Acne scarring affects 80% of people between the ages of 11 to 30 and 5% of adults above the age of 30 years in the United States. It can be difficult to treat, and you may need professional help if you’re to see any significant improvements.

The sad thing is that over-the-counter medication isn’t powerful enough to improve the condition other than causing discoloration. However, some procedures can help improve the texture and look of your skin.

Your options will largely depend on the type of scarring you have. Some people have different types of acne scars on their skin. This may need different treatment methods for better results.

Acne scars come in several different forms, but they can all affect your life. Learn the different types of acne scars and how to get rid of them.

1. Icepick Scars

Icepick scars are itty bitty depressions on the skin, which appear as if someone took a needle and punctured your skin. They form when the skin loses collagen, which makes the overlying skin collapse leaving a “hole.”

They are deep yet narrow and are as a result of cystic acne. They are painful, deep acne you get on your cheeks, chin, and jawline due to hormones.

The best treatment for such scars is laser resurfacing. Although traditional, it’s considered an anti-aging procedure used to treat wrinkles and fill fine lines. During the process, specialists use high-frequency laser lights to target the scars.

This promotes collagen production, which is perfect for anyone looking to improve wrinkles and skin tone.

2. Boxcar Scars

Boxcar scars are oval or round craters or depressions in your skin. They’re wider than icepick scars and feature sharp vertical edges. Shallow ones respond to treatment, but it’s hard to get rid of deeper scars.

Treatment will depend on your skin type, the location of scarring, how deep they are, and how red the scars are. Fillers can be injected under the skin, which then raises the depressions. Side effects include pain, swelling, lumps, and redness.

When temporary fillers are used, they can last a few months. They increase collagen production, which helps to improve scar appearance. Semi-permanent ones can last up to two years.

3. Hypertrophic Scars

Hypertrophic scars are thick, wide, raised, and appear where the skin is injured. They’re common during the wound healing process, but this is mostly as a result of abnormal response to injury or trauma.

Some people’s body cells (myofibroblasts) produce a lot of collagen during healing. This may be due to a person’s healing tendencies and skin type. In most cases, the overproduction of collagen is as a result of an inflamed or infected wound under intense motion or tension.

Silicone sheets are a perfect home remedy for this type of scar but should be applied to your skin once it heals from the injury. However, the sheet should be worn 12 to 24 hours a day, and gel applied multiple times a day.

Corticosteroid treatment is an effective remedy for hypertrophic scars but should be injected every six weeks to help soften and flatten the scar. Laser therapy is an excellent option for newly formed compared to older scars.

4. Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

The discoloration on the skin after a pimple has healed isn’t acne but post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is common for people with acne. It is a flat area on the skin that ranges from black, brown, purple, red, and pink depending on your skin type.

It comes about when pimple, rash, wound, or other skin trauma causes skin inflammation. As the skin heals, it produces too much melanin leaving a dark spot. In most cases, you don’t have to do anything as the discoloration fades over time.

If there’s no change or you want to speed up the fading, over-the-counter products containing alpha-hydroxy acid can help. Creams containing hydroquinone are also a great alternative.

5. Rolling Scars

Rolling scars (depressed acne scars) feature smooth edges and look like tiny valleys and hills, which give your skin a wavy texture. They’re shallower — so if you’re to stretch your skin, it can be difficult to tell if they’re there.

These scars are as a result of long-term inflammatory acne and can become more severe as you get older when your skin loses its natural elasticity and tightness. The best treatment method for this scar is microfat injections, followed by micro-needling with platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Micro-needling is an excellent acne treatment option since it opens channels to give PRP access to deeper layers of the skin where they’re needed most. Studies have shown that fat plus PRP can significantly reduce depressed scars in combination with laser skin resurfacing.

6. Keloid Scars

Keloids are a more severe form of raised scars (Hypertrophic scars) and differ from hypertrophic since they grow larger than the original wound. They send lateral, raised shoots that expand faster long after the wound has healed.

It’s like the skin doesn’t know that the wound has already healed, so it continues to produce collagen. There are different treatment methods for Keloid scars, but the best will depend on your situation.

A few options you can try include:

• Pulsed dye laser treatment
• Cryotherapy (freezing the scars with liquid nitrogen),
• Silicone gels
• Injections to flatten and shrink the scar.

Care should be taken when treating such scars to avoid aggravating the skin which can worsen the keloid.

What’s The Best Remedy For Persistent Types of Acne Scars?

While you may want to forget your pimpled past, your face recalls — in the form of scars. Even with careful and consistent treatment, you may develop different types of acne scars.

If you already have acne, try to get the breakouts under control. Also, choose an acne removal method that won’t hurt your skin type.

Acne treatment options may improve the appearance of your skin, but won’t completely restore it. Be realistic with your expectations but explore your options with a skincare specialist.

Are you having self-esteem issues due to persistent acne scarring? Contact us today, and we will help you get that smooth, flawless skin you’ve been yearning for.