Types Of Acne and Scar

Rolling scars are common for individuals who have had patches of skin that have been afflicted by long term inflammatory acne. They tend to become more pronounced as the skin ages and loses its original elasticity and fullness. Rolling acne scars have rounded sloping borders, these are the easiest of the three to treat. These can be treated with non ablative Clearlift laser or fractional i-Pixel laser. Shallow rolling scars can also be treated with our Murad peels, LED light and micro skin needling with stem cell serum imPact infusion.  It is common to have varying types and depths of scarring in any one area, therefore a combination of treatments often works best.  What to expect from a bespoke treatment plan will be discussed at a free consultation

Box car scars have more clearly defined and steeper edges than rolling scars,  therefore it can be more difficult to smooth them out and blend them into the surrounding skin.  Fractional ablative Laser resurfacing works well to reduce scars and build fresh collagen. Shallow box car scars can also be treated with our Clearlift 4D Laser, peels and advanced facials, LED light and micro skin needling.  A bespoke treatment plan using a combination of treatments generally provides the best results.

Ice pick scars are often the most difficult type of acne scar to treat as they are often quite deep and narrow. A combination of Clearlift 4D and fractional i-pixel resurfacing lasers are likely to have the most significant impact on ice pick scars, together with a bespoke treatment plan.

Commonly called hypertrophic or keloid scars, raised scars present a different problem than depressed or pitted scars. Hypertrophic scars are those in which excess scar tissue forms at the site of the injury, which presents as a raised region of fibrous and firm scar tissue. The development of these types of scars are less common in acne patients. Hypertrophic scars often reduce in size over time.

Hypertrophic scars are generally less responsive to milder treatments such as facial peels.  If you are prone to Keloid scarring in particular we cannot treat the skin with a laser. If you are not prone to Keloid scarring but do have a Hypertrophic scar we can treat with a laser after a consultation with a Doctor.

The trauma associated with acne damage can cause many other abnormal conditions in the skin besides the formation of fibrous scar tissue. Perhaps the most common long-term form of acne scarring is the abnormal discoloration of the skin – Hyper-pigmentation acne scarring (darker or red patches).
Hyper-pigmentation is a condition where darker areas of the pigment melanin accumulate in the skin. This creates the appearance of freckle-like spots or blotches. Hyper-pigmentation can be treated with our Harmony Pro Pigment reduction laser treatment to lighten the patches of skin and provide a more even tone.

The complete opposite of hyper-pigmentation, hypo-pigmentation occurs when melanocyte cells are depleted (the cells that colour your skin) at the injury site or lose their ability to produce melanin. This is often the case in scar tissue which can have a lighter or pinkish appearance. Generally this condition is more noticeable in those individuals with darker base skin tones. We are unable to effectively treat Hypopigmentation or Vitiligo but can treat the scars themselves as explained above, and give the skin a more even tone.

Erythema is an acne condition in which small capillaries near the surface of the skin become damaged or permanently dilated. This condition presents as a region of redness in the skin, occasionally individual capillaries can also be seen.  This makes the scars appear more prominent, particularly in patients with lighter skin tones and those who regularly squeezed the spots. Erythema generally responds well to Harmony’s Vascular Redness reduction or Clearlift 4D Laser, to provide a healthy even tone.

6-10 treatments will usually be required.

All cases are individual, therefore a full consultation and patch tests will be completed before treatment commences.  All consultations are free of charge at Avalon Medispa.