Acne is a common condition that both men and women can suffer from and develop at any age. There are many reasons for acne, and many factors can affect how much acne somebody develops.
It can form due to stress, diet, and hormonal changes, like when teenagers hit puberty. Acne can be both physically and emotionally frustrating for people who suffer from it. Intense acne can often cause people to be insecure about their bodies.
The scarring that results from skin conditions like acne can also be quite severe. Acne scarring can even cause more mental damage to a person’s self-image than the acne itself.
Over time, acne can really start to wear down a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Some people have even avoided socialising because of how bad their acne is.
If you’re living with acne or have had acne in the past and are struggling with acne scarring, we’re here today to talk about possible treatments for acne and acne scarring.
What causes acne?
Acne is often caused initially by the increase in production of the hormone androgen. Androgen is responsible for stimulating the sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
The more oil produced, the more your pores will start to become blocked, stopping the oil from coming up to the skin’s surface.
Acne is essentially an infection caused by the skin bacteria that feed on the oil when trying to break it down.
What causes acne scarring?
Scars usually form due to injury, and in the case of acne, it’s quite similar.
Bacteria infect the pores on your skin, causing them to get clogged and inflamed. In some cases, this harsh inflammation is enough to cause acne scarring.
Picking at acne or irritating it can also cause scarring. Popping spots and scratching with your nails is one of the common causes of acne scarring.
What treatments are there for acne scarring in Ireland?
There are a few different cosmetic treatments available in Ireland for those who want to reduce their acne scarring. What procedure you go for all depends on what kind of scaring you have due to your acne.
Here are three types of scarring that you can get from acne:
1. Ice pick scars
These scars look like small pockets that are depressed into the skin. They’re small and have almost a jagged edge to them.
They’re usually deep and narrow and often look like a sharp object has punctured the skin, like an ice pick. They’re a very severe type of acne scarring but they can be treated.
2. Hypertrophic scars
Hypertrophic scars are a type of scarring that occurs when your tissue becomes raised and thickened. A hypertrophic acne scar is an enlarged, raised scar that can be coloured pink, red, your skin colour or darker than your skin. It’s usually caused by minor skin damage, in this case from your acne, and it can also be hereditary.
3. Soft scars
These are scars that are soft to touch and have small included edges that fade into your normal skin. They’re usually very minor and can easily be treated with various acne scarring treatments.
How to treat acne scarring
Depending on what type of scaring you have will depend on what sort of treatment you should get for it.
Here at Auralia, we might recommend one or more of the following three procedures or treatments.
1. Dermabrasion
With dermabrasion, the surface of your skin is removed by abrasion. Think of it as a type of sanding but for your skin. Dermabrasion helps remove any damaged skin and lessens scars and dark spots.
2. Laser resurfacing
This is a fairly new treatment for acne, and it helps reduce blemishes and acne scarring. Laser resurfacing is a technique that removes the skin of the treated area layer-by-layer with a laser. It does this until the layers of skin containing the scarring have been removed.
3. Chemical peel
These are mainly used to help improve the texture of the skin after scarring has happened. Chemical peels are a chemical solution that causes your skin to blister and peel away. This revitalises the skin cells and makes your skin feel refreshed. It also helps remove blemishes and light scarring.
4. Micro fat grafting
Micro fat grafting is a cosmetic procedure used to help restore volume to the face and give you a more youthful appearance. The procedure works by removing fat from one area of the body and replacing it in another area. With this procedure the cells used are from your own body which means there won’t be any reactions and the results are completely natural giving you the beautiful skin you’ve always wanted.
Patient care has always been at the forefront of everything we do; this is why we are one of the leading cosmetic surgery providers in Ireland.
If you have any questions or concerns about acne treatments or would like to enquire about booking an appointment, then get in contact with us right away.
