Treatments

There are numerous ways of treating acne. Finding the appropriate individualized therapy is job of a dermatologist, who thereby has to consider the severity of the acne, types of lesions present, co-existing conditions, as well as the patient's age, skin type, lifestyle and motivation.

Acne responds especially well to early treatment. Dermatologists recommend that acne be treated early to maximize effectiveness as well as help prevent scarring.

Comedos, papules and pustules should never be tampered with. The treating and removal of these impurities should be left to Cosmeticians who have the knowledge and the right equipment to do so.

Overall washing of the skin does not help to get rid of acne, but actually enhances the sebum production. Two times a day is sufficient. Thereby ph neutral facial foam is advised. Peelings containing fruit acids also help to improve the skin structure.

There are several possibilities in treating acne:

Soft tissue fillers: Collagen or fat can be injected under the skin and into scars to fill out or stretch the skin, making the scars less noticeable. Results from this acne scar treatment are temporary, so you'd need to repeat the injections periodically.

Dermabrasion: Usually reserved for more severe scarring, dermabrasion involves removing the top layer of skin with a rapidly rotating wire brush. Surface scars may be completely removed and deeper acne scars may appear less noticeable.

Microdermabrasion: This newer acne scar treatment involves a hand-held device that blows crystals onto skin. These crystals gently abrade or "polish" the skin's surface. Then, a vacuum tube removes the crystals and skin cells. Because just the surface cells are removed, the skin isn't damaged. However, results are subtle and scars may still be noticeable, even after several sessions.

Laser, light source and radiofrequency treatments: In laser resurfacing, a laser beam destroys the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and heats the underlying skin (dermis). As the wound heals, new skin forms. Less intense lasers (nonablative lasers), pulsed light sources and radiofrequency devices don't injure the epidermis. These treatments heat the dermis and cause new skin formation. After several treatments, acne scars may appear less noticeable. This means shorter recovery times, but treatment typically needs to be repeated more often and results are subtle.

Skin surgery: A minor procedure (punch excision) cuts out individual acne scars. Stitches or a skin graft repairs the hole left at the scar site.