How many times have you gotten a big pimple before an important event? I understand you – I don’t know the number either. And the only situation that can be equally bad is acne scars. Even when you’ve gotten rid of the little nasties, their ghosts (scars) won’t leave you alone! Creepy, right? However, don’t let some red dots scare you, because I have a solution for you. Well, get your tools ready and let’s banish acne to eternal peace.

First thing first – PREVENTION

Even if you already have scars, you should start the prevention process immediately for a simple reason. The point is to prevent the outbreak of new acne or the appearance of new scars. So, these are the basics you should learn for long-term success. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we can begin.

First, don’t forcefully squeeze the pimple. This will allow more bacteria and dirt to enter the pores, which can make the pimple worse. Instead, use good skin care techniques – clean your pores well.

Don’t use a brush or washcloth – use your fingers instead. Over-the-counter skin cleansers containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can be applied to the affected areas to help clear the pimples.

 

How do pimples form?

Pimples can develop at any age but are most common in the teenage years. It is also more likely to occur during periods of increased hormone levels, such as pregnancy and menstruation. Pimples are most often formed on the face, neck, back, shoulders and chest.

Acne is a skin condition responsible for pimples. There is no known cause, but hormonal changes and conditions on and below the surface of the skin play a role in the formation of pimples. Pimples are most often associated with blackheads.

Foods like chocolate, pizza and soda have long been blamed as the main culprit for causing pimples. Despite popular urban legends, these foods and drinks have no, or minimal, effect on acne breakouts. Taking care of your skin is the best way to prevent and treat pimples.

What does a normal pore look like?

So, you might have concluded by now that clogged pores are a direct path to acne. These are tiny openings on our skin, which should be the subject of your concern! The inside is naturally moistened with sebum, which is not necessarily bad, on the contrary. The sebaceous glands secrete it and serves to maintain the skin’s natural moisture. In order for the skin not to be dehydrated or too oily, you should establish control over sebum when necessary. However, when the skin is normal, it is best not to touch anything.

A normal pore, for the most part, looks like it’s not too open, it’s thin, it’s invisible to the naked eye, and it secretes so much sebum that it doesn’t damage the aesthetics and health of the skin. When does sebum become a problem?

Then when you start to notice that the skin is stuck, then it is more susceptible to infections and pimples. The reason is a combination of hair, sebum and dirt.

 

What are acne scars?

Acne is a mechanical injury on the face that leaves a scar like any other injury on the skin. They occur when an acne lesion penetrates deep into the skin and damages tissues. They usually take on a purple, red or brown colour and just fade away over time. However, sometimes it takes years – if the acne keeps coming back. Okay, if you’ve found a good prevention, you should now get down to repairing the damage. Did you know that there are even several types of acne scars? In that case, we can talk about the following types:

  • Atrophic scars

They are located below the surrounding skin’s level and arise from insufficient collagen production. Let’s remember – collagen is a protein in our body that accelerates the skin regeneration process. There are wide U-shaped scars that have sharp edges. The good news is that the shallower shape responds well to skin resurfacing treatments.

Then, they can be narrow V-shaped that appear as small round or oval like smallpox. They are difficult to treat if they go deep below the surface of the skin. I must not forget about the third type, it has rounded edges and an irregular appearance.

  • Hypertrophic scars

They arise as a result of the healing of wounds caused by an injury. For this reason, the activity of fibroblasts increased during tissue repair, which is why pseudotumors (hypertrophic scars) are created. They are mostly pink scars, hard to the touch and often itchy. This phenomenon is more common in darker-skinned skin, as well as in younger people, because younger skin has a tendency to heal wounds excessively.

They appear about a month after tissue injury and can be repaired with an excellent aesthetic result. However, sometimes they may require first plastic correction and then laser treatment.

  • Keloids

Their colour is rosy to red; they are smooth and hard to the touch and raised above the level of flat skin. They are also irregularly shaped and larger than the wound itself, and can be tender with itching and pain.

They are caused by excessive production of collagen fibres during wound healing. Now you may be wondering – what is the difference between keloid and hypertrophic scars?

Unlike hypertrophic, keloid scars may not disappear on their own in some cases. They always require treatment and do not go away spontaneously. They also form over the wound edge and tend to grow rapidly.

  • Acne scars

An acne scar differs from the rest of the skin’s appearance and behaviour. Sebaceous and sweat glands cannot re-form in the scar tissue, and hair cannot grow back in it. Damaged tissue also has fewer elastic fibres, making the skin harder. Circulation and hydration are also compromised in this type of tissue, so scarred skin has a harder time maintaining the level of hydration it needs and can become dry.

The blackhead grows and the channel it is located bursts, then penetrating the surrounding skin, causing inflammation. Sometimes, the inflammation is so strong that a skin defect occurs that the body cannot repair, resulting in a scar or redness of the skin at the site of the inflammation.

 

How to get rid of a scar?

And finally, here we are. However, the solution is not the same for everyone. It all depends on the type of acne you have, as well as the scarring and sensitivity to hyperpigmentation. Well, if you’re sure you have acne scars, consider a few of the following techniques:

  • Chemical peels – contain trichloroacetic acid as a single component or in combination with salicylic or pyruvic acid and remove scars, acne, freckles, spots, keratoses, narrow pores and smooth shallower wrinkles.
  • Glycolic acid – The acid is of plant origin and is a derivative of sugar cane, sugar beet and unripe grapes, deeply removes dead cells from the skin, stimulates cells inside the skin and regenerates damaged skin cells.
  • Dermabrasion – a mechanical method of removing the superficial layer from the skin, but it is not recommended for people with dilated capillaries either.
  • Derma roller treatments – derma rollers are small rollers that contain dozens of needles with a diameter of 0.25 mm and a length of up to 2 mm. They penetrate deeper than lasers and peelings, tear the fibrous connections attached to the scar, and strongly stimulate healing.
  • Laser treatments – a safe and minimally invasive procedure for removing scars
  • Skin subcision – a surgical method of scar removal that tears the connective fibres of the scar under the skin

Conclusion:

Acne is a common skin problem that affects about 85% of people at some point in their lives. Although they do not pose any serious health risks, they can be very frustrating, annoying and difficult to remove. Therefore, the most important thing is to identify the problem – make sure what type of scar you really have.

After that, consider a few of the most popular methods of removing acne scars. Until then, try some skin-care products like: retinol, serums containing vitamin C and E, azelaic acid, mandelic acid or bacucelli. If they do not solve your problem, they will certainly reduce the visibility of the scars. You’re welcome!