Thursday, April 2, 2009

How To Get Rid of Acne Scars

By Phil Conner

If you suffer from acne on a regular basis and want to find a solution to your acne scars, it's important that you have the right information. In the skincare sector, there is much misinformation out there. In fact, a good amount of the information is merely a sales pitch to try to get you to buy some acne scar cure solution that doesn't work. Unfortunately, there is no quick acne scar fix; yes, there are treatments, but these are usually very expensive. Any cheap-off-the-shelf "scar" treatment will probably disappoint.

Type of Acne Scarring

While there are many types of acne scars, there is pretty much only two "major" acne scarring types: pigmentation scars and ice-pick scars. Most people have one or the other. Yes, there are other variations, but to cater to the majority, I'll cover these two types of scars here. The same treatment/s can be used for the other types of acne scarring.

Why Acne Scars Form

In general, acne scars may result from improper facial hygiene or if blemishes are not properly removed (i.e. squeezing blackheads). The root cause behind acne scars is of course the actual acne breakouts. Acne scars are formed when blackheads are not removed correctly, or are not treated properly. If not cleaned properly, blackheads can become inflamed and then cause acne scarring when they don't heal properly. Even if removed, blackheads can still leave a trace scar behind on the skin. But what causes the acne? Excess production of facial oil, known as sebum, is released into the pores which then mix with bacteria and foreign matter. This forms into blackheads which are prone to irritate the skin and cause infection, due to the microbes living inside of them. The infection of the pore is known as "acne."

How to Get Rid of Acne Scars

Without a doubt, getting rid of your acne is the best way to prevent scars from forming. You can help to eliminate your acne through proper diet, facial care, and use of acne medications. Doing all these things will usually drastically reduce or even eliminate your acne outbreaks, given time. If you do happen to have scars, there are some surgical and non surgical treatments available. The most popular treatment (and the most expensive) are laser treatments. These are usually pretty effective and involve the use of a laser to smooth out the appearance of scars. Besides the surgical treatments, you can apply topical Vitamin E oil/creams to your scars which help to reduce the appearance of the scars. You may also want to eat foods rich in Vitamin C, A, and E (carrot juice, lean meats, etc)-- all these are used by the body to aid in the healing of scar tissue. You also want to make sure you are performing proper facial hygiene such as using mild soaps to wash your face twice a day, exfoliating once a week, etc.

These are some tips to help get rid of those pesky acne scars. Note that there are many other methods of getting rid of acne scars (acne scar creams, other surgical treatments, acne home remedies, etc) that were not discussed. The main thing to realize is that you can in fact treat the acne scars through a combination of surgical procedures and lifestyle choices.

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