As anyone with acne knows, it is not just pimples we need to be worried about. Acne can be bad enough by itself, but it’s frequently followed by noticeable acne scars. Since human scars can sometimes take years to completely cure, they can seem worse than the acne, and serve as a constant reminder of acne-prone skin.
Nowadays
Modern research and technology have contributed to the development of an assortment of techniques to decrease the appearance of scars, such as microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser skin resurfacing. Surgical scar revision is another form of acne scar treatment, and this report will explain the fundamentals of these procedures. First, however, let us do a quick review on acne as well as the formation of scars.
Acne develops when follicles in the skin become blocked, trapping sebum within the pore together with natural skin bacteria. There are many different reasons that pores can become blocked, such as being emptied by excessive sebum or from dead skin cells which weren’t sloughed off when they should have been.
Sebum
Sebum itself is not necessarily acne causing, and moreover, it’s crucial for healthy skin, as it has many protective and moisturizing qualities. However, when sebum and bacteria are trapped together in a pore, the final result is normally multiplication of the bacteria triggering an immune system reaction, resulting in inflammation and redness characteristic of acne.
During acne breakouts, scars may form in response to injury of the dermis, the deep connective tissue layer of the epidermis. These scars are in fact composed of collagen, and are meant to seal the wound closed while it heals and skin rebuilds itself. The smoothest scars are usually visible to a degree, because they lack the porosity of routine skin. However, some scars are more noticeable, and this is a result of the quantity of collagen left over the wound. Once the would is cured, an enzyme called collagenase breaks down the collagen so that just a very thin layer is left. If an excessive amount of collagen is removed, the scar may seem sunken in comparison with the surrounding skin.
Keep in mind
However, if an excessive amount of collagen was made to start with, too much collagen is going to be left behind, it might actually stick out above the skin level. Those formed from too small collagen are known as atrophic scars, and ones out of excessive collagen are known as hypertrophic scars.
Scar revision surgery
It is one kind of cosmetic procedure to help even out these scars. When used for hypertrophic scars, the operation removes extra scar tissue and puts back the scar in such a manner it is smooth with the surrounding skin. This is known as scar excision. One kind of excision called punch excision is for deep acne scars. This procedure eliminates the scar completely, and the surgeon sutures the wound edges back together to be able to create a nice, uniform scar.
Subcision
It is a procedure created for atrophic scars, using fat and other substances to fill the melancholy below the scar so that it becomes flat. Subcision may also involve the separation of skin cells in the scar tissue to permit blood to pool, finally forming connective tissue and increasing up the scar. These two procedures are always done by licensed professionals, and the patient may be under either general or local anesthesia, on an outpatient basis. Effects of surgical scar revision include swelling and bruising, and patients can require up to a week or two to recover, depending on the process, depth and size of treatment, and on the individual themselves.
The results can be quite good, even though the consequences from some fillers injected into the scar might not be permanent. Potential side-effects include infection, numbness, and reactions to anesthesia.
Conclusion
There are many procedures for reducing acne scars which consultation with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon is a necessary first step. Many clinics are specifically tailored towards one sort of scar, and may not have any effect whatsoever on another type. As an example, excision is usually useless for deep acne scars, where punch excision has exceptional results. Another thing to consider about procedures such as surgical scar revision is to keep expectations realistic. This can be a handy tool to lessen the appearance of scars, but it’s not possible to get rid of scars altogether. Excision and subcision tend to be most effective when used in conjunction with other scar revision methods.