Acne scars do not go away entirely on their own. Depressed acne scars often become more noticeable with age as skin loses collagen. However, there are a variety of treatments that can make acne scars less noticeable. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or redness may lighten on its own within several months.
Vitamin C treats acne scars by increasing the synthesis of collagen, a protein responsible for your skin's structure and vital for rebuilding healthy skin. As a result, this vitamin may accelerate the healing of acne wounds ( 6 , 12 , 13 ).
Acne marks (discoloration) usually fade away within 3-6 months. There are many ways to speed up the process. However, scars remain and can be removed medically or by using home remedies.
What causes acne scars? Depressed acne scars: If the body produces too little collagen, depressions or pits form as the skin heals. Raised acne scars: Sometimes the body produces too much collagen as it tries to heal the skin and underlying tissue.
Retinol is a well-known ingredient in pro-aging creams, gels, and serums. What many people don't know is that it can also be used to treat acne and acne-scarred skin. It works on both the surface and middle layers of the skin to unclog pores, smooth scars, and improve tone and texture.
Depending on the location of the scar, acne scars can appear more severe as you grow older because of collagen depletion in the skin. Depressed acne scars or atrophic acne scarring will usually look worse as your skin loses natural volume as part of the natural aging process.
Deep scars often require skin surgery and resurfacing. Dermatologists use fillers to safely and effectively plump depressed acne scars. A dermatologist may fill acne scars with collagen, the patient's own fat, or another substance. Many fillers give us temporary results, which last between 6 and 18 months.
However, too much sun can darken scarring. And the darker your skin color, the more obvious your scars will be. Don't pick, scratch, or squeeze: Causing extra damage to your skin promotes inflammation which will make scars worse. Treat your acne immediately: The longer you wait, the greater the likelihood of scars.
Mild acne causes less irritated whiteheads or blackheads with or without a few red bumps or pustules. Most of the time, the light red or brown marks left behind by healed acne clear up over time on their own. But severe acne, especially cystic acne, is likely to leave permanent scarring as it heals.
Why won't Acne Scars Go Away? Damage or deep injury that occurred in the skin can cause permanent acne scars. Even though our body naturally forms new collagen to repair the broken tissues, it will only create uneven and discolored scar tissue which won't look smooth or flawless like how your skin used to be.
Most importantly, for people with acne, hyaluronic acid can help your skin heal and recover from acne scars. If you too are dealing with some angry pustules or a freshly healing breakout, hyaluronic acid can help speed up wound healing.
Salicylic acid
It's considered to be one of the best treatments for acne scars. You can add products with salicylic acid into your daily routine, or your skin care specialist may use it for less frequent chemical peels. It might take a few weeks to see a difference when using salicylic acid.
Acne scars can be sunken (depressed) due to the loss of tissue. They may look like ice pick pits. They can be rolling, creating a wavy texture in the skin or they may also be boxlike. These are sometimes called boxcar acne scars and are often on the face.
"Women may have rated scarring as an attractive quality for short-term relationships because they found it be a symbol of masculinity, a feature that is linked to high testosterone levels and an indicator of good genetic qualities that can be passed on to offspring.
An overview of acne scars
While some scars are permanent, acne scars and other small blemishes aren't impossible to reduce and fade away. There are several types of acne scars, but they can be split into three categories: atrophic, hypertrophic, and keloid.
Fundamentally, acne marks are flat, brown, or red. They can be removed by applying some creams or they tend to go away on their own, naturally. On the other hand, acne scars lead to skin irregularities. They are raised or indented and often stay with the person forever.
Cocoa butter works as a great moisturizer. It has lightening properties, which help fade acne scars and lighten skin tone. Take some cocoa butter and apply it evenly on your face. Leave it on overnight and rinse it off the next morning.
Most rolling scars will soften a bit eventually. But you'll probably need treatment to get your skin back to its original state. The good news is, since rolling scars are so shallow and soft, they're the easiest to treat.
An acne scar is a change in texture in your skin. Usually, it's depressed. It's not a brown spot. Discoloration is temporary, but texture changes are permanent.
Exfoliation is an excellent option for those suffering from superficial scars and scars due to acne. Although exfoliation won't completely remove scars, it can diminish the appearance of scars by removing the dead cells on the skin's surface and revealing the healthier layer of cells underneath.