Acne Scar Treatment in Chattanooga, TN

What is Acne Scar Treatment?

Acne is a common skin condition, resulting in inflammation and blemishes. Depending on the severity of your acne, it can also leave scars. Acne scar treatment is a group of procedures or treatments to alleviate the appearance of acne scarring. 

To discuss the treatment of acne scarring, contact Uderm to meet with one of our board-certified dermatologists. To schedule your acne scarring consultation at our dermatology clinic near Chattanooga, please call (423) 206-2777 or request an appointment through our secure online form.

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What Are the Types of Acne Scarring?

The acne pore swells and breakdown occurs in the pores and sometimes discoloration can occur. Some acne scars are raised, while others are sunken. Acne can appear on your face, forehead, chest, upper back, and shoulders due to the glands there. 

Most often when scarring occurs, people are most interested in treating acne scars on the face.

The worse the acne, the more likely your skin is to have acne scarring.

The following types of scars occur in acne:

• Ice-pick scars –deep, narrow, pitted scars
• Rolling scars – broad depressions with a sloping edge
• Boxcar scars – broad depressions with sharply defined edges

Most often, acne scars cause a textural change that leaves hills and valleys on the face. Some of the best acne scar treatments can significantly help with color and texture.

When Can Acne Scars Be Treated?

Before you get treatment for acne scars, you must first treat your acne. However, it is never too late to treat acne scars. They will not go away on their own.

Not all scars are permanent, so there is hope. The skin is able to regenerate itself remarkably, especially when you have inflammation under control.

Teenage patients may have to wait until their early 20s before undergoing treatment to make sure there’s little risk of future acne flare-ups.

How to Treat Acne Scarring

The first step is to discuss a plan with your dermatologist or provider. Often, deep scarring won’t go away with just topicals and other measures are recommended.

Some common treatments include:

Chemical Peels

• TCA-CROSS (deep chemical peel)
• TCA medium-depth chemical peels

A chemical peel is a straightforward procedure, helping your skin create a new regenerated layer. Your dermatologist may apply a chemical solution to your skin, causing it to blister and eventually peel off. When the skin peels, it creates a new, regenerated skin that’s usually smoother than the old skin.

Peeling typically causes redness, and sometimes swelling and cold sores, for up to seven days. This treatment is also less expensive because you’ll usually only need one treatment session.

Microneedling

If you choose to have a radiofrequency microneedling procedure to help treat acne, it is a fine-needle roller or pen device to create tiny holes in the top layer of your skin. The procedure stimulates collagen production, which helps improve fine lines and skin texture.

Lasers

Lasers are effective to treat acne scars, as they can treat the area and adjust temperature and intensity as needed. These lasers target blood vessels and can help lighten scars and help flatten raised scars. Your provider will often use fractional or carbon dioxide ablative lasers to treat acne scars. These lasers can reach the blood vessels deep in your skin, reducing the discoloration of your scars.

Surgical Removal

Subcision is a minor surgical procedure to help with acne scarring. Sometimes a scar can be bound to the muscle or deeper tissue, so during this procedure, it is released so it can move freely again. The skin is then lifted to help remove the scars and improve overall appearance.

This is often done in combination with other procedures to help with acne scarring.