Acne scars are a large part of what we do at Acne Specialists, and they are our most common patient concern.
We often get questions related to how they occur, how they can be treated and how to prevent them from occurring in the first place. So we decided to go into great depth about acne scars, covering all of these topics, which you will find below.
What Are Acne Scars?
Before we begin, it’s important that we distinguish between “acne scars” and “pitting” or “divots” in your skin. Pitting is not a scar. It is actually an area of skin where there was significant tissue loss from inflammation due to picking or popping a pimple. This can create divots in the skin (or potholes). In general, these divots do not fill in on their own over time and will require a medical procedure to correct.
When people talk about acne scars, they usually refer to three different types: ice pick scars, box car scars and rolling scars (there are also other types of acne scars that you can read about here). Ice pick scars appear as tiny round holes in the skin while box car scars look like angular depressions
Acne scars are a common problem that many people face. These scars can be caused by the natural healing process of the body, but they can also be the result of improper treatment that leads to infection and deeper scarring. These acne scars are not only unsightly but can cause permanent damage to the skin and even lead to other problems such as depression. Therefore, it is important that you learn how to treat your acne scars properly so as to prevent future problems.
How do Acne Scars Occur?
There are two types of acne scars: ice pick and boxcar. The ice pick scar is the most common type of acne scar. It has a narrow base with a broad tip and it looks like an enlarged pore or a small crater on the surface of your skin. On the other hand, a boxcar scar is usually less noticeable than an ice pick scar because it doesn’t have a large base and its appearance is similar to that of a cigarette burn. The problem with this type of acne scar is that it has a wide base which makes it look more like an open sore instead of a normal pore.
Many people think of acne as a teenage problem, but it can affect people of all ages.
Acne is caused by clogged hair follicles in the skin. Sebaceous glands produce sebum, a waxy oil, which lubricates the skin and hair. When too much sebum is produced, it mixes with dead skin cells to clog the pores. Bacteria feeds on this clog and causes inflammation or swelling, which we call pimples or zits.
For most people, acne subsides and clears up by the time they reach their 30s. For some people, however, acne scars form in place of these pimples. Acne scars are permanent indentations caused by the severe acne bumps that penetrate deep into the layers of your skin.
If you have severe acne that has left indentations on your face, don’t panic! There are several options for healing these scars and leaving your face smooth and clear.
Acne scars form when there is a significant loss of collagen from the skin.
Collagen depletion can happen when the body tries to heal itself from damage. Acne lesions, for example, are created by skin damage. When acne lesions become inflamed, the body triggers a wound healing response. The body produces collagen to patch up the wound and in the process, forms scars.
Acne scars may appear as depressed or raised areas of the skin, ranging in color from pink to deep purple.
There are many different types of acne scars that require different treatment methods to heal them. It’s important to understand how your acne scars formed so you can use the right treatment methods and products on your skin.
When acne clears, all is not always a smooth ride, as it can leave behind scars that can last for months or even years. These scars can be in the form of pitted marks, or large discoloured areas where the skin has been severely damaged.
Acne scarring is caused by severe inflammation within the dermis – the thick layer of skin below the epidermis (the top layer of skin). Pitted scars are caused by damage to collagen fibres, while discoloured scars are caused by bleeding beneath the epidermis.
Pitted marks are more common in people with darker complexions and they tend to develop more commonly on the face, neck and back and chest areas than other types of acne scarring. They will also become more visible when exposed to sunlight.
Depending on the severity of your acne, you may have a few scars or many scars. But what causes some people to scar more readily than others? And is there anything that you can do about it?
To understand why some people are more prone to scarring, we need to understand the basics of how acne scars form. We also need to know how our skin heals itself after an injury.
The skin is actually a very complex organ. The skin has 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue. In addition, the skin has many other appendages such as hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands. Finally, our skin cells are constantly being replaced by new ones as they grow and die off in a cycle.
When acne occurs, the sebaceous gland produces excessive amounts of oil that gets stuck in the pores. This excess oil creates a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive and multiply. As bacteria continues to accumulate in our pores, inflammation attacks these bacteria causing redness and swelling of surrounding tissue. The more severe this inflammation becomes, the deeper it penetrates into our skin’s layers.
As this inflammatory process continues, there may be an increase in collagen production that leads to raised scars (keloids
Acne scars are caused by a variety of factors. Scars can be caused by:
1. Squeezing pimples too hard
2. Picking at scabs
3. Eating too many processed foods
4. Poor diet in general
5. Hormonal imbalance
6. Stress
7. Smoking or drinking too much alcohol