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How to Get Rid of Cystic Acne Scars
Cystic acne is one of the most severe forms of acne you can develop. It can run deep into your skin and become inflamed and painful. Cystic acne is also very likely to leave scarring on your skin after it disappears. Large swaths of cystic acne can result in deep and embarrassing scar marks. Fortunately, there are methods of treating these scars and eliminating them, although the severe nature of cystic acne can make these scars tougher to eliminate. Before treatment, always consult a doctor.
Visit a beauty spa or dermatologist and order a chemical peel treatment to eliminate the scars. Chemical peels use an acidic solution--glycolic acid is commonly used--to burn away the top layer of skin where the scarring exists. The burn stimulates new skin growth, which replaces the old, scarred skin tissue and fades or eliminates the scar. How much the scar disappears depends on its depth--superficial scars are likely to be entirely removed, while deep scars may need other treatments to be fully eliminated. In addition to a professional treatment, you can also purchase a chemical peel kit to perform the treatment at home on your own, although this increases the risk of damaging your skin in ways that only exacerbate scarring.
How to Fade Scars From Chemical Burns
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Receive a collagen injection underneath the skin to raise depression scars. Even for severely depressed scars resulting from cystic acne, a collagen injection--sometimes referred to as a tissue filler--can be placed underneath the depressed skin to raise it to the level of the skin surrounding it, effectively eliminating the scar. However, collagen injections only last for up to six months and require consistent treatments to keep the scar from reappearing.
Purchase a dermabrasion treatment to wear away surface scarring. Similar to chemical peels, dermabrasion is only effective on top-layer scars and is unable to penetrate deep into the skin. These treatments work by using a fast-rotating object, such as a wire, brush or diamond, to skim skin cells off the top of the epidermis and stimulate new skin growth. This treatment should only be received from a licensed dermatologist.
How to Remove Holes Caused by Acne Scars
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Visit a dermatologist to receive a laser treatment on your cystic acne scars. Laser treatments are the most effective method of eliminating deep scarring because it can penetrate to deeper layers of skin. Laser treatments can kill off scar tissue and stimulate new cell growth throughout the skin and minimize or eliminate scars over the course of several treatments 2.
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References
- Mayo Clinic: What's the Best Treatment for Acne Scars?
- Skin Care Physicians: Acne Scars Types and Treatments
- Saint-jean M, Khammari A, Jasson F, Nguyen JM, Dréno B. Different cutaneous innate immunity profiles in acne patients with and without atrophic scars. Eur J Dermatol. 2016;26(1):68-74. doi:10.1684/ejd.2015.2713
- Archer CB, Cohen SN, Baron SE. Guidance on the diagnosis and clinical management of acne. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2012;37 Suppl 1:1-6. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2230.2012.04335.x
- Woolery-lloyd H, Kammer JN. Treatment of hyperpigmentation. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2011;30(3):171-5. doi:10.1016/j.sder.2011.06.004
- Hedelund L, Haak CS, Togsverd-bo K, Bogh MK, Bjerring P, Haedersdal M. Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing for atrophic acne scars: a randomized controlled trial with blinded response evaluation. Lasers Surg Med. 2012;44(6):447-52. doi:10.1002/lsm.22048
- Hedelund L, Moreau KE, Beyer DM, Nymann P, Haedersdal M. Fractional nonablative 1,540-nm laser resurfacing of atrophic acne scars. A randomized controlled trial with blinded response evaluation. Lasers Med Sci. 2010;25(5):749-54. doi:10.1007/s10103-010-0801-1
- Kim EK, Hovsepian RV, Mathew P, Paul MD. Dermabrasion. Clin Plast Surg. 2011;38(3):391-5, v-vi. doi:10.1016/j.cps.2011.05.001
- Wollina U, Goldman A. Fillers for the improvement in acne scars. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015;8:493-9. doi:10.2147/CCID.S86478
- Fabbrocini G, Annunziata MC, D'arco V, et al. Acne scars: pathogenesis, classification and treatment. Dermatol Res Pract. 2010;2010:893080. doi:10.1155/2010/893080
- Alexiades M. "Laser and Light-Based Treatments of Acne and Acne Scarring." Clinics in Dermatology. 2017 Mar - Apr;35(2):183-189.
- Fife D. "Evaluation of Acne Scars: How to Assess Them and What to Tell the Patient." Dermatologic Clinics. 2016 Apr;34(2):207-13.
- Werschler WP, Few JW, Jacob CI, Joseph JH, Spencer JM, Taub AF. "Advancing the Care of Post-Acne Scarring: Expert Insights Into New Treatment Options." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2016 May 1;15(5):518-25.
- Zaleski-Larsen LA, Fabi SG, McGraw T, Taylor M. "Acne Scar Treatment: A Multimodality Approach Tailored to Scar Type." Dermatologic Surgery. 2016 May;42 Suppl 2:S139-49.
- Zouboulis CC, Bettoli V. "Management of Severe Acne." British Journal of Dermatology. 2015 Jul;172 Suppl 1:27-36.
Writer Bio
Jonathan Croswell has spent more than five years writing and editing for a number of newspapers and online publications, including the "Omaha World-Herald" and "New York Newsday." Croswell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nebraska and is currently pursuing a Master's of Health and Exercise Science at Portland State University.