While some scars may undergo some level of fading, atrophic scars are particularly stubborn and don't resolve over time.
“Usually the scars will heal rather quickly - within the course of a few weeks to one or two months - but you may not see final results for up to a year. Individual factors also influence how quickly your body is able to recover from a wound.” In older patients, or where the skin is more lax, scars settle more rapidly.
Treatments can reduce a scar's size or appearance, but the scar will never completely go away. Some treatments prevent a scar from forming as a wound heals. Scar treatments include: Dermabrasion: A common acne scar treatment, dermabrasion removes the top layer of skin by gently “sanding” the skin.
The filler of choice for filling indented scars is generally a biostimulator to lay down a new layer of fresh collagenous tissue that will continue stimulating your body to create new collagen. Radiesse® and Sculptra® are examples of fillers used to treat acne and other depressed scars.
Most scars will never go away completely, but smaller ones might fade over time. For larger or more noticeable scars, there are some treatments that can help reduce their size or make them less noticeable.
Soft tissue fillers.
Injecting collagen, fat or other substances under the skin can plump the skin over indented scars. The goal is to make the scars less noticeable. Results are temporary, so repeat treatments are needed to retain the effect.
While Bellafill is the only FDA approved injectable filler for the long-term correction of acne scars, other fillers such as Juvederm, Radiesse, Belotereo, Retylane or Sculptra may be used. These typically will need to be injected every few months to maintain their effect.
While some scars may undergo some level of fading, atrophic scars are particularly stubborn and don't resolve over time.
Depressed scars (like acne scars or an old cut) can often be treated with dermal skin fillers like Restylane®. These injectable treatments can be performed to add volume below the skin in the area of the scar, helping the skin to attain a more even and smooth appearance.
For best results, you should perform scar massage for at least 10 minutes, twice a day, for six months. You should only stop sooner than that if the scar starts showing signs of infection or you experience intolerable discomfort.
Your scar should gradually soften and fade over these six to 18 months, but will look pink initially (photo B). Some scars never fade. If your scar stays pink after 12 to 18 months please call to discuss options. If your scar becomes raised and rubbery instead of flat, this could be an abnormal scar process (photo C).
Retinol is also found in many acne scar treatment products because it promotes new skin cell growth and helps even out skin texture and skin tone — all of which can help reduce the appearance of newer, red acne scars and older scars.
A scar is a mark on the skin after a wound or injury has healed. You cannot get rid of a scar, but most will fade over time. This can take up to 2 years or more, but there are some things you can do to help it heal or improve how it looks.
Mederma PM Cream can be used on atrophic scars such as acne and chicken pox scars. Mederma® PM Cream may help to smooth and soften the edges of the pox mark but it will not cause the indented area to fill in. By smoothing the edges, the mark may become less noticeable.
Whether they're from childhood accidents, surgery or illness, some scars will fade over time but it's unlikely they'll completely disappear by themselves. If you're looking to reduce their appearance, you'll need to look into scar treatment. Keloids and sunken acne scars are least likely to fade.
Hypertrophic scars may begin as raised, red scar tissue from an incision, burn, piercing or other skin wound. In many cases, the redness will fade with time and the scar tissue will flatten on its own, but this is not always the case.
Unless the fibers that attach the depressed area of skin to the muscle underneath are released, the indentation will remain no matter what types of surface treatments are performed. Subcision is the treatment that cuts the fibrous tethers pulling the scar down.
Fillers injected in the skin (such as Juvederm) can range in price from $600 to over $1,000. Chemical peels (like alpha-hydroxy acids) can cost about $400. Microneedling can cost $300 or more. Surgery to help remove or fill acne scars costs $200 or more.
And vitamin C is a key player when it comes to creating collagen. Even though collagen and wounds are usually discussed in the context of repairing fresh injuries, since collagen helps make healthy tissue, it can impact older scars as well and improve their appearance.
You should carry on massaging your scars for at least three to six months after your surgery or injury. What happens if I do not do anything? Your scar could become hard and inflexible or adhesions may form. Scars that cross a joint could stop you being able to bend or straighten the joint (a contracture).