Advice and information on acne scar treatment products & options

How Acne Scar Treatment Is Performed
Depending upon the medical procedure you may not need sedation.  We cover common acne scar treatment methods below:

• Microdermabrasion or Macrodermabrasion: Blasting Your Way to Clearer Skin
  Not all individuals will benefit by this minimally invasive procedure. If you are expecting a miracles or to eradicate extensive damage, microdermabrasion will not help. You will need more invasive measures for extensive damage. The microdermabrasion crystals do however clear the pores and help with the complexion although major scarring, be it traumatic or acne scarring may not be relieved by microdermabrasion. The procedure does not require sedation and is performed in-office as a "lunch time" procedure. Although you may or may not wish to return to work, you will not have excessive downtime on a typical treatment.
  
  Microdermabrasion is a particle exfoliation procedure utilizing aluminum or magnesium oxide crystals in the 90 to 120 grit range.  The microdermabrasion machine uses a closed system that exfoliates the skin using a mild to medium blasting mechanism through a negative pressure nozzle.  Although the exfoliating medium is blasted onto your skin, the negative pressure sucks the crystals back up so there is little mess.  The stratum corneum is removed via particle exfoliation and the light suction on the skin increases circulation curing the procedure.  This procedure is designed to be carried out over several consecutive sessions for optimal results.  One treatment is usually not sufficient to make a noticeable difference in improvement.  For more information, please see our Microdermabrasion Section.



• Chemical Peels:  There are many types of chemical peels, from home peels using alpha hydroxy acids or low strength trichloroacetic acid (TCA), to high strength TCA and phenol peels.  Depending upon the depth it will penetrate and the chemical to be applied you may or may not need sedation. More than likely any TCA peel over 12% will be done in a doctor's, however home peels can be up 20% if you are experienced and have had several lower strengths without ill effect.  Without proper skin prepping with lower strengths and topical medications, you can cause irreversible damage in the form of hyper- and hypopigmentation and scarring.  Do not attempt medium to high strengths at home unless you are absolutely experienced and your skin is properly prepared.  For more information, please see our Chemical Peel Section.



• Intense Pulsed Light: The procedure involves several to many flashes of very intense light which may sting a bit without anesthesia.  For more information, please see our Intense Pulsed Light Section.



• Laser Resurfacing: Deep laser treatments require anesthesia due to the level of pain which is felt during the procedure For more information, please see our Laser Resurfacing Section.



• Non-ablative Laser Treatments:  For more information, please see our Polaris or NLite sections.



• Punch Graft: This requires removing a small, oval piece of skin that contains the scar and sewing the hole closed.



• Injectable Fillers: For more information, please see our Injectable Filler Section.



• Dermabrasion: For more information, please see our Dermabrasion Section.



• Skin Lifting: This may be any sort of mini, or full-scale lifting technique.  The procedure depends upon where you acne cars are located. 

The Road to Recovery
The length, or severity, of your recovery depends upon which treatment option you choose.   If you choose light, or non-ablative options, your recovery will be shorter.  If you choose ablative procedures such as laser resurfacing or dermabrasion, your recovery will be a little more extensive.  Injectable fillers can create the least recovery impact, but may not fully eradicate your skin irregularities. Speak top your surgeon about the options and their recoveries before making your decision.

Risks & Complications of Acne Scar Removal
As with your recovery, this factor will vary with the treatment option chosen.  Those which are more ablative, are riskier and include complications or effects such as hypo- or hyperpigmentation, additional scarring, skin thinning and possible infection.  Injectable fillers can include granuloma formation, over-correction, and infection. Non-ablative procedures such as low level lasers and Radio-frequency can also cause hypo- or hyperpigmentation depending upon your skin type, facial fat loss and ensuing contour irregularities. Please discuss the risks thoroughly with your surgeon before committing to a procedure.

The Average Prices of Acne Scar Removal
This will depend upon your chosen treatment option, and the amount of treatments needed.  Full face ablative lasers can cost upwards of $3,000 and non-ablative averaging at $900. per treatment.  Injectable fillers are often priced by the cc (cubic centimeter, volume), and not areas treated.  This price will depend upon the filler used.