Treating Acne Scars

For many people, acne scars are an embarrassing reminder of the bout of acne they once had to fight. The pimples may have disappeared, but the scars are left to prove that the breakouts were once there. Fortunately, those people are left with many options, and removing/reducing acne scars isn?t as impossible as it may appear.

Stay Out of the Sun

Applying sunscreen won?t remove acne scars, but it will prevent them from getting any worse. Exposure to the sun causes acne scars to get darker and appear deeper due to loss of pigment in the face. It?s important to always apply sunscreen when spending time outside, no matter what the season is.

Use Natural Solutions

Surprisingly, many ingredients found right in the kitchen can help reduce the appearance of acne scars:

• Applying lemon juice to the problem area helps lighten up the scarring, so the scars start to blend back in with the natural face tone.

• Baking soda is another common household ingredient that is proven to cause positive results. By making a mixture of half baking soda and half water, the paste will exfoliate and remove dead skin cells allowing for new cells to form.

• Rose hip, olive, and tamanu (a flower from Australia) oil can help restore collagen and start the healing process when it comes to acne scarring. Lather a fair amount over the face every night before bed, and make sure to wash it off with a gentle, non-irritating soap.

• Aloe vera is famous for its healing properties. When it comes to scarring, aloe vera works to regenerate new cells as well as calm and heal irritated skin. Either use it straight from the plant, or go to any health food store to buy a bottle of aloe vera gel.

Drug Store Options

There are many solutions for acne scarring that are readily available at most stores and online:

• Cortisone cream won?t necessarily help reduce acne scars, but it will help prevent irritation associated with scarring. Many people pick at their acne scars due to over-drying of the skin which causes skin to get worse over time.

• Zenmed is available online. This scar removal cream has a majority of positive reviews. Just remember it?s best to use OTC remedies after acne has already cleared up, or it could just make breakouts worse.

• Mederma is an onion extract base that works to restore collagen loss from acne scarring.

• Petroleum jelly has been used for years to reduce the appearance of scars, but new studies are showing that it might be just as beneficial for acne scars. Just make sure to only apply it on the problem area as rubbing Vaseline all over might clog some pores.

Medical Procedures

Sometimes, acne scars are too severe to be treated with anything topical, and medical treatments are the only thing will really generate results.

• Laser treatment is probably the most common medical procedure used to reduce acne scarring. Ablative laser therapy is more intensive and uses heat to remove the scar tissue leaving the new, undamaged skin to surface. Non-ablative lasers work underneath the scars to smooth out skin from the inside out. It?s a much gentler procedure, but requires a few treatments to see results.

• Dermabrasion uses a brush with rough wires to remove damaged skin and level off the scar tissue. After the tissue is removed, new skin cells form, and the skin is left smooth and rejuvenated.

• Chemical peels are one of the gentlest forms of medical procedures out there used to treat acne scars. The dead skin is removed and the exfoliation works to stimulate collagen production and new skin cell growth. A few of these procedures might be in order for best results.

• Dermal fillers literally ?fill in? depressions in the skin from acne scars. However, the result is temporary, and many follow up procedures would be necessary to keep the acne scars at bay.

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About the Author

Benji Grayson is a freelance health and fitness writer for the Clevens Center for Facial Cosmetic Surgery. He often writes about skin treatment and facial peels in Orlando, Florida. His personal interests include researching ways to help people achieve their personal wellness goals, as well as finding ways to have better overall health.

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Source: http://www.informationgateway.org/treating-acne-scars/

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