Acne scars are permanent or semi-permanent marks left on the skin after active acne lesions, such as pimples, cysts, or nodules, have healed. Unlike active acne, which is caused by clogged pores, bacterial infection (Cutibacterium acnes), and inflammation. However, it can also appear on the other parts of the body, including shoulders, chest, and back. There are many types of acne scars like blackheads, whiteheads, comedones, pustules, nodules, cysts, and papules. Studies estimate that up to 95% of people with acne develop some degree of scarring and experience acne scars. The formation of acne scars on your skin is very common among the young individuals, especially in those who are in their teenage years. Acne scars are not harmful, but in rare cases, these can be painful and affect your self esteem and appearance. Hence, it requires treatment to boost the skin condition. Acne scar treatment is determined by the dermatologist on the basis of your skin and acne types.

Types of Acne Scars

There are 3 types of acne scars, which are as follows:

Atrophic: These are facial scars that are seen below the skin, and it is called depressed acne scars. These are formed due to less collagen. It is characterized into three types:
- Boxcar: These are quite deep and round shaped with sharp edges, which look like craters on the skin. These are mostly found on the jaw.
- Ice Pick: There are deep holes that look like scars of chickenpox. Its treatment is quite difficult. It occurs on the upper cheeks and forehead where the skin is much thinner.
- Rolling: It occurs at the jaw where the skin is thicker, and it has unclear edges. It makes the skin look uneven.
Hypertrophic: When extra collagen gets deposited it forms raised scars which are called hypertrophic scars.
Keloid: It is similar to hypertrophic, and it is the result of excessive growth of proud flesh. It becomes much darker than the color of the skin, and its formation depends on its maturity.

Causes of Acne Scars

When the skin gets infected by the bacteria, it causes hair follicles to get closed. This forms a pustule, and when it breaks out, it leaves marks on the skin. There are various reasons that may cause acne scars:

Genetic: Sometimes, it is shown that acne could be passed from their parents to their children.
Age: Mostly teenagers get acne and its scars.
Hormonal Issues: During puberty, reproductive organs develop and release hormones like testosterone. It stimulates the production of acne.
Excessive Production of Collagen: When there is a formation of too much collagen to heal the skin, it becomes raised scars. Less collagen causes sunken acne scars.

Options for Acne Scar Treatment

Your acne will be examined by a dermatologist, and will suggest to you which treatment is suitable for you. There are some effective treatments to overcome blemishes of the skin as well as to remove acne scars. There are various types of treatment that will be helpful to overcome scars of the acne, and these are as follows:

Off-Label Treatment

There are some creams that are available off-label. On basis of your type of skin and scars, you can use the following creams at home, which contain the following chemicals:

Lactic Acid: It is a gentle type of peeling to remove dead skin.
Retinoids: Remove dead skin by exfoliating the outer layer of the skin. It also lightens up the skin and is suitable for dark people.
Salicylic Acid: It is a natural occurring compound that is mostly found in cosmetic products. It helps to clean and reduce the appearance of scars.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid: It is a mild acid that is advised to remove the upper surface of the skin, which minimizes the acne scars.

Note: Before using such gel and cream, you should do a patch test.

Medical Treatment

There are various types of acne scar treatment that are done an expert dermatologist, and these are mentioned below:

Dermabrasion: This procedure helps to remove scars and make them less noticeable by altering the outer dead layer of the skin. It is done by using a rotating brush over the scars.
Laser: In this process, a skincare specialist resurfaces the skin by using various types of layers to overcome the scars problem.
Skin Microneedling: A dermatologist or trained aesthetician uses a device fitted with fine, sterile needles to create thousands of controlled micro-injuries across the skin’s surface. These microscopic punctures trigger the skin’s natural wound-healing response, stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin.
Surgery: It is a surgical process in which facial scar tissues are removed through making deep incisions to the skin.
Chemical Peel: It is a well-known and ideal treatment for those who have dark skin tone. In the process chemicals are used to exfoliate the skin. This reduces superficial scars on the skin.
Fillers: To even out the skin, a skin-specialist uses fillers in which collagen is injected beneath the skin. This makes the skin even and smooth to make scars less noticeable.
Cryosurgery: In this treatment, liquid nitrogen is used to freeze scars tissues and it makes those tissues to die and shred.