Treatments help acne scars

THE unhappy legacy of an acne outbreak can last a lifetime, with scarring undermining individuals' confidence and self-esteem. But new techniques emerging on the market are now giving a significantly better outcome for those with acne scarring. Not only does the new generation of techniques - such as fractional C02 lasering - produce better results for the patient, achieving these improved results means less discomfort and downtime as well.

Although it is important to point out that a perfect result is not possible, and that the depth and extent of the scarring will affect the quality of the final result, modern techniques have come a long way in terms of creating a satisfactory outcome for patients - one that enables them to face the world with renewed self-confidence. Despite the success of new procedures, prevention remains better than cure.

There's a tendency to see teenage acne as "normal", something the young person will grow out of. But acne is a disease that needs medical attention, and the sooner it's treated, the less chance there is of scarring. And those people who suffer from acne later in life should also seek prompt medical help. Even though 98% of us will experience acne to some degree, at some juncture in our lives, we don't have to put up with it.

Many factors can trigger an acne outbreak - stress, sleeplessness, pollution, a reaction to certain cosmetics - and this can cause embarrassment, especially in men who are the most reluctant to see a doctor. New treatments that are having a positive impact when applied to acne scars include: Dermaroller scar treatment therapy. This is suitable for all skin types and skin tones and works by producing thousands of microscopic needle columns in the dermis of the skin..

These stimulate the skin to regenerate and repair itself naturally and safely. This procedure is patient- friendly as it avoids ablation, heat, and pigmented skin safety concerns; Fractional CO2 laser treatments, such as Smartxide that creates "dot resurfacing". During treatment the laser creates thousands of microscopic pinpoint burns on the scars.

As only a percentage of the surface area is touched during each treatment, this technology combines the best of traditional ablative laser options but without the associated discomfort and downtime; Vavelta is a unique treatment involving the injection of human fibroblast cells - cells that synthesise collagen and maintain the structural integrity of connective tissue - into the area of the skin being treated.

Injections are performed with a fine needle. The nature of the cells injected means that there is no danger of the individual suffering immune rejection problems. The fibroblast lays down new collagen that will improve the appearance of the skin. All these treatments are an immense improvement on earlier options, but it is important to understand that they are medical procedures and should only be carried out by someone with the appropriate qualifications.

About 15% of our body weight is skin, and it is our largest organ; Skin is made up of two layers - the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the top layer of the skin - the layer we see, while the lower layer or dermis is flexible and elastic and is made up of collagen and elastin; Acne is a disease of the sebaceous glands. These glands lie just beneath the surface of the skin.

They produce an oil called sebum, which keeps the skin moist; Acne develops when bacteria invade blocked pores and cause them to become inflamed. Those that develop deeper in the skin may form cysts or nodules; Scarring occurs when scar tissue replaces damaged cells due to inflammation. Acne occurs most commonly on the face, chest, shoulders, and back because those are the places that sebaceous cells occur; ontrary to popular belief acne outbreaks are not connected to a poor diet. While a healthy, balanced diet is good for overall health, snacking on sweet or oily food will not precipitate an acne attack; Another myth is that acne is caused by poor hygiene or dirty skin; Makeup can block pores. Choose makeup which is oil-free and look for the term "non-comedogenic" on the label. This means that the makeup is less likely to clog pores..