Do Invasive Treatments Get Rid of Acne Scars?

When looking for ways to get rid of your acne scars, you’ve probabaly come across a variety of different treatments. It’s difficult to know what the most effective treatment options are? In this article we will look at the various treatment options avalable and discuss whether invasive surgical treatments are better than topical creams and ointments.

When deciding on the best course of treatment, you need to know what type of scars you have.You will then be able to choose the best course of treatment. Often the scars look like small holes or open pores, or like shallow pits. They can also look like a raised mass of tissue or just small imperfections.

You might want to think about treatments such as dermabrasion, chemical peels and laser resurfacing if you have shallow scars and small imperfections. These treatments work by removing the top layer of skin in order to remove the scars and leave a smoother surface. Even though these procedure are quick, only taking between 30 minutes to an hour, they are extremely costly. Laser resurfacing is an expensive option, however, costing around $3000 per treatment, whilst chemical peels are cheaper, costing around $750 per treatment. However, you may need several treatments to achieve the desired result. The skin is usually red and swollen after the treatment and it can take a few weeks to recover.

You could try dermal fillers which inject materials such as collagen, fat and poymer implants into the scar to help raise and level it. Unfortunately the results of the filler are only temporary, lasting between three to six months and cost from $300-$1200 per go.

If you have more severe scarring then punch techniques or subcision procedures are recommended. These treatments involve cutting the scar from the skin and are done under anesthetic. These treatments are less expensive, costing less than $200 per treatment, but may require a few treatments. Brusing and swelling are common side effects that can last for several weeks.

You may need a combination of treatments in order to get rid of your acne scars. An example is that punch techniques or subcision for deeper scars might need to be combined with chemical peels or laser resurfacing to smooth the skin.

The advantages of these types of invasive treatments are that they are quick to perform and are effective in getting rid acne scars after only a few treatments.However, these teratments can be very expensive and are not entirely risk free.

If you are still unsure about invasive treatments, there are still other treatment options on offer. The use of topical creams, ointments and gels can help in getting rid of scars by softening, smoothing and reducing fine acne scarring. Milder potency creams can be bought over the counter, but stronger creams can only be obtained by prescription.Some of the commercial brands of creams and gels available to get rid of acne scars include Medema gel, Alpha Hydroxy skin treatment and Bio Oil.

Acne scar creams are certainly cheaper than more invasive treatments but do not work for everyone. This type of treatment is not a quick fix and will often take time and patience before you see any results.

Having acne scars, especially on the face, can really affect your self-confidence and self-esteem. What treatment is suitable really all depends on the types of scars you have and how quickly and effectively you want to get rid of them. It seems that invasive treatments are the quickest an most effective option, but they can be very expensive and have side effects. Using creams and ointments is definitely a cheaper option for getting rid of scars, but will take a much longer time to achieve good results, if at all. In the end, it is your choice, but it’s advisable to consult your doctor or dermatologist.

If you want to know more about acne scar treatment or treating acne cysts then please take a look at my Clear Skin Guide website.

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