Acne scarring is an embarrassing and uncomfortable burden. Whether the scars are pitted or raised, these skin irregularities bring back the painful memory for many of the first time that they felt self conscious about their appearance. When the acne was active, usually in the teens, there were pimples and red discolorations. Proms, pictures, and pimples: not a good combination in those very impressionable high school years. It would be great if those scars, could be erased.
The good news is that there are many options that can conquer acne scarring.
It’s important to meet with a qualified cosmetic surgeon to evaluate your skin type and your type of scarring. This will help determine the treatment that is right for you. At W Cosmetic Surgery, we have a wide variety of treatments available to treat all types of acne scarring. Some of the most popular are:
Laser Skin Resurfacing
There are two types of laser skin resurfacing– ablative and non-ablative. Both stimulate collagen production, but ablative resurfacing is more invasive and intense than non-ablative resurfacing. We will work with you to determine the intensity of treatment needed and the best type of laser to use. Laser works best on certain skin types.
The procedure typically takes between 30 minutes to one hour to complete, and recovery depends on your skin type and the type of laser used.
Microneedling
Microneedling, also called collagen induction therapy, uses a roller with tiny needles attached to stimulate your skin’s collagen production. This procedure is suited for all types of skin and offers a quicker recovery time than laser resurfacing. It does need to be repeated several times to produce the best results.
Microneedling is pain-free and generally requires only 24-28 hours recovery.
INTRAcel
One of the most exciting innovations in aesthetics is the addition of monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency microneedles for the treatment of acne scarring. Our device, the INTRAcel, combines fractional micro needles with RF energy to penetrate the skin without causing as much damage to the surface and works to remodel the irregular skin surface. It can be used on ALL skin types.
There is little to no downtime with this procedure when used for acne scarring, though your skin may be redder than normal for up to 24 hours afterwards. Makeup can be worn after 24 hours to cover up any redness. Best results are typically seen with four treatments.
Microneedling + Growth Factors / INTRAcel + Growth Factors
The addition of you own growth factors to the above treatments has been shown to turbocharge the collagen production process and results in more rapid improvements in acne scarring. Once microchannels are created through the surface of the skin with the microneedles or the INTRAcel device, the obtained plasma, with its multiple growth factors that stimulate healing and collagen synthesis, is applied to the skin. Growth factors have been shown to penetrate to where it needs to be to produce changes in the deeper skin layers. It also accelerates the RF or microneedling treatments.
The procedure involves drawing about a third of a shot glass of blood into a test tube, centrifuging it down to obtain only the useful components needed for healing. The growth factors are applied at the conclusion of the procedure and is left in place for four hours.
Facial Peels
Peels exfoliate the skin and causes the body to produce fresh skin cells. We offer a wide variety of facial peels for both adults and teens prone to acne breakouts. There are also peels intended to improve mild acne scarring.
There is no downtime with a peel, and you’ll leave the office feeling refreshed, though you may experience increased skin sensitivity directly after the procedure.
Which treatment is right for me?
We are very pleased with the results we have obtained with microneedling and with INTRAcel because of the lack of downtime. These procedures are becoming the rage and are revolutionizing the treatment of acne scarring. Everyone- physicians, patients, press- is excited and talking about the beneficial effects of needles and RF on skin rejuvenation. During a consultation, we’re confident that we have an option that would be right for you and that will make you look and feel your best. Give us a call to learn more or schedule an appointment: 484-534-3859.
