Treatments to Get Rid of Acne Scars

What is the best treatment for acne scars?

Acne scar management requires proper evaluation and clear communication about expected outcomes

and long term strategy it’s very important to understand that one

strategy for acne scars doesn’t apply to everybody and it’s not usually a single

one off process where we do one thing and then you’re done when you seek

opinions from doctors regarding acne scar treatment keep in mind that you

will get different opinions because there is more than one way to approach

these issues practitioners make recommendations based on a perspective

of experience and often whatever is the latest branded device they’re currently

leasing I’ll discuss the steps I take in evaluating a patient with acne scars and

how I make my recommendations and set expectations

I’m Dr. Amiya Prasad I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and

Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon I’ve been in

practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years I perform a wide range

of procedures for patients with acne scars including lasers use of

radiofrequency technology skin boosting regenerative medicine technology such as

PRP or platelet-rich plasma and a cellular matrix as well as acne surgery

such as subcision scar removal and skin grafting when I look at a patient with

acne scarring I take high-resolution digital photos

and I also take photos with the method called backlighting to look at the

shadows which provide me with information about the depth and extent

of the scars acne scars are typically classified as rolling scars Boxcar scars

and ice pick scars there are different levels of all these

scarring and a strategies developed based on these specific classifications

when you’re dealing with acne scars you are dealing with one common issue tissue

loss the underlying strategy is to maximize the volume where tissue is

deficient and to blend the interface between the normal skin and the adjacent

area of tissue loss unfortunately many people with acne scars literally jump

from one laser to another based on aggressive marketing resulting in

frustration and disappointment a very important limitation is the generally

accepted standard amongst ethical professionals as to the maximum level of

change that can occur with acne scars generally speaking improvement of about

20 percent followed by maintenance procedures is a realistic expectation of

course the term twenty percent can be up for subjective interpretation for my

patients I find that defining success as an improvement avoids unrealistic

expectations my approach to acne scars is comparable to my approach with facial

aging I create a customized strategy to work from the inside outward for example

if the cheek volume can be enhanced I will place a long-lasting filler such as

Juvederm Ultra Plus or Juvederm Voluma at the bone level the improvement in

projection can have a significant effect on softening the appearance of acne

scars this becomes particularly relevant with the natural progression of facial

aging I also see how improvement in volume and facial balance can shift

focus away from the acne scars at the skin level although it is commonly

accepted that various lasers can help depress cars by controlled injury which

then stimulates a healing response by cells

in the skin called fibroblasts to produce collagen the question is how

much of a difference can be achieved when the tissue is scarred in addition

how much collagen generation can occur when the patient has had one or more

previous laser radiofrequency or micro needling procedures

I find myself consistently integrating the use of PRP or

platelet-rich plasma to induce collagen production without causing any

significant injury as a first-line before or in conjunction with non

ablative laser treatment PRP or platelet-rich plasma not only stimulates

collagen production but also improves blood supply and softens the scar tissue

in particular for patients with Boxcar scars I find this strategy useful I

routinely combine PRP with hyaluronic acid filler which is delivered to the

dermis using a procedure called skin boosting rolling scars and scars

associated with the lack of underlying fat are often managed through a

combination approach procedures such as subcision injectable fillers are placed

on the bone level below the skin and in the dermis that combination can be very

effective there is also a type of ablative laser technology often

beneficial particularly for Boxcar scars these are scars with very sharp defined

edges generally when using a laser we try to soften the edges of these scars

and then blend the skin so that the skin heals smoothly for improvement

another approach which is more convenient and beneficial particularly

for shallow scars is water-based microdermabrasion or a procedure that

has called HydraFacial there is no downtime and the improvement in the skin

can be appreciated immediately afterwards I recommend that any

therapeutic strategy for acne scar involve regular follow-up examinations

and some maintenance procedures which are customized to the individual in a

time where devices get aggressively marketed and unrealistic expectations

are promoted it’s more important than ever for you to find a physician who you

trust to have your best interest at heart all

too often new devices come on the scene and many doctors buy or lease these

devices and then think only about the profit from the transaction and have no

interest in a long-term management plan I recommend you meet with experienced

doctors and make sure you feel that you are being well informed and you have

confidence in the doctors treatment plan for you and what the short-term and

long-term outlook will be

I hope you found this information helpful thank you for your question