Scars caused by acne are unattractive and embarrassing. Millions of people suffer from acne everyday, thinking they are ugly, resulting in low self esteem and self-consciousness. They pop their pimples and then become very upset when the scars do not fade away. As a result of this there is a huge market out there for acne scar treatments.

Acne scar removal treatments get a lot of attention, and the latest trends range in price. Also to consider is recovery time for these procedures, as with some you may not be able to go back to work right away.

Acne Scars Treatment

First we will discuss dermabrasion. First the doctor will numb your face, then he will begin to sand away at the top layer of skin on the face. This is done with a spinning blade instrument. Afterwards, the face will scab. Recovery time takes about 2 - 3 weeks.

Second, we have laser treatment. This procedure involves burning your skin with radiation. Plus, it is a fairly new procedure and it should be noted that not a lot of trials have been done on its long term effects. Depending on the depth of acne scarring, bandages are necessary for several weeks.

This one I am sure you have heard of, the chemical peel. Like the other treatments, the top layer of skin is removed, but with acid. Redness and swelling is common after the procedure. Recovery time takes weeks. The acid causes stinging, redness, irritation and dryness. In addition you may have to go through it several times as it can take multiple treatments for desired results.

Further down the list is subcision. Subcision is a type of treatment used to get rid of acne scars that are the rolling type, which usually occur on the cheeks and forehead. For this treatment, the skin is separated from the tissue underneath it. This allows blood to move into the newly created opening, raising the skin. This method typically requires several treatments to give good results.

Another hot treatment is augmentation. This is a process by which your dermatologist injects fillers, usually collagen, under the skin to help smooth the acne scarred area. Also the doctor may take fat from other places in your body and inject that instead of collagen. Recovery time is short, a day at most, as it's just like receiving any other shot. People often return to work right away. It should be noted that this is a temporary fix at the moment, lasting about six months. However, in the future as different "fillers" are discovered, it may last longer.

Last but certainly not least, the punch method. A cookie cutter-like tool is used to cut out individual scars, scooping them out of your face like ice cream. The procedure itself may leave a slight scar. Then the hole in your face can be filled with fat from another part of your body. After this treatment is complete, dermabrasion is recommended because of the unevenness of the newly filled holes. Combing the treatments is popular. Recovery time takes several weeks longer than the other methods.

Not discussed so far are topical creams. This would be a painless way to get rid of the scars. Some just do not work, and really are just moisturizers. For scars to be diminished the cream needs to have a regenerative agent in it. A hot trend is a painless solution to scars, a strong acne treatment cream with a scar healing solution already in it.