While acne generally clears up by the twenties, acne scars often can remain for a lifetime and may be very disfiguring. However there are means to heal any scarring, so what is the best acne scar treatment for you? There are an assortment of therapies obtainable, but they can be expensive therefore you need to thoroughly explore them before you make your mind up which one is right for you.

Microdermabrasion is appropriate for small acne scars that are raised above the surface of the skin. This essentially exfoliates the skin and eliminates dead or damaged skin on the surface. Microdermabrasion is not suitable for deep-seated scars or scars that are below the surface of the skin. In this treatment a instrument is used to send out extremely small crystals onto the the skin in a stream under pressure. The crystals used are usually aluminium oxide but others, for instance magnesium oxide, zinc oxide or sodium chloride, can be used instead. This method takes off the top layer of the skin and is very useful to completely clean out the pores. It also eliminates dead skin cells. It is low risk and does not require any recuperation period.

Laser Skin Rejuvenation is a gentle treatment that doesn’t take away the skin’s top layer as other laser treatments do but uses rays of light which reach below the surface of the skin. This speeds up the growth of collagen which then starts to fill up the acne scars during the next few months. There is no recovery period as there is no injury to the skin and it takes only around twenty minutes to perform. There may be a little skin reddening which is short-lived and is easily covered by the use of makeup. Laser skin rejuvenation methods are generally carried out over about four weeks with about three to four treatments.

Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing is offered in two different forms called ablative and non-ablative. Recuperation from non-ablative laser treatment is much quicker and is typically used for less severe scarring. The laser causes damage to the skin close to the scars which causes the production of extra collagen which helps to heal the scar. This is probably one of the best acne scar treatments, however it is one of the most high-priced.

Acne Scar Thermage Treatment is a newer method which uses radio waves and is mostly used for wrinkles and lines on the skin. This procedure speeds up collagen growth and consequently doesn’t treat scars in the same way as fractional laser skin resurfacing. It is pain free and is not invasive and takes around an hour.

Dermal Filling is by and large temporary and consists of injections of collagen which fill in the scars. A few months later the filling material is absorbed by the skin. The collagen is prepared from either natural or animal sources so if you are using collagen derived from animals you must be tested for allergies before undertaking the treatment. Other dermal fillers, for instance Restylane®, use man-made materials which don’t have the risk of an allergic reaction and typically last a lot longer than the other collagen methods. If you would prefer a inexpensive, although short-lived method, this might be the best acne scar treatment for you.

Chemical Peels are not so prevalent as they were once as acne scar treatments such as laser skin resurfacing are being used more frequently in their place. Nevertheless they are fairly helpful for mild to moderate acne scarring as they essentially remove the surface layer of the skin which then allows new unscarred, healthy skin to grow. The most widespread type of chemical peel incorporates glycolic acid which is an organic acid derived from fruit and plants. Chemical peels only take around twenty minutes and is more or less painless though there may possibly be a little stinging. Side effects sometimes include redness and flaking of the skin which might last from a couple of days to as much as a week depending on the type and severity of the chemical peel procedure. A course of at least three treatments is required to see any obvious improvement in acne scarring.

Conclusion

So what is the best acne scar treatment? This will certainly depend on the amount of scarring you have and, of course, on your funds. Some of the most useful acne scar treatments are pricey and need recurring visits to be effective. Take into account how deep your scarring is and arrange a discussion with a dermatologist to talk about the laser treatment for scars that will be best for you.