There are many reasons why scars appear. Some defects can be eliminated forever. For example, a pimple scar can be removed using peeling, surgery, laser therapy and other methods. These methods will be discussed in this article.
Types of acne scars
Scars disfigure the face and open areas of the body. A pimple scar is often difficult to remove. To choose the right treatment, it is necessary to determine the type of scar. Scars are:
- Keloid - These are coarse formations, often growing over long distances, beyond the source of initial tissue damage.
- Normotrophic – with a smooth surface on which there is no skin pattern. They don't stand out too much on the skin.
- Hypertrophic – are formed from collagen fibers and protrude strongly above the surface. Such scars do not grow and have different shades - from pink to bluish.
- Atrophic scars - thin and smooth, whitish in color. In appearance they resemble tissue paper. When pressing on such a scar, the skin at the site of the lesion gathers into folds. Such scars do not rise above the surface of the skin, but, on the contrary, below its level.
Acne scars (there are photos of them in this article) also differ in their shape. Scars can be U- or V-shaped, star-shaped, etc. Fresh scars are usually pink with a bluish tint. Over time, many scars turn white. Most often, acne scars remain on the shoulders, ears, chest and back.
Selection of treatment
In most cases, unsightly scars remain after acne. In this case, it is not a fact that expensive treatment will be effective. It is best to seek advice from cosmetologists, dermatologists or surgeons instead of self-medication. They will be able to select the optimal therapy.
This is influenced by the age of the scars, their size, location, etc. Scarring often accompanies inflammatory acne. In this case, the choice of funds will require consultation with specialists. If it is possible to apply long-term and careful treatment, then physiotherapy or cosmetic preparations may be suitable.
When you need to get rid of scars in a short time, it is better to choose plastic surgery or laser resurfacing. It is rare to completely remove scars. But you can make them more invisible using many ways.
Drug treatment
But what to do if your appearance is spoiled by a pimple scar. How to remove this defect without surgery? You can use medication treatment. Among modern drugs there are many effective medicinal creams, gels and ointments, which contain, in addition to active substances, essential oils, acids, vitamins, etc.
When applied, blood circulation improves, scar tissue is smoothed and softened. They become more elastic. Anti-scarring agents trigger regeneration processes in tissues. There are many types of drugs, for example:
- "Kontraktubex" is a hydrogel that contains allantoin, the anticoagulant heparin and Serae onion extract.
- "Zeraderm ultra" It is made in the form of a cream. It contains polysilane. It forms a film when the drug is applied to scars. The cream also contains vitamins, coenzyme and an ultraviolet filter.
- "Kelofibrase" - scar cream. In addition to urea and heparin, the composition contains D-camphor. This is an active component.
- "Dermatix" - This is a gel made on the basis of silicone. The product contains silicon dioxide and organic compounds.
In addition to the listed drugs, there are many analogues. As practice shows, it is much easier to cure a fresh acne scar than a two-year-old scar. Drug therapy is mainly used to prevent the growth of scar tissue and stop inflammatory processes.
Among the inexpensive drugs sold in pharmacies, you can use:
- "Panthenol".
- "Bepanten."
- "Rescuer".
- "Fastin-1".
- Ointments: ichthyol and Vishnevsky.
More expensive drugs can be purchased:
This is not a complete list of creams, ointments and gels. To ensure proper use of the drugs, the packaging of each of them contains detailed instructions for use, which must be followed.
Chlorhexedine solution for scar removal can only be used with a concentration of no more than six percent. A swab or cotton swab is soaked in the solution and pressed against the scar for ten seconds. The interval between procedures is six hours. After treatment, regenerating ointment is applied.
Surgery
Many people, especially women, are irritated by the remaining pimple scar. How to remove it quickly? This can be done through surgery. During it, the bottom of atrophic scars is separated from the surrounding tissues. The procedure is performed using a special thread or hook.
As a result of injury, a small cavity is formed in which biologically active fluid accumulates. This stimulates fibroblasts to fill the void with connective tissue. The depth of the atrophic scar gradually decreases. After this, the scar is polished with a laser.
If the scars are rough, then they are excised and subsequent mechanical treatment is performed to level the surface. But other methods can also be used. It depends on the scar itself and other related factors.
Cosmetical tools
For cosmetic purposes, special paraffin is used to remove scars. You can buy it at a pharmacy or beauty salon. A small cube is cut from paraffin and melted in a water bath or in the microwave. Then the product is applied to the scars with a cotton swab.
The paraffin must dry completely. This will take approximately forty-five minutes. Then the product is removed with vegetable oil using a tampon. The procedure must be repeated every five hours. Then the skin is lubricated with regenerating ointment.
You can remove a pimple scar on your nose using cosmetic clay. It is sold in pharmacies. You can use any clay: white, black, pink or green. You need to take any two colors, 30 g each. Then they are diluted with cold milk so that the consistency of thick sour cream is obtained.
A thin layer of clay covers the entire face, with the exception of the eye area. The mask lasts fifteen minutes until it dries completely. Then a second layer is applied, but only to the scars. The mask lasts another twenty minutes.
After this, it is washed off with warm water, and the face is wiped with a moisturizing tonic. Then a regenerating cream is applied to the skin. The procedure must be performed every day. Clay compositions change colors regularly.
Mesotherapy
A red pimple scar usually means an early stage of formation of a defect. In this case, it is best to use mesotherapy methods to remove the scar. They are based on cocktails made from:
- vitamins;
- biological products;
- amino acids;
- placenta and aloe extracts;
- microelements.
Glucocorticosteroids are used for keloid scars. Atrophic scars are smoothed out with fillers based on high and medium density hyaluronic acid. This procedure is otherwise called contouring. Scars can also be removed using lipofilling.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy helps get rid of scars. Ion or phonopharesis and ultrasound are used to smooth the skin. The same drugs are used as in mesotherapy. Products containing aflutop, ritinoic acid and zinc oligosol can also be used.
To soften scars, reduce their elevation above the surface of the skin, or remove unpleasant sensations in the form of burning and itching, compositions with special enzymes - collagenases - are used. Phono- or iontophoresis is done with Fermenkol. Cryomassage can have a good effect, but only on a scar that is beginning to form.
Laser resurfacing
After some illnesses, the face or exposed parts of the body are very spoiled by acne scars. How to remove? Reviews from patients indicate that laser resurfacing is a very effective method for shallow and hypertrophic scars. Most often, a carbon dioxide beam is used during the procedure. Atrophic scars become half invisible after the first session.
After using fractional photothermolysis, therapeutic microzones begin to form. The place where the pimple scar was becomes inflamed again. This leads to the regeneration of dermal structures. Scars can be removed with non-ablative lasers (erbium, pulsed, diode, etc.). Their action is based on the thermal effect. The procedure is characterized by fewer side effects and their insignificant severity. There is no recovery period after the procedure.
Removing scars using peeling
A pimple scar on the forehead can be removed with peeling. This is a good alternative to the mechanical method. Chemical peels are most often used to remove scars. They contain alpha hydroxy acids and trichloroacetic or glycolic acid.
Atrophic scars require peels with a higher concentration of acids. But such funds also have a significant drawback. Without special equipment during the procedure it is very difficult to control the depth of the effect. Side effects include increased skin sensitivity or severe allergic reactions.
Mechanical scar removal
A pimple scar can be removed mechanically. But it is more suitable for U- and V-shaped scars. The improvement is not noticeable immediately, but after three sessions of diamond dermabrasion. For hypo- and hypertrophic scars, deep cleaning with a Schumann device is more suitable. Then sometimes a keratinocyte transplant is needed.
But mechanical procedures are quite painful. The rehabilitation period is long and difficult. Sometimes after procedures, keloids may form or pigmentation may be irreversibly damaged. Therefore, it is best to use the method of microdermabrasion or micro-grinding with aluminum 2-oxide crystals.
Needling therapy has also proven its effectiveness. It is done with titanium dermal rollers. These are devices that resemble mesoscooters in design. These methods of scar removal are easy to tolerate and have virtually no risk of complications.
Plasmolifting
Plasmolifting procedure allows you to get rid of scars. During this procedure, the patient's blood is used. Plasma is released from it, which is administered by microinjections under the scar. This injection stimulates the tissue to regenerate the skin. The hypertrophic scar resolves on its own.
If scars in the form of dents are corrected, they are leveled out. The scars become significantly lighter. For maximum effectiveness, plasma lifting is done several times. The course of procedures depends on the type of scars, age and condition.
Traditional medicine
To remove a pimple scar on the face, you can use potassium permanganate. But it is applied directly to the scar without affecting healthy skin. To prepare the solution you will need several crystals. The latter are diluted in ordinary drinking water. The solution should turn out raspberry color.
A cotton swab is moistened in it and very carefully, pointwise, potassium permanganate is applied to the scars. The solution is left for five minutes, then wiped off with a swab soaked in water. After the procedure, you should not visit the solarium or expose your face to the sun's rays for twelve hours. Scars will disappear quickly if the potassium permanganate solution is used at intervals of six hours.
Another folk remedy is vodka with Kalanchoe. To prepare the mixture, 30 ml of juice is squeezed out of the plant. It is mixed with 40 g of vodka or alcohol and poured into a small bottle. The lid of the latter should be closed tightly. The product must be infused in a dark place for three days. The solution should be shaken every five hours.
Then it is filtered through a bandage collected in five layers. A cotton swab is soaked in the infusion and the mixture is applied to the scars. The top is covered with a bactericidal plaster. After half an hour, the scar is cleaned with clean warm water.
Cryotherapy
How to remove a pimple scar that looks like a wart? This can be done using cryotherapy (cold treatment). The essence of the procedure is that liquid nitrogen is applied locally to the scar, which instantly freezes the scar. The temperature during the session reaches minus 150 degrees. You cannot use this method yourself to avoid severe frostbite.
Cryotherapy is more suitable for treating fresh keloid scars. But to achieve the desired effect, it is carried out several times. The intervals between sessions should be from 2 to 3 weeks. During this time, a crust forms at the site of the scar, which should come off on its own.
The procedure goes well with the use of medicinal ointments and gels. The method helps to get rid of scars completely. When liquid nitrogen is applied to a scar, the bulge instantly freezes and begins to die.
The substance is kept for 5 to 30 seconds, no more. Several procedures will be required for the scar to completely disappear. This method has its drawbacks. Scar removal is accompanied by severe pain. A blister may appear at the site of the scar. The probability of this is quite high. In some cases, hyperpigmentation of the skin occurs.
If there are a large number of scars left, for example, after acne, cryomassage is indicated before performing a peel or mask. This is a preparatory procedure. Cryomassage is done with a special wooden spatula, which is wrapped in cotton wool at the end. First, the instrument is dipped into liquid nitrogen at temperatures down to minus 190 degrees. Then a facial massage is performed with quick movements.
It is quite possible to remove acne scars with modern technologies. You can choose a procedure yourself, but it is better to consult with a surgeon, cosmetologist and dermatologist. Any methods have their contraindications and are fraught with various complications.
The question of external attractiveness seriously arises for those who suffer from acne, and even more so for those people who have scars after acne treatment. But don’t think that cosmetologists, doctors or dermatologists have forgotten about such people. Modern technologies of developing medicine successfully cope with eliminating the consequences of various dermatoses or inflammatory processes. If there are marks on your face such as acne scars or acne, that is, there are many ways to eliminate them. The relief of the face can be leveled by laser; a cream, balm, or homemade potion can help change the texture of the skin. But let's talk about all this in order - we still need to find out the reasons for the appearance of such traces. Perhaps someone will even be able to avoid skin scarring if they listen to preventive recommendations or soften the skin in time when treating acne.
What do acne scars look like?
This phenomenon on the skin of the face, like acne scars, is also called post-acne, that is, the residual that remains after acne or acne treatment. In this case, the appearance of the skin will be extremely lumpy, uneven, have spots and dimples, and the skin will feel rough to the touch. In addition to the damaged structure of the epidermis, scars and traces of tight skin remain on it in some places. Moreover, this is not just an “orange peel”, but rather deep pits on the skin of the face, which greatly spoil a person’s appearance. Because of this, people can regularly experience depression, frustration, and lack of self-confidence.
Disfigured skin can look like this due to several types of formations on the face that appear after a person has been exposed to acne or pimples:
- Scars are small, round or star-shaped stretches of whitish skin.
- Scars are more elongated, formed as a result of the merging of several acne into one chain, which left behind such marks.
- Potholes, “craters” are depressions in the skin that make it uneven.
- Spots are pigmentation that appears due to exposure to ultraviolet light on the skin where a pimple was squeezed out.
Types of acne scars
- atrophic - depressions that appear in place of pimples due to the fact that the body did not have enough collagen at the time of healing of wounds after acne;
- keloids - purplish red, irregular in shape, similar to some kind of figures, or spreading spots of 1-2 cm, because they dot the skin area in groups, but are slightly convex above the surface of healthy skin;
- hypertrophic - convex traces of a pink hue with clearly defined boundaries, similar to adherent growths due to excess healed tissue;
- physiological - spots and raised formations after acne are not so noticeable and can go away on their own.
FOR REFERENCE: Depressions after pimples can be of different shapes - oval, round, chipped and even rectangular. Keloid scars are rare on the face, more often on the back of the head in men or on the body.
Why do acne scars appear on the face?
According to statistics, in 90% of cases, acne will always leave some traces behind - spots, scars or small scars. Before treating such marks on the skin, it is best to prevent them from occurring in the first place. This means that you should treat acne with caution and not wait for it to go away on its own, but try to heal it with something, soften the skin, use ointments or creams with regenerating properties. In addition, you should not allow reasons in your life that can lead to the formation of acne scars 100%.
5 reasons why scars appear
Five main reasons after which scarring inevitably appears, and the skin simply begins to crumble with various rough formations:
- Squeezing pimples with your fingers, thereby injuring healthy skin.
- Any pustular formation in the form of boils always leaves traces, no matter how they are treated. Only these consequences should be treated to mitigate.
- If a person has very thin skin, with a high threshold of sensitivity, then it is more susceptible to the formation of various kinds of residual effects such as scars or scars.
- All kinds of infectious diseases can provoke improper regeneration of the skin, resulting in scarring.
- Ignoring hygiene procedures and preventing wiping of diseased skin with medicinal lotions and other means.
To avoid any unsightly spots or deposits on the skin of the face or other parts of the body, after acne, you should immediately begin treating the skin with absorbable substances, as well as healing ones. Delay can lead to an inveterate problem, which can then only be eliminated by surgery or another radical method.
The process of how a scar is formed
Any person who has had any kind of acne or pimples at least once in his life could roughly remember the process of how such inflammatory formations appear and mature. An abscess or pimple pops up, then remains inflamed for some time and matures, after which it bursts or is easily torn off, sometimes even a rod with an abscess comes out and in this place it looks like a small crater, which after healing leaves either a hole or a convex scar.
But these are only external manifestations that can be observed; the internal processes look like this:
- A wound is formed, into which infection and microbes get inside. Or from the inside, for internal reasons, one of the places on the skin becomes inflamed.
- An inflammatory focus is formed.
- The body fights the formation of pus inside the wound and removes it out.
- The wound opens and becomes vulnerable to reinfection.
- If the wound is not treated correctly, the infection will worsen, or it will heal improperly - with residual scarring.
5 general rules for eliminating such scars on the face
A competent approach will help you get rid of scar tissue on the face or other areas without any complications or problems.
To do this, experts offer 5 basic rules:
- The type of scar or scar plays a big role before finding a remedy.
- The problem must be solved comprehensively, using all means and approaches that are possible for the patient.
- Taking vitamins is a mandatory procedure.
- Laser procedures should only be performed in a specialized clinic.
- You need to be extremely careful when using substances such as salicylic acid or any abrasive products (gommages, peelings or medicinal scrubs) on the skin.
How to properly treat acne scars
Today, the treatment of scars on the human body or on his face has quite a lot of different approaches and methods. Which of them is right for a particular patient will be decided by the doctor together with the patient during concomitant observation and testing of any drugs. In some cases, it is impossible to remove spots, scars, scars or craters (pits) without hardware intervention. Most often this concerns either scarring that is too deep, or extensive in size, or advanced due to old age.
Three main approaches
If someone is looking for a way to remove acne scars on the face, then he should pay attention to 3 main approaches that are usually used by all cosmetology and aesthetic medicine specialists.
These include:
Factors that may affect the effectiveness of skin treatment:
- patient's age;
- skin type;
- condition of scar tissue;
- how quickly the skin recovers.
Diagnostic parameters that cannot be ignored:
- general special points regarding the patient's health status;
- what the scars look like - their size, depth, color, etc.;
- localization of scars on the body;
- condition of healthy skin areas.
Selection of techniques for eliminating scars:
- cosmetology;
- drug;
- surgical;
- folk remedies.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: You don’t need to apply all the methods at once; it’s enough to select several options from the proposed list to get serious about scar removal.
Cosmetology methods
Among cosmetologists, when it comes to removing acne scars, a lot of emphasis is placed on specialized cosmetics that contain active substances such as:
- alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs);
- kojic acid;
- arbutin;
- hydroquinone.
Hydroquinone is the most potent, but is considered the most toxic substance. Arbutin has a much gentler effect on the skin, but in terms of effectiveness it shows lower values. Kojic acid and alpha hydroxy acid exfoliate the skin. Products are used to remove pigmentation. Which contain acids - tartaric, glycolic, citric, lactic. This is why various serums are so effective, as well as whitening creams or masks, where the active ingredients in the composition are about 10%. Typically, such products are used exclusively once a week - no more often!
3 surgical options
When acne scars require more serious and radical treatment simply because the rot is very deep or old, then the problem can be eliminated surgically. In total, there are 3 such methods, which are mainly used in practice by specialists when restoring the skin of patients:
- Laser processing. The skin is polished with simultaneous burning of healed tissues, and in their place new epidermal cells grow over time and faster.
- Scar excision. After the scars are excised, neat sutures are placed in that place. And so that the skin can heal properly without noticeable scars, various auxiliary medications are additionally used.
- Transplantation of a section of the epidermis. The most radical method, which has its own complications.
The laser procedure is painless and only in rare cases, when the patient’s sensitivity threshold is very high, local anesthesia can be used. The process lasts only 1-1.5 hours. In very complex and advanced cases, the recovery process with laser can be extended to 3-4 weeks. Not all people can benefit from laser treatment, so an individual approach to choosing a technique is required.
Medicinal approach
Light, shallow and not old scars or acne scars can be treated quite successfully with the help of medications. Moreover, these funds can mainly be used externally. Usually these are gels, ointments, lotions, which not only soften the tissue, but also have an effect that absorbs scar tissue. The pharmacy may offer the following options for such products:
How to get rid of acne scars at home
6 traditional medicine potions
For those who like more simplified options for products that would help effectively treat acne scars, an unconventional approach can also be used. These include various masks for the face or body, and regular rubbing with cosmetic oils, extracts, and lotions based on herbal and other plant infusions. We suggest exploring 6 recipe options for such potions, which can be easily prepared as a healing balm at home:
- Mask with Vishnevsky ointment. The well-known ointment is thoroughly mixed with honey and applied to the scar for 40 minutes. Do this daily until the scars disappear.
- Clay mask. Two tablespoons of green clay are mixed with boiled warm water so that a thin paste is obtained. Add 2-3 drops of rosemary. The product is applied to problem areas for 10-12 minutes and washed off with cool water. The recovery course is 10 days with a frequency of using the product every other day. If necessary, the course is repeated after 14 days.
- Mask with tomatoes. Fresh tomato (pulp) is simply applied to the scar area for 15-20 minutes. So wash everything off. Do this until the scars disappear.
- Rub in almond oil for 10-15 minutes. With a light massage it helps to dissolve all scars and scars.
- Rubbing the skin with cucumber for 15 minutes noticeably brightens and softens it.
- Parsley in ice. A bunch of greens is chopped finely, steamed with boiling water (1 cup), cooled and poured into ice trays, frozen and used as a daily rub every morning for 2 months.
Prevent facial skin scarring - 10 preventive measures!
The complex process of smoothing the skin after it has scarred is in many ways tedious and, for some, also financially costly. The best option is to avoid such phenomena altogether. However, for this you will need to listen to a number of preventive measures that will help the skin recover correctly from acne and acne, so that no roughening of the skin occurs.
You can avoid such defects if you adhere to the following 10 preventive rules:
- Take a complex of vitamins regularly.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins.
- Maintain a normal sleep and wakefulness schedule, active movement, and physical exercise.
- Warm yourself when it’s cold, don’t get too cold and avoid excessive sweating and diaper rash.
- Treats seborrhea, the beginnings of psoriasis and other dermatitis in a timely manner.
- Adjust hormonal levels in case of temporary disruption.
- Regularly take water procedures, follow the rules of personal hygiene, change linen and bedding more often.
- For girls, you need to wash off your makeup before going to bed, cleanse your skin, and then nourish it.
- Choose skin care products strictly according to your skin type.
- Do not squeeze pimples or blackheads yourself.
Acne scars on video