Acne Scarring

If you suffer a serious acne, you may also develop a permanent physical acne scar, one of major side effects of this skin disease. Acne scarring generally is unpredictable, even a dermatologist can't give you a definite yes or no answer.

Acne scarring  depends upon some major factors. The kind of acne you are experiencing is most important. Cysts and deep inflammatory papules are more likely to lead to scarring than are comedones, small papules, and superficial pustules. Your skin property also has a big role, skin's response to treatment medication and skin's  tendency to scar from an injury. Sometimes acne scarring has already occurred before adequate treatment has been started; in other cases, acne scarring develops despite what seem like adequate measures to prevent it.

Essentially, acne scarring can be classified as two types, pitted scarring and keloid scarring.

Pitted scarring

Pitted scarring generally results from more severe and deeper acne. Most of this is due to deep inflammation which causes destruction of the collagen, which supports the skin, and either allows the skin to dimple into the hole or else the scar attaches to the epidermis and pulls it down into a sharp icepick-like scar.

Scarring is due to loss of substance in the skin. Many people will develop a mark where a spot has been, it may be red or, in darker skins, very dark.

With pitted scarring, the scars may improve, or eventually settle with no treatment. Using collagen injection and some surgical treatments, like dermabrasion, laser-resurfacing or Chemical medication are available today. But always go to a dermatologist to get advice in advance.

Keloid scars

Keloid are hypertrophic scars which can occur even after fairly trivial acne. They grow slowly and can reach 5 cm (2 inches) across. They are tender or itchy and very embarrassing.

Keloid scars generally are treated by a dermatologist through injection of steroids.

Every method currently available to repair skin damage scar has its pros and cons. You should weigh up the benefits and risks involved in each scar treatment therapy. It is also recommend that you wait at least one year from the time that the acne becomes inactive or well controlled by therapy before embarking on one of the scar treatment methods.