Acne Scar Treatment - What You Need To Know About Dermabrasion

There are many acne scar treatment methods available in the market, some more effective than others. Dermabrasion is one of the most popular scar treatment procedures available today. It is a procedure to smooth out wrinkles and scars left behind by acne and previous surgery. During dermabrasion, the top layer of the skin is removed leaving behind a smoother looking skin.

In dermabrasion the plastic surgeon removes the top layer of the skin through controlled abrasion. The area to be treated is made numb through anesthetic or by freezing. The surgeon will then use a high speed rotary with an abrasive surface on the area to be treated. This removes the top layer of the dead skin.

Dermabrasion is a relatively quick procedure. Depending on the area to be treated, a typical dermabrasion session lasts form 30-60 minutes. There may be a little bit of bleeding during the process, but there is no pain during the treatment as your skin will be under anesthesia. In most cases you need to stay at home for about a week or as directed by your surgeon to prevent permanent darkening of skin among other reasons.

Side effects are possible in dermabrasion but are highly unlikely and occur only in rare cases. Possible side effects include uneven change to the color of the skin, skin darkening, and scar formation and infection if not done by a trained technician.

Dermabrasion works by literally scrapping or sanding off the top layer of skin. The treatment is a relatively quick one lasting up to an hour depending on the area of treatment. Side effects are minimal and highly unlikely in this method. Before going in for dermabrasion treatment you must consult your dermatologists about its suitability for your skin.

For some people dermabrasion may be a too intensive treatment procedure as they may have only mild scarring or medium scarring. Alternative treatment methods such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion are available. These treatment methods along with many more are discussed in good detail in the book "How to treat your acne scars"