If you have acne scars you want to get rid of, then it’s time to consider treatment from professionals. Follow this guide to acne scar removal in San Diego.

Acne is an unfortunate fact of life for many people ranging from teenagers to adults. It’s a painful process that often disrupts daily life. 

Even when the acne has cleared it can still cause problems. Many people are left with scars from their acne. These scars often cause negative psychological consequences like embarrassment or self-conscious feelings. 

But there is hope! There are options for acne scar removal right here in San Diego. 

Want to learn more? Read on to learn all about your options. 

Acne Scar Removal Laser Treatments

One of the most popular and effective acne scar removal techniques is laser treatments. This may sound like an extreme solution for a minor problem but it’s not as intense as it sounds! 

A scar forms when the deep skin tissues are damaged. The damage doesn’t create the scar though. It’s actually formed when the body produces new collagen to try to restore the area. 

There are many different types of scars, even just specifically acne scars. These types include:

• depressed scars- impressions in the skin, categorized into three types (ice pick, boxcar, and rolling), very commonly found on the face
• raised scars- leftover bumps, commonly found on the back or chest 
• hyperpigmentation- discoloration of the skin on pimple site after healing
• keloid- a raised area that is larger than original acne, caused by the body producing excess collagen for healing, less common 

It’s important to understand which type of scaring you have in order to choose the right treatment plan. Most acne scars types can be removed through laser treatments but may require a slightly different approach. 

Treatment Process 

During a laser treatment, the technician will hold a light wand above the damaged area. This light will effectively remove those damaged skin layers. 

As the laser is moving across these areas, it’s actually creating new, tiny wounds in the skin. This is done on purpose to activate the skin’s healing responses. When those are triggered the body will begin to produce new collagen and skin cells. 

When the new cells are formed, the scar will no longer be visible. 

The laser will also reach all the way down to the blood vessels located beneath the scar. When these are stimulated, there is less discoloration between this area and the rest of your skin. 

The laser treatments are so effective because they generate the body’s natural healing properties. Results from these treatments will last forever because they aren’t artificial. Instead, the laser has just encouraged the body to heal correctly (which it previously hadn’t done). 

A laser treatment session usually only lasts between ten and fifteen minutes. Generally, a patient will need a few different sessions but not many. 

Recovery Period 

Laser treatments for acne scar removal is a great option because there is very little pain involved during the whole process. 

During the actual treatment, the patient may feel some discomfort during the laser pulses. But the pain is very minimal and manageable. 

There is virtually no downtime required for recovery. The patient can return back to normal activities immediately afterward. Though they may need to wear a bandage over the area until fully healed to avoid sun exposure. 

The wound is typically fully healed anywhere from three to ten days. 

Benefits of Laser Treatments 

Using a laser to remove or diminish the appearance of acne scars is a very popular option. There are many different benefits to this course of treatment that can be a deciding factor for a potential client. 

The main benefit is that the overall procedure and healing take so little time. The appointment sessions are generally only ten minutes! And you only have to have a few treatments done, so the overall time investment is very low. 

Some treatments to improve appearance require so much downtime to recover, it’s not possible for regular life. But not laser treatments. 

Not only does healing happen very quickly, but improvements are seen very quickly. Most patients will see a difference in the appearance of their scars after the very first session. And improvements continue for an extended period after treatment. 

This type of treatment can also be done on a larger area of skin instead of pinpointing small areas. This is very helpful for people with a large number of scars. 

Since the results of a laser treatment come from a natural body response, the improvement will not fade or regress. Instead, this is new skin that will last as long as it’s taken care of properly. 

Acne Scar Prevention

While there are many treatments to improve acne scars, another course of action is to prevent the scars from happening. 

Unfortunately, an acne scar is sometimes unavoidable. So it’s important to have realistic expectations that sometimes they just happen. 

But one of the most important things you can do is to have a regular skincare routine. This should include a daily washing, introducing moisture, and (most importantly) protecting it from the sun. 

A professional will be able to help you find the right products to fit your exact skin needs. 

Acne scars can also be prevented if you avoid picking or popping the pimples that you do have. These actions may seem to help get rid of the blemishes faster, actually cause the majority of damage to the skin resulting in the scars. 

Improve skin health by investing in the tools to take better care of it. That’s both with education and products. 

Get Better Looking Skin

More than 30% of adults have some kind of acne scar. And the majority of those people report the scars having a negative effect on them.

Acne scar removal can have a major, positive benefit to patients. They can enjoy the appearance of their skin without the worry of the look of their scars. 

If you are interested in learning more about these procedures or getting started, contact us today!