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Tretinoin For Effective Acne Scar Treatment

By admin on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 | No Comments
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Tretinoin For Effective Acne Scar Treatment

Getting acne does not mean you will be scarred for life as a lot of acne heals and disappears by themselves over time. The most you can expect is hyper pigmentation of the skin which fades over time.

When the acne on your skin becomes infected, it penetrates deeper inside the skin ’s layers and damages the collagen in the dermal layer.

The skin’s tissue gets even further damaged by inflammation increases, and as your skin scrambles to heal the inflammation and repair the damage, scars occur from the healing process.

The severity of the scars is determined in part by the severity of the acne inflammation and by your skins ability to heal.

What is Tretinoin?

Tretinoin is also known as Retin-A; a retinoid and the acid form  of vitamin A. Aside from acne, tretinoin is also used for treating other skin damages done by the sun or from aging. It is used topically and can be purchases in gel or cream form.

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About

By admin on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 | No Comments
"Acne begins in pilosebaceous units, whic...
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Hello,

Thank you for visiting my website about the best treatment for acne scars. My name is Michaela Korr.

For the longest time I suffered from acne. During my teenage years I don’t think I ever wore anything that exposed my back or my upper arms. Swimming costumes were always worn under t-shirts.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t cover my face up (although I had wished fervently many times that I could) and had to suffer embarrassment and to a certain humiliation growing up. Who wanted to be feel ugly? Or looked at in a weird way? Or worst yet, to be ignored?

My mum dragged me to her friend a beautician to ‘extract’ all the blackheads and pimples. It wasn’t a nice experience and you looked even worse for a few days after, but to a certain extend it worked…. provided you kept going back (and it was not cheap).

Then she took me to another friend who was a dermatologist and that was worse. He had a severe dislike for beauticians and decided to do what a beautician would do to my face to make a point. Only it was a lot less gentle and to this day, I can still see the looks on all those faces in the crowded waiting room when I came out. I looked and felt pretty ‘battered’ for a few days.

Finally with another doctor (I refused to go back to the first one, friend or not) I was put on acne antibiotics. That helped but it was not a long term solution and soon after I stopped taking the medication, the acne came back.

Now meanwhile I was not eating properly. Which teenager does? And I was diagnosed as a diabetic.  Had I known then what I know now, I would have tackled my acne very differently.

Firstly I would have eaten a lot better and taken supplements. If you read my posts about acne vitamins and acne diet, you will see a list of stuff that’s good for your skin and for acne. That’s from years of experience.

Alpha Lipoic Acid acne scar and skin treatment was not well known then, and is still being looked into now, but that is another supplement I would have taken to heal my scars and keep my skin healthy. I take it religiously now everyday and my skin is fine.

Zinc would have been another one. Actually, I found that mens’ multi-vitamins contain a lot more zinc than female ones, mainly because zinc is vital to the reproductive organs (ie: sperm production), whereas female multi-vitamins had more calcium, to combat loss of bone density.

Anyway, the thing that really made a huge difference to me was blood sugar control. Even if you do not have diabetes (but beware as it is a disease that is becoming much more common), sugar should be avoided. That and too much carbohydrates in a diet – things like rice, pasta, bread, potatoes…. and of course cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks (that includes pure fruit juice).

Check out the post I did a on  adult acne and pre-diabetes

My acne only improved when my blood sugar was under control. And if you are an adult with acne, have a family history of diabetes and carry excess weight around your waist, get checked.

Finally, modern technology has enabled many new acne scar treatments to become available. Things such acne scar dermabrasion and acne laser treatment are some of the acne scar treatments worth looking into.

This is a blog about all us acne and acne scar sufferers past and present. I would love to hear your thoughts, stories, experiences and suggestions, and would appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment.

Thank you.

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Laser Treatment For Acne – Is It For You?

By admin on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 | No Comments

Laser Treatment For Acne

If you have tried over the counter and oral medication aimed at removing acne and acne scars, and the results have failed; you may want to look at the option of laser surgery.

What is Laser Surgery?

Laser, an acronym for ‘light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’, is emerging as a leading treatment option for acne and acne scar removal. Laser beams are applied by a skilled surgeon or doctor to the affected area to help eliminate both acne and the resulting acne scars.

Laser surgery involves the use of laser beams to penetrate into the very core of the acne in order to clear the clogged pore. Its purpose is to destroy the Propionibacterium acnes (P.acnes), the bacterium that causes acne inflammation

, and the specific glands secreting excess sebum in the pores. Often, laser surgery for acne removal may require several sessions, as it may need several visits to deal with all the glands and affected areas.

There are two types of laser treatment: ablative and non-ablative.

Ablative Laser

Ablative laser resurfacing removes the top layers of skin to make the scarred area smooth and even. Generally, CO2 or Er:YAG lasers are used for this purpose. The heat produced in the process also helps to tighten the inner layers of the skin by stimulating collagen production. It is regarded as an ablative method as it removes the outer layers of the skin whilst at the same time, burns away scar tissue. 

Non-Ablative Laser

The non-ablative laser treatment is a milder more gentle approach. The process does not remove the epidermis or outer layer of the skin unlike the ablative laser treatment. This method stimulates change within the dermis by heating the collagen with the laser beams. The skin becomes tighter and the scars less obvious.  However, application of topical anesthetic cream is required before starting the procedure.

On both occasions the skin will be cleansed and a lotion applied to help eleviate the pain.

Risks

The most common risks associated with laser surgery for acne and acne scar removal are burning, dryness and blotchy appearance of skin due to inconsistent application of laser beams. The cost of laser surgery for acne scar removal can also be quite expensive. 

Take care of your insides

Laser surgery and all the lotions and potions will only do half the work if you are not eating right and not making sure you have all the vitamins and minerals to combat acne and acne blemishes. It is a habit of a life time, so take action now!


Have you tried this method for acne control?
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Remove Acne Scars with Dermabrasion

By admin on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 | No Comments

Remove Acne Scars with Dermabrasion

What is Dermabrasion and what does it do for my skin?

Dermabrasion is a cosmetic technique for completely removing the upper epidermal layer of the skin by in effect, sandpapering or scalping it. Microdermabrasion is a milder form of the same procedure where only the cells are removed from the skin’s top layer.

It is also referred to as surgical skin planning or dermaplaning. Dermabrasion is usually performed on individuals with more severe forms of acne scarring, as it goes deeper into the skin’s layers to remove skin damaged by acne.

Dermabrasion helps in leveling the surface irregularities of skin and is a procedure popular with people who wish to remove skin wrinkles, hyperpigmentations, small pox scars,  sun spots and even unwanted tattoos. Viewed often as a skin rejuvenating process, it enhances the appearance of the facial skin, rendering it smooth and blemish free again. 

If you have dark skin, it is best to discuss this acne scar removal option with your surgeon as this procedure can leave skin discolouration.

Procedure of Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion can be performed on specific areas of skin or on the entire face depending on your dermatologist or surgeon’s recommendation.

For dermabrasion, a local anesthesia is given and the area is cleansed thoroughly with an antiseptic cleansing agent. Freezing agents such as micro crystals are blown onto the numbed skin and the surgeon will apply a surgical instrument that resembles a wire brush like tool, with rough edges that rotates rapidly on the area. As a result, the top layers of the skin is peeled or sandpapered away, leaving a blemish free and smoother surface. Skin soothing ointments and a dressing are then applied.

For dermaplaning, a procedure probably more in tune with acne scar removal, the surgeon will use a razor like instrument called a dermatome, which moves backwards and forwards, skimming or scraping off the raised tissue scars until the scar is sufficiently erased to the same level as the skin.

Remember though that this procedure is best performed on skin that do not have any active acne lesions to aggravate infections.

After the Procedure

Many people may experience pain, tingling and burning after the procedure and need to take painkillers, as the skin becomes very red and raw looking. Under normal circumstances, regrowth of skin takes about 14 days. The new skin will appear red or pink (hence the raw look), but that should fade within 3 months after the skin has repigmented. Overall, healing time depends on the size and depth of the skin’s treated area.

Proper skin care is very important whilst the skin is healing. The new skin is more susceptible to infection and to harmful ultra violet rays from the sun. Your surgeon or dermatologist will advise you of a skin care regime that will minimize infection and pain. This may include specific cleaning methods, changing the dressings regularly, and application of medicated ointment. It is highly recommended also that a high SPF factor sunscreen is applied before exposing the skin to the sun.

Remember also to eat right as a healthy body will mean healthy skin.

Side Effects of Dermabrasion

There are possible side effects of dermabrasion, which include a change in skin pigmentation, tissue damage (due to excessive freezing), lasting redness, scarring and increased sensitivity to sunlight. It is therefore essential to choose a surgeon who has the right qualifications and experience. Should there be any abnormal itching or swelling after the procedure, your surgeon should be consulted immediately.

Although dermabrasion improves the look of skin, in some isolated cases it does not remove the scar completely. It is effective in removing a minor scar or a raised scar (hypertrophic scar), but sunken scars may need a different type of treatment such as collagen injections. The effectiveness of this technique varies depending upon the age, gender, skin type, skin color, medical history and of course after care of the patient. 

As with all decisions on surgical procedures, speak with a qualified profession to decide what is best for you.

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Know What Type Of Acne Scars You Have to Get the Best Treatment

By admin on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 | 2 Comments

Know What Type Of Acne Scar

You Have for Best Acne Treatment

Knowing what type of acne scars you have and getting to know all the best options available on the market, (and there are increasingly more options to choose from), will help you to get rid of acne scars effectively and efficiently.

Some options are more expensive than others such as laser surgery and dermabrasion, but other more natural or less intrusive methods are also available. It is a matter of doing research, and trying different products and methods to find out what works best for you as an individual.

Different Types of Acne Scars:

Macules

Macules aren’t real scars. They are reddish in color and are not raised or pitted. Rather they are the end stage of inflamed acne lesions that have left their mark for a longer period. Macules might last up to 6 months after the lesion has disappeared, but will eventually fade and disappear. 

Post-Inflammatory Pigmentation is another discoloration of skin that healed acne lesions might leave behind. More common in darker-skinned people, these marks may last for up to 18 months, especially if paired with too much sun exposure.

Ice Pick Scars

Ice Pick Scars are acne scars that look sharp, deep pitted and narrow. Imagine the indentation left behind by an ice pick and that is what it looks like. These types of scars are deep, reaching the subcutaneous layer of the skin making them difficult to erase with just skin resurfacing treatments.

Box Car Scars

Box Car Scars are circular indentations that look as if they have been sunk into the skin vertically. Larger and sometimes more obvious, they will also need more advance surgical procedures to remove.

Rolling Scars

Rolling Scars as its name suggests are wave-like raised irregularities on the skin’s surface, due to its tethering of skin to the subcutaneous tissue below. Rolling scars can be a small or can "roll" along the skin in a line.

Hypertrophic Scars

Hypertrophic Scars are raised scars that reveal themselves with a pinkish or reddish tone. They look tender to the touch and often leave the impression that the skin has been bruised.

As mentioned above there are many available procedures on the market to treat acne and acne scars. Keep in mind though that there are no guarantees, and what works for one person may not work for you.

Talk to your dermatologist. He or she will have all the latest information on hand and together with understanding you and your particular problem, a long term plan for acne scar removal and an acne solution plan can be drawn up to suit you.

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