Acne scars can be divided into two categories such as atrophic scars (caused by tissue loss) and hypertrophic scars (caused by excess tissue). In these categories, there are four types of acne scars known as boxcar, ice pick, keloid, and rolling scars. Acne scars are usually difficult to treat and if you want to see real improvement, professional help is always required because over-the-counter products are simply not powerful enough.
There are some procedures that are able to improve the texture of your skin. Treatment options depend on the type of scars you have. The main difficulty is that people usually have more than one type of scarring on their skin and several different treatments may be required to achieve desired results. Here is a list of four types of acne scars and treatment options for them.
1. Boxcar scars
Boxcar scars are round or oval indentations with vertical faces. The skin with boxcar scars looks uneven and pitted. When an inflammation destroys collagen, the tissue decreases and the skin over this area loses support. Boxcar scars can be either superficial or severe, depending on how much tissue is lost.
Dermal fillers tend to be one of the most common and effective treatments for boxcar scars. They help raise the depressed areas of the skin and make it more even. Dermal fillers are quick and easy procedures. The only disadvantage is that the results are not completely permanent, but new dermal fillers can last for approximately 2 years.
Laser resurfacing is another treatment option. There are several different types of lasers and they all work in different ways. But overall, lasers help stimulate the formation of new skin tissue and collagen production, improving skin tone and texture.
2. Ice pick scars
Ice pick scars are deep narrow scars that reach the dermis. They are actually small thin holes in the skin that may look like open pores. These scars make the skin look like it was pierced by an ice pick. Ice pick scars occur after an infection from a cyst or other deep inflamed spot passes to the surface and leaves a long, column-like scar.
Punch excision is a common treatment for ice pick scars. During the procedure, your doctor takes a small cutter to carve the scar and glues the skin back to heal. Punch grafting is usually performed for larger and deeper scars. The scar tissue is removed from the skin and the hole is filled with a graft of skin.
3. Rolling scars
Rolling scaring causes wave-like depressions on the skin that are not sharply defined. Skin with rolling scars looks uneven because they occur when fibrous strips of tissue form between the skin and subcutaneous tissue. These bands move the epidermis and connect it to deeper skin structures. This pulling of the epidermis forms the rolling appearance of the skin.
Subclusion is the best treatment option for rolling scars. This is a simple surgical procedure that is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. The scalpel is placed parallel to the skin to cut the fibrous base of the scar. After this procedure, the skin looks more even and smoother.
4. Keloid Scars
Keloid scars are the most severe type of elevated scars. They usually grow larger than the wound. Keloids can send stretched side shoots that expand further than the wound itself and can continue to grow. Some people are more likely to develop keloids. They grow because of the excess collagen production as if the skin does not know that the wound has healed.
There are many different treatment options for keloid scars. The best treatment for you will depend on your personal situation but may include steroid (cortisone) creams, silicone gels, cryotherapy (freezing scars with liquid nitrogen), ribbons, pulsed dye laser treatments or injections to help reduce and smooth the scar. Care must be taken in the treatment of these scars to avoid deterioration of the skin condition, which can lead to deterioration of the keloid.
There is a lot of treatments for keloid scars but the best option will depend on your situation. The most common treatment options include:
- Silicone gels
- Steroid creams
- Cryotherapy
- Tapes
- Pulsed dye laser treatments
- Injections
You should be very careful while treating this type of scars because exacerbating the skin condition can cause the worsening of the keloid.
