of acne scars. It may not necessarily be best for all acne scars, but it can help improve “open pores”, crater-like scars and uneven pigmentation.
Can I combine treatments for my acne scars?
Yes, often the best results will come by treating different types of scars with different treatments. For example, laser resurfacing followed by dermal fillers for atrophic skin depressions.
Is olive skin or darker skin suitable for laser treatment?
There are increased risks using laser on darker skin so more care needs to be taken before deciding if those risks are worth taking. Our doctors will outline the risks to help you decide on your treatment.
What sort of improvement can I expect after treatment?
The degree of improvement after a non-surgical treatment will of course vary for each person. There are no outcome guarantees in medicine. Some patients will see significant improvement while other patients may see very little change.
For example, studies have shown that laser resurfacing can realistically achieve around 50% improvement in the appearance of acne scars.
FAQs
How can I treat acne scars at home?
The key idea when it comes to treating acne scars at home is to moisturise. You can eitherinvest in a high-quality moisturiser or you can try some natural remedies such as coconut, jojoba or almond oil. Using salicylic acid might also help. Gently exfoliating the area can also assist to reduce the appearance of scars. You can purchase an exfoliating formula or you could use baking soda.
What treatments reduce acne scars?
There are several different types of treatments we have available for this problem ranging from skin resurfacing to laser. The type of treatment used will depend greatly on the type of acne scar you have.
If you have acne, will you suffer from scarring?
Not necessarily. Some people who have suffered from acne have scarring post breakout and some people do not. It depends greatly on the individual. There are also different types of acne scars, some come in the form of red marks while others can appear as open pores. If you suffer from acne scars, it is important to remember that different scars require different treatments.