How to Cure Acne Scars

People who've suffered severe acne often wonder about how to cure acne scars. If you have scars from acne, the good news is that there is acne scar help out there.

Finding the right treatment for acne scars can be important because acne scars can be quite unsightly and cause people to feel very self-conscious and uncomfortable in social situations. There are a number of different treatments for acne scars, and the right treatment for you will depend in part on the nature of your scars. But you will also want to consider the cost of the procedures available, and the discomfort caused by the various procedures (because some are uncomfortable).

Here are some of the options available to you if you want to eliminate scars.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are often used for shallow acne scar help. A chemical peel involves the application of a chemical solution to the skin. The chemicals remove the top layer of skin, revealing fresh, new skin underneath. It's a fairly effective treatment for shallow scars (it doesn't work as well for deep scars) but it can be expensive. The average cost is about $750 per treatment, and multiple treatments are usually necessary. Chemical peels can also be very irritating to the skin and cause some temporary discomfort.

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is another technique often used for shallow scars. It involves using a wire brush or rough diamond wheel to remove the top layer of skin. This may be more effective than chemical peels, but it can be a painful procedure. A local anesthetic is usually used during the procedure, but there may still be some pain. It can also cause a fair amount of bleeding. A dermabrasion treatment typically costs about $1500, and as with chemical peels, multiple treatments are usually required.

Laser Treatments

Laser treatments are another way to cure acne scars. They are more effective on shallow scars than on deep scars. Lasers are used to remove the top layer of skin. Results are similar to the results of dermabrasion, but the procedure is gentler on the skin. It is still irritating and may leave the skin red and crusty for a while, but it is less painful and does not cause bleeding. However, laser treatments are quite a bit more expensive than dermabrasion, costing about $3000 per treatment. Again, multiple treatments are usually required.

Punch Techniques

Punch techniques are most often employed to cure acne scars when scars are deep. There are actually several different types of punch techniques that can be used, but all are similar. A punch tool, like the kind used to take skin biopsies, is used to remove the scar. The wound is then sutured, or sometimes a skin graft from somewhere else on the body is used to fill the hole. Punch techniques can be painful, and they can also be expensive. While a scar only needs to be treated once, most people needing acne scar help have a number of scars, not just one or two, and doctors usually charge about $50 per scar that is treated.

Other Ways to Cure Acne Scars

There are other forms of acne scar help available. There are a number of over-the-counter treatments for scars from acne. Over-the-counter treatments are generally less irritating to the skin than things like chemical peels and laser treatments. Some of these over-the-counter remedies are more effective than others, but you might want to try some of them before you undergo a costly, painful procedure like dermabrasion. You can consult a dermatologist for advice about what products might be most effective.

This article was written by Scott Mogul, editor for www.healthy-skin-guide.com Healthy Skin Guide. To learn more about treating acne scars, please visit www.healthy-skin-guide.com/ways-to-remove-acne-scars.html www.healthy-skin-guide.com/ways-to-remove-acne-scars.html