Acne can be difficult to deal with because of the mental and physical toll it has on your body. After dealing with acne episodes, acne scars can become another stressful challenge.
Here are 5 helpful tips for doing away with skin blemishes:
What are acne scars?
Acne scars are the results of inflammation of acne blemishes. The acne pore swells, and a breakdown occurs in the wall of the pore. They are areas of pitted or raised skin. When acne develops, they penetrate the skin deeply and damage the skin and tissue beneath it. As a result, your body attempts to repair your skin by producing collagen fibers. The overproduction or lack of collagen can cause acne scars.
The type of scar depends on how much collagen your body makes.
Depressed acne scars: If the body produces too little collagen, depressions or pits form as the skin heals.
Raised acne scars: Sometimes the body produces too much collagen as it tries to heal the skin and underlying tissue. When this happens, a person develops a raised acne scar.
How can you prevent acne scars?
Acne prevention is one of the key steps to getting acne scars under control. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent breakouts and scars from developing. If you already have scars, there are plenty of treatments that can minimize their appearance. Different treatments exist depending on how much scarring you have. Let’s look at 5 helpful tips!
1. Early treatment is the best method
The most important step of preventing acne scars is the most obvious: acne prevention. While you’re trying to calm the acne you have, you can prevent new ones from forming. There are plenty of ways to manage acne. One of which is understanding your skin type and using the right skincare products. That way, you know what products or treatments are right for your skin and what to avoid.
2. Use clinically proven acne products
Acne treatments include prescription medications, topical and oral varieties, and over-the-counter (OTC) skincare products. These treatments can vary in strength to tackle acne blemishes and scars. Skin-lightening agents called hydroquinone, and Tranexamic Acid can help fade acne scars. It does this by inhibiting pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) from making more pigments. Of course, it’s always important to consult with a doctor or a medical aesthetician to see if certain products are right for you.
3. Don’t pick at pimples or scabs
Picking pimples is a huge no-no. Popping pimples could spread the bacteria and pus from the infected pore to the surrounding pores in the area. It would cause acne to spread. Picking at scabs can delay your body’s natural healing process, which causes your acne’s healing to take longer. It increases the likelihood of developing acne scars as you lose tissue due to picking at it. That’s how you get depressed or pitted acne scars — the greater the damage done to the skin, the greater the change of tissue loss.
4. Reduce inflammation
Inflamed acne blemishes are more likely to leave scars behind than non-inflamed breakouts (blackheads and whiteheads). There are plenty of OTC treatments for inflamed acne; choosing one can feel overwhelming. There are three ingredients found commonly in over-the-counter products. They are benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur.
5. Wear sunscreen to prevent scars from darkening
Sunscreen doesn’t get rid of acne scars; it helps prevent the occurrence or darkening of acne scars. Sunlight is a major cause of pigmentation because exposure to UV rays increases the pigment that causes cells to darken (melanin). As a result, it is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
When to contact a professional skin care specialist?
Professional skin care consultations provide an excellent opportunity to get to know your skin’s needs. If you feel that taking care of your skin is overwhelming, visit a medical spa for any questions you may have.
OVO Medi Spa is a Vancouver medi spa that dedicates countless hours to perfecting your skin. Our team of qualified professionals can help set you on the path to fading your acne scars. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation now!
