Acne can be frustrating, painful, embarrassing, and long-lasting. It can pop up in your teen years, go away, then resurface later in life due to hormonal imbalances. Even once your skin is clear, scars can leave their mark.
At A to Z Dermatology, with offices in Mesa, Sun City, Casa Grande, Gold Canyon, and Chandler, Arizona, our experienced dermatology team can help you address both acne and the scars it leaves behind.
When you have acne, the skin swells around a blocked pore full of sebum, skin cells, dirt, and other debris. This swelling (and any rupture to the skin’s surface) damages the tissue around the pimple.
This damage can lead to a variety of different acne scar types and shapes, including:
You may also have dark or pale spots as a result of acne damage. Depending on the severity of your scarring, there are a variety of acne scar treatments we can use.
Depending on the type of acne scars you have, your skin surface texture, your skin pigmentation, and how old the scars are, our team will determine one or more courses of treatment to apply.
If your scars are indented, microneedling can be the best way to repair them and smooth the surface of your skin. The Eclipse MicroPen Elite has a sterile cartridge with a dozen very fine stainless steel needles that protrude just enough to penetrate the top layer of your skin.
Your technician moves the pen gently across the area of the scar, and the fine needles prick in a tight pattern, causing “micro-injuries” to the skin surface. Micro-injuries don’t really hurt — most patients say they feel a prickling sensation — but they do signal your body to start regenerative processes. Your system will produce collagen and elastin (the building blocks of your skin’s deeper layers) and fill in scar dimples and creases.
If your scars are mostly a concern due to discoloration, an IPL photofacial may be a better choice. We aim controlled bursts of broad spectrum light at your skin, which penetrate the top layers and stimulate deeper tissue to kickstart the healing process.
Old skin cells slough away over time after your treatment, leaving fresh new skin. This approach can help even your skin tone and restore a youthful glow. Most people have several treatments to achieve the full effect.
Usually, a simple warming feeling is the only sign you’re undergoing treatment, and we make sure to moisturize your skin well afterward. You’ll have to remember to wear sunscreen, as your new skin will be sensitive to sunlight while it matures.
In addition to these options, our team can also perform chemical peels to help make raised scars less noticeable, or use injectables to ease puckered scars. These rejuvenative treatments are tailored to your specific needs, and you may receive more than one treatment for your acne scars.
Want to book a consultation to see how we can help reduce the appearance of acne scars? Contact the location nearest you to schedule an appointment today.
