Don't let Acne Scars damage your appearance....learn the cosmetic industry secrets to clear & smooth skin.

Posted by Robert Fam (BMSci - APAA Member - Cosmetic & Laser Specialist)
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​Acne Scars from teenage pimples or adult acne can seem like double punishment - first you had to deal with the breakouts, now you have marks as a reminder. Not anymore, with real solutions to leave damaged skin clear & smooth again from tried and tested skin procedures that have been implemented and customised by cosmetic skin specialists including myself.

​Various types of acne lesions will cause different degrees of skin damage but some scars can be extremely exacerbated by acne reduction techniques and the individuals’ immune response to skin repair. Remedies such as aggressive exfoliation and harsh cleansers can over dry the skin while very little advice is considered to nourish the skin too. While the initial method can definitely aid in oil reduction and pore clearance, it usually leads to the skin being left excessively irritated or continuously dry, the support structures of skin are compromised leaving poor function to skin repair.
One very disturbing factor in the fight for clear skin is the over prescribed strong retinoids and Accutane medication that overly dry skin and starve it from both the lipid nourishment required for healthy skin and epidermal water loss. While they can be very helpful methods for treating severe acne, poor advice is provided how to use these products including the use of other skin care to prevent these scenarios for causing skin damage and scarring. Hopefully some of you reading this article will see the benefit of advising others that proper acne skin care advice is needed to prevent scarring.
Scarring can be a more disfiguring concern then the acne itself if it occurs and while acne can resolve, scars are permanent remnants of the initial issue. Nonetheless, there are real solutions to acne scar remodelling and skin correction. Cosmedix Clinic provides the latest in skin remodelling techniques that ensure accurate and promising results. I will go through them individually.
 
Treating Acne Scars at Cosmedix Clinic
Most of the time, those reddish or brownish acne marks that are left behind after a pimple eventually fade with no need for treatment. Picking or squeezing acne can increase the risk for scarring, though.
Acne scars take two forms:

• scars with a gradual dip or depression (sometimes called "rolling" scars)
• scars that are deep and narrow (called ice-pick scars)

A person's acne needs to be under control before scars can be treated and the clinician will ensure any on-going breakouts are address first.
 
Mild vs. Severe Scarring
Treatments depend on how severe the scars are. In some cases, other clinics or beauty centres will offer a medium grade (at best) chemical peel, microdermabrasion or micro-needling treatment to help improve the appearance of scarred skin. However, skin remodelling is a much more complex process especially the deeper and larger the scars present. I always warn clients that if you cannot be assured the degree of improvement or if the procedure sounds to simple and easy with no down-time involved, then you may unlikely be happy with the end result while wasting your time and money.
For those who are serious about addressing acne scarring, a customised treatment plan/ programme usually needs to be considered from person to person. There are several things that can be done but are usually not a solution on there own:

• Mid-Infrared Laser Resurfacing. This laser procedure removes the damaged top layer of skin and tightens the middle layer, forcing new skin to develop in a very precise and controlled approach. This is ideal for deeper scars, aiding in skin lifting. It can take as little as few minutes and very little pain is associated with the quick pulsing of this laser. Nonetheless, every step is taken to ensure comfort and the skin is numbed with topical anaesthesia. It usually takes between 3 and 10 days for the skin to heal completely.

• Dermabrasion. This treatment uses a rotating spinning diamond instrument to wear down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new, smoother layer replaces the abraded skin. It may take a bit longer for skin to heal using dermabrasion — usually between 10 days and 3 weeks. However, the skin essentially appears much smoother and aids in the ideal complexion for normal skin texture.

• Micro-Fractional Intra-Dermal Remodelling or Micro-Fractional RF (MFR). This type of treatment works at a deeper level than laser resurfacing or dermabrasion. As specialised device creates micro-fractional intra-dermal thermal zones under the skin surface which doesn't wound the top layer of tissue, enabling shorter healing time. The fundamental action of this therapy is to cause remodelling action deep in the skin layer and forcing renewed skin from the foundation up. While it may not be the best approach for smooth texture, it ensures quality skin renewal for all skin types that addresses a solution for skin. Typically the only downtime may involve the skin looking red for 24 hours or may just look a bit sunburned for a couple of days.

• Fractional Laser Resurfacing. Depending on the fractional laser of choice, deep skin remodelling and resurfacing can be achieved for excellent skin texture improvement and skin tightening outcomes. While considerable downtime maybe experienced between 3 and 7 days, this technique affords the client an ideal result in even skin texture and tone.

At Cosmedix Clinic, we combine many of these procedures in a unique way with post regenerative therapies for the most successful and satisfying results. You will need to have your skin properly assessed to determine the right program plan and costs.

​Contact Cosmedix Clinic on 02 80063344 or email info@skinbodylaser.com.au to schedule a free skin assessment today.