What Causes Acne Scars?

Are you suffering from acne scars? Have you ever wondered why your acne left scars or how you could’ve prevented them? First, understand there is probably little you could’ve done, as many people with acne are simply prone to having certain types, some that scar more than others. Acne injures the skin. Sometimes, after an injury, there are steps you can take to minimize or prevent scarring. Good wound care, sutures and special wound dressings can all make a difference in how a scar ends up looking. But why are acne scars different? Why do they happen in the first place?

Acne is an amazingly prevalent problem. Almost everyone has dealt with it in some form or another at some point in his or her lifetime. Despite this, doctors still struggle to treat acne and haven’t designed any methods (other than controlling it in the first place) to prevent acne scarring. Let’s talk a little about how acne happens.

Acne lesions form when a follicle becomes blocked by dead skin cells. This usually involves too much oil mixing with these cells, which keeps them from sloughing off as they otherwise normally would. Once the follicle is blocked, a normal bacteria on the skin becomes trapped. As more oil builds up, the bacteria start to overgrow. The body reacts to this by sending in immune cells to help fight the extra bacteria and inflammation develops. This whole process overwhelms the follicle walls and they break down or rupture as a result. This is what you see as a pimple or pustule on the surface of your skin.

If all this happens close to the skin’s surface, the injury that’s created is fairly minor and will heal quickly, without much evidence it was ever there. However, if it happens deep in the follicle, you will see a cystic lesion and when it ruptures, all of the built-up inflammation spills into and damages the skin around it. Deeper cysts damage the dermis or middle layer of skin. And since our collagen and elastin live in this layer, a scar of some sort will generally form due to damage to these important skin structures.

The best treatment for acne scarring is the prevention of acne in the first place. However, this isn’t always possible for everyone dealing with acne. As we age and begin to naturally lose some of the collagen and elastin in our skin, sometimes acne scarring becomes much more noticeable. It can almost look worse as we get older!

Celibre Medical is dedicated to helping those with acne and acne scarring. We have developed many different regimens for the treatment of acne and acne scarring that fit any skin type, any type of scarring, any lifestyle and any budget. Our regimens focus on helping to even out skin tone, replace lost collagen and elastin and restore smoother, more beautiful skin. Come in and talk with us if you’ve thought about treating your acne scars and are ready to do something. We are here to help you choose the best treatment plan that’s custom made just for you!