Acne Treatments Guide - Articles

Acne scars are scars that are left behind after a person has had acne. There are two general types of acne scars, defined by tissue response to inflammation:

(1) Scars caused by exaggerated tissue generation, and

(2) Scars caused by loss of tissue.

Scars Generated by Exaggerated Tissue Formation.

The proliferation of scars caused by exaggerated tissue generation is known as keloids. Keloid scars are associated to disproportioned amounts of the cell substance, collagen. The overproduction of collagen is the body's response to damaged skin cells. This excess becomes piled up in fibrous masses, resulting in a distinctive firm, smooth, irregularly-shaped scars.

Keloid scars are 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, but some may be 1 centimeter or larger. This abnormal growth of scar tissue is more likely to occur in susceptible people that is, people who are often related to others with similar types of scarring.

Keloid scars persist for years, but may decrease their size over time.

Scars Generated by Loss of Tissue

Acne scars associated with loss of tissue, like scars resulting from chicken pox, are more common than keloids. Scars associated with loss of tissue are:

Ice-pick Scars or Pitted Scars

Usually occur on the cheek. They are usually small, with characteristically jagged edges and steep side-like wounds that seem to create an "ice-picked" shape. Ice-pick scars may be shallow or deep, and may be hard or soft to the touch. Soft scars can be improved by stretching the skin; hard ice-pick scars cannot be stretched out.

Depressed fibrotic scars

Are commonly quite large, with sharp edges and steep sides. When touched, the base of these scars feels firm. Ice-pick scars may change into depressed fibrotic scars over time.

Soft scars

Superficial or deep and soft to the touch. They have smoothly sloping rolled edges that combine with normal skin. They are usually small, and either circular or linear in shape.

Atrophic macules

Are commonly fairly small when they occur on the face, but may be a centimeter or more on the body. They are soft, often with a slightly wrinkled base, and can be bluish in appearance because of the blood vessels located just under the scar. Over time, these scars fade from bluish to ivory white in color in white-skinned people, and become much less noticeable.

Follicular macular atrophy

They are more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with acne. These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin somewhat like whiteheads that did not fully develop. This condition is sometimes also known as "perifollicular elastolysis." The lesions may persist for months to years.

Biological Ingredient Treats Acne Scars

You can hope that your tissue imbalance can be treated with common chemical-based acne treatments that promise freeing your skin of acne breakouts, but that are incapable of treating the scars that are left behind after and acne inflammation has subsided. By using these products you will likely end-up with a drier skin texture that can present side-effects such as sun sensitivity, irritation or simply show no change at all. Your safest bet is to apply biological ingredients that bring collagen production back-up to normal and help 'disintegrate' and regenerate skin that has been scarred.

The majority of all regenerative ingredients contain natural oils, but only one ingredient is capable of supplying a balanced mix of ingredients that trigger skin renovation. That miracle ingredient comes from a snail and is becoming the newest revolution in skin and scar treatment. Studies have shown that snail secretion contains a balanced mix of naturally occurring vitamins, glycolic acid, allantoine, elastane and collagen, however, don't forget that complete scar renewal depends on the treatment itself and the extension of the scar.

So next time you look at your acne scar in a mirror and wonder why all the acne treatments in the world haven't changed a thing, try using an natural ingredient that can help regenerate scarred skin.