Red Acne Scars

Acne and pimples develop when the skin pores get clogged due to over secretion of sebum by the sebaceous glands. Such clogged skin pores often harbor bacteria and microorganisms, which in turn cause inflammation and infection, leading to the development of acne, zits, pimples, cystic acne, etc. When such skin lesions or eruptions heal, they often leave behind ugly red acne scars, or hyperpigmented marks on the skin. Such marks are the result of the normal process of healing or repairing the damaged or injured tissues.

Acne marks usually diminish or fade within a few months. However, if more lesions or acne develop on the scarred area, then such scars might become more difficult to treat. Usually, there are three types of acne scars, ice pick scars, atrophic scars and hypertrophic scars. As the name suggests, ice pick scars are very small, but deep and make the scarred area look like it has been pierced with an icepick. Atrophic scars are not as deep as ice pick scars, and usually have smooth borders, while the hypertrophic scars are very thick and look like raised lumps on the skin.

Red Acne Scars Treatment

Mild to moderate scarring that take place due to acne, usually heals on its own within a couple of months. However, severe scarring might need some scar removal treatment. The usual treatment options available for removing acne scars are microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, dermabrasion and punch excision. The punch excision method is generally employed for icepick and deep acne scars. This method employs a punch biopsy tool to excise the scar, after which the skin edges are sutured together. Dermabrasion, on the other hand, is the method where the top layer of the skin is removed with the help of diamond coated wheels or a high speed rotating wire brush, in order to make the scarred area smooth.

Microdermabrasion is another technique that removes the surface layer of the skin, with the help of abrasive crystals or agents like, diamond dust, aluminum oxide or silicone granules. Laser resurfacing is a popular technique not only for acne scar removal, but for diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines as well. In this method, high energy light or laser beams are used to burn the top layer of skin, to make the scarred area smooth and even. The burned layer is then replaced by new skin tissues, as it heals within a week or two. Find out more about acne scar removal treatment.

How to Heal Red Acne Scars Naturally

Red acne scars can also be treated at home with some simple home remedies. These remedies often work well for mild to moderate acne scars, and many of them can help to clear up acne and pimples, besides improving your skin tone and complexion. So, try out the following red acne scars home remedies:

* Ice cube is the simplest of all the home remedies for acne scars. Just rub an ice cube on the acne scar for about 10 to 15 minutes, which will help to reduce the appearance of the scar significantly by tightening the skin pores.
* Try some raw potato juice on the acne scar. It can help immensely to lessen the scars.
* Lemon juice has bleaching properties, for which it can clear up scars and blemishes. Take a cotton ball, dip it into lemon juice, and then apply on the affected area. Leave it for a few minutes, after which, you can wash it off with clean and slightly warm water.
* Honey is another effective remedy for red acne scars. Just apply a thin layer of honey to your face and leave for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then use lukewarm water to rinse it off. Use honey in this way regularly to reduce the visibility of the acne scars, and also to get glowing and radiant skin.
* Like honey, a facial mask prepared with oatmeal can too do wonders for acne scars. Just add some raw oatmeal to boiling water and let it cool down for sometime. Apply it evenly on your face, wait for about 15 minutes, and then remove it with a soft, wet cloth. Now, wash your face properly.
* Tea tree oil, which is renowned for its antibacterial properties can help you to get rid of both acne and acne scars. Dab some tea tree oil on the acne marks and leave for a few minutes to clear up acne scars.
* Sandalwood paste is an excellent remedy to speed up the healing process of acne, and eliminate scars and blemishes. Mix some sandalwood powder with rose water to make a thick paste. Apply this paste on the affected area of the skin and let it dry out completely, before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
* You can also try cucumber juice and aloe vera gel or juice on the areas affected by acne scars. Leave the cucumber juice or the aloe vera gel for 15 to 20 minutes, after which rinse your face with clean, lukewarm water. Use these remedies regularly to remove red acne scars.

Along with applying these home remedies, it is also important to find out and address the underlying causes of acne and pimples, in order to prevent their future outbreaks. This is because, if more acne or skin lesions appear on the areas that already have acne scars or marks, then scar removal becomes more difficult. At the same time, avoid the habit of popping or pricking the pimples, as this will cause more redness. If the above mentioned home remedies fail to reduce the red acne scars, then try an antiseptic ointment or an acne scar removal cream, after consulting your dermatologist. For severe and extremely deep acne scars, it is better to seek the help of an experienced dermatologist.

source: buzzle.com

Facial Scar Removal

A scar is a patch of skin that usually appears after an injury or cut. Scars are basically the result of tissue damage. They appear on the skin, whenever the deep dermis layer of the skin is damaged. When a part of the skin or the skin tissues are damaged, our body tries to heal the area. But in the process, normal skin tissues are replaced by the fibrous tissues, which leads to the development of scars. Acne scars are the most common type of scars that appear on the face. Majority of facial scars can be healed with appropriate treatment. However, a few can be permanent. Nevertheless, their visibility can be reduced with proper facial scar removal treatment.

Types of Scar

Generally, scars can be of three types, hypertrophic scars, atrophic scars and keloid scars. A hypertrophic scar is usually thick and it results when the body overproduces collagen. The atrophic scars on the other hand, cause the skin to look pitted. Keloid scars can look like hypertrophic scars, but they continue to grow in size. Apart from these three types, one can get ice pick scars, which are usually left behind by pimples and acne. These scars look like tiny deep pits on the skin. Other two types of common acne scars are, box car scars that resemble the scars caused by chicken pox and rolling scars, which give the skin a wave like or rolling hillside appearance.

Facial Scar Removal Treatment

The treatment for facial scars depends on the particular type, as what works for one type of scar may not work for the other. For small and minor scars left behind by acne or surgical procedures, dermabrasion can be used. This procedure involves the removal of the top layer of the skin, in order to make the scarred area smoother. The procedure often uses specialized instruments like, metal brush or diamond surfaced spinning blade for achieving this purpose. Another similar procedure for facial scar removal is microdermabrasion. Compared to dermabrasion, microdermabrasion is a milder approach for removing facial scars. It removes only the superficial skin layer, known as epidermis for acne scar removal.

Apart from these, some other options for scar removal are, surgery, laser surgery and resurfacing, steroid injections, chemical peel and skin grafting. Facial scar removal surgery may not completely remove a scar, but can make it significantly less noticeable. Laser skin resurfacing uses laser beams to remove the top layer of the skin of the scar. The heat generated in the process helps to tighten the inner skin layer. As a result, the scarred area looks much smoother than before.

Steroid injections are usually used for keloid and hypertrophic scar treatment. These injections can flatten these types of scars and make them less noticeable. Chemical peels on the other hand, use strong chemicals to exfoliate the layers of the skin from the scarred area. Afterwards, when the skin regenerates, the scarred area looks much smoother. On the other hand, skin grafting involves the transfer of skin from other parts of the body to the scarred area, in order to reduce the appearance of the scar. These are the usual treatment options for removing facial scars. In addition to these, you can find several facial scar removal creams in the market, and many of them can prove quite effective for reducing the appearance of minor scars. Find out more about keloid scar removal.

Facial Scar Removal Home Remedies

Many times, facial scars can also be removed with the help of some home remedies, especially if they are minor or less in number. Following are some of the effective scar removal home remedies for you:

* Try lemon juice to remove acne scars. Lemon juice has natural bleaching properties, for which it can reduce the visibility of the scars. The citric acid found in this fruit can promote the shedding of old and dead skin cell to reveal a soft and smooth skin.
* Apply aloe vera gel on the scarred area, and also on fresh wounds and acne, to prevent the development of scar.
* Make a paste of sandalwood powder and rose water. Apply this paste on the scars and leave overnight. The next day, wash it off with clean water.
* Tomato juice is very rich in vitamin A, and it can help to repair damaged skin. Application of tomato juice regularly on the scars can significantly reduce their visibility.
* Oils like, lavender oil, almond oil, olive oil and rosehip oil can also be used for facial scar removal.
* Make a paste by mixing fuller's earth or multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice. Apply this paste on your face or the affected area of the skin. Leave it for about 15 to 20 minutes, after which wash it off with clean water.
* Massage honey on the scarred area several times a day. Besides removing scars, it would make your skin radiant.
* Make a paste of sandalwood and black gram powder and apply this on the scarred area. Keep it overnight and then wash it off the next day.

For small and minor scars, these simple home remedies can prove quite effective, if applied regularly. As far as the various facial scar removal products and treatments are concerned, you should better talk to a dermatologist to find out which one would be appropriate for you. A dermatologist can properly evaluate the scars and determine their types, on the basis of which he or she would recommend a particular scar removal treatment option. Depending on the particular type of treatment recommended by the dermatologist and the severity of the scars, facial scar removal cost can vary significantly. Therefore, it is very important to have a discussion with your dermatologist to know the various aspects of scar removal procedures, including, their cost.

source: buzzle.com