DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR ACNE SCAR

It is safer to consult a Dermatologist Harley street London before beginning the treatment. When you consult us, a dermatologist will carry out some examination on your skin and ask you relevant questions that will help in ascertaining your result.

Why You Should Treat Your Acne Scar

It is not compulsory to treat acne scar. The treatment of acne is for people whose daily lives have been affected by acne scar. You can know you are a candidate for this treatment if you answer yes to any of these questions:

• Are you less social than you were before having the acne scar?
• Do you feel your scars are reducing your self-esteem and limiting your job, career and dating opportunities?
• Do you truly wish you could get rid of the acne scar?

Factors to Consider Before Starting the Treatment

There are some considerations to be made before starting the acne scar treatment. Answering these questions will help you know if you are ready to proceed with the treatment.

• How do you want the treatment? Do you want the treatment only to make the scar less obvious or do you want to remove the wavy skin texture completely?
• Can you afford the treatment? Your medical insurance does not cover the treatment
• Some treatments may need downtime. Can you afford it?
• How much time can you spare to get your treatment and care for your skin?

Answering these questions correctly will help you know if you are ready for the treatment, and it will also help your dermatologist know how to plan your treatment.

Contact our Dermatologist Harley street Londontoday!

How is Acne Scar Treated?

Before a dermatologistLondon will treat your acne scars, they will first begin by determining if the treatment is okay for you. When they are certain, they will then make a treatment plan that will suit your needs. This plan will be made based on the type of scar you have and the location of the scars on your body.

It is safer to tell your dermatologist London if you have treated acne with isotretinoin before beginning with the treatment for acne scars.

In treating your scars, one or more treatment may be recommended by the dermatologist so that the best result will be obtained. In the case of the boxcar, a large pre-like scar, laser treatment and subcision (a type of surgery for acne scar) will help provide a more desirable result.

Effective Treatments for Depressed Acne Scar

Using two or more treatments makes it easier to obtain the best results. The following are treatments that are used by a dermatologist to depressed treat acne scar:

Acne scar surgery: this is not as scary as it sounds. It is a minor surgery performed by dermatologists to treat very noticeable acne scars. This is always used to make obvious scars less obvious. When this surgery is carried out, whatever scar remains usually fades away with time.

Dermatologists usually lift the scars or bring them together while performing the surgery. These processes usually make the scars less noticeable. This surgery works best for the depressed scar.

This surgery is to be performed by a dermatologist or dermatological surgeon in a medical office. In this surgery, the patient stays awake and numb, so they do not feel the pains.

Resurfacing procedure: this procedure is used when the patient wants to reduce the appearance of a broad scar. This procedure removes some layers of the skin and gives the body room to produce new skin cells.

Some Dermatolpgy clinics Londonuses these resurfacing procedures in the treatment of depressed scars:

• Chemical peeling
• Laser skin resurfacing
• Dermabrasion
• Microdermabrasion ( this is different from the kits meant for home treatment)

This treatment is best used for the treatment of shallow or not too deep scars. Dermabrasion is a procedure which involves the removal of the top, and middle skin layers cannot be used for the treatment of deep acne scars. Deep scars are treated by skin surgery and resurfacing.

Skin fillers: skin fillers are used to make depressed scars look plump. These scars get filled with collagen – the patient’s fat or other substances. The results obtained from many types of filler are temporary and can last for 6-18 months. There are fillers whose results are permanent.

There are some unique features attached to both the temporary and permanent filler. We advise you to speak with your dermatologist London about all you need to consider for this treatment.

Skin tightening: This is a newer and more affordable treatment which is safe for all skin colours.

This method of treatment works by using radiofrequency technology to tighten the skin. The tightening process causes the scars to become less obvious.

This procedure can last for about a month with the patient having to visit the dermatologist at least once in every month for the four months. There are complaints from patients who undergo this procedure that they feel a burning sensation on their skin within an hour after the procedure with their skin having a pinkish colour, which may last between 2-3 days.

This method of treatment usually requires the patients to do things at home too as part of the care for their skin. This involves applying sunscreen every morning and moisturising cream in the night. Wearing a sunscreen that gives an SPF of 30 or more and UVA/UVB protection and water resistance is recommended by our dermatologists.

The radiofrequency treatment is used for treating deep acne scars. It works better for the treatment of deep boxcar and icepick scars.

Collagen-induction therapy: this is also called “needling” or “micro-needling”. This process is used to motivate the body to produce a larger amount of collagen.

This procedure is performed by a dermatologist who punctures the skin with the use of deep, handheld needles. The healing process of this puncture site makes the skin to produce more collagen.

This procedure is a slow one, and it may take up to 9 months before results can be noticed though others may start noticing some gradual result before this.

After the treatment, some swellings may be noticed on the skin, but this should clear up within 4-5 days.

Using a skincare plan will be necessary for this treatment and research has proven that this treatment is safe for every colour of skin.

This method of treatment is best used for treating broadened deep acne scars. This method cannot be used to treat raised scars because the production of too much collagen is the reason the scars were formed at first, so it will only make them worse.

Electrodesiccation: this is the process which kills tissues by heating them with electric probes. This may be included in the plan while treating boxcar acne scars. The electrodesiccation is not an effective way of treating acne scars.

The Treatment for Raised Acne Scars

The following are means of treating raised acne scar:

Injections: a dermatologist London carries out this process and it involves the injection of medication into a scar. This injected medication causes the scar to become soft and then flatten.

The injection is usually given once in every few weeks, and the best results are often obtained after a few visits to the dermatologist. The duration of the treatment and frequency of the visit is dependent on the scar and other factors involved.

The injection given to many patients is corticosteroids. A medicine for chemotherapy called fluorouracil (5-FU) is also good and is used in the treatment of raised acne scars. Even a cancer drug named interferon (which is also naturally produced by our bodies) is used in the treatment of raised scars. The injection used depends on the scar that is being treated.

Raised scars that do not respond or stop responding to treatment after the fourth injection may require acne surgery.

This method of treatment is best used for painful scars and raised scars.

Acne scar surgery: This surgery is usually carried out by a dermatologist to diminish raised scars. It is usually performed in the office of the dermatologist.

The best result can be obtained if another treatment succeeds in the surgery. For instance:

Using injections after an acne surgery: after the surgery, treating the raised scars after the surgery with corticosteroids, 5-FU, or interferon can be helpful in the production of a more desirable result.

This is the most effective treatment for raised scars. Many patients will need to be given one shot of the injection every month for a few months.

Using radiation after the surgery: according to researches, this treatment can prevent the reoccurrence of raised acne scar. Our dermatologists do not recommend this treatment as it can be problematic after some years or decades.

This treatment is best used for raised scars that need a more severe form of treatment than injections.

Cryosurgery: This treatment is one that freezes the tissues of the scar. This freezing makes the tissues to die and shed off gradually. Combining some series of cryosurgery with injections will help in obtaining a better result.

This process though effective has a disadvantage. Its disadvantage is that it can cause the formation of some permanent light spots on your skin.

This treatment method is best used to reduce raised scars in light-skinned people only.

Laser therapy: this therapy and other light therapy are safe and effective for the treatment of raised acne scars. Using a pulse dye laser (PDL) may help reduce the itch, pain, colour and the size of a raised scar. We also recommend the intense pulsed light (IPL) for light-skinned people.

This method of treatment is effective for every type of acne.

Scar creams and gels; silicone dressing and bandages: these are often used for the treatment of raised scar at home, and they do not need a prescription. These products help in reducing the scar alongside their discomforts and itches. They make the scars shrink, flatten and lose their colours.

The use of silicone dressing and bandages are helpful because they hydrate the skin. Though their mode of operation is not known, they help in reducing the itch and pains, and they also make the skin flexible.

The effectiveness of these products are noticed when they are used continually though it may be a little discomforting. The discomforts involved in the continuous use of the product involve itchy and irritated skin. These discomforts usually stop when the products are no longer in use.

These products do not completely remove a raised scar. It can only reduce the size and discomfort of the scar.

Reach out to us at Clear Skin London in order to recommend the right treatment for you acne scar. We will be glad to help!

The Possible Outcomes of the Treatments of Acne Scars

The size and visibility of acne scars are the parts that are mostly affected by many treatments. The treatments make them fade and become less obvious.

The result gotten depends on the knowledge, chosen procedure and skills of the performing dermatologist. These treatments may be safe and effective, but the best solution to the problem of acne is prevention.

We are very experienced in treating acne scars, so visit us and get diagnosed and treated. You can come to our office at First Floor, 117A Harley St, Marylebone, London W1G 6AT, UK or call us on 020 71833648 to speak to our friendly expert.