People suffering from acne have to struggle with red, swollen breakouts which is an unwanted sight. Acne often leaves behind uneven bumps or skin discoloration, commonly referred to as acne scars. Hence those suffering from this concern seek treatment in various forms to reduce the chances of leaving behind unsightly marks.
The first step to avoiding getting acne scars is to get timely acne treatment so that acne can be controlled before it does further damage to the skin. While some acne scars may lighten on its own over time, others may need to seek acne scar removal treatment to improve the appearance.
Today, there is a plethora of acne scar removal treatments in Singapore so that you don’t have to live with the unwanted bumps and scars in your skin for the rest of your life. In this article, we go into more detail on the various treatment options as well as some of the factors you should keep in mind before booking your acne scar removal treatment. Before diving into treatment options, let’s first understand more about the types of acne scars.
Causes Of Formation Of Acne Scar
Acne is a skin condition that causes the formation of pimples or red swollen bumps. When the body detects skin damage or inflammation it sends different types of cells to repair the skin.
In severe cases of acne known as acne vulgaris, the cells are unable to restore the skin to its original shape, hence leaving a depressed scar. In another case, the cells may go into an overproduction of new cells and therefore raised bumps are formed. A frequent outbreak of acne pimples on the skin can be another reason for scarring skin as it does not have sufficient time to heal itself from past trauma.
Before getting acne scar laser removal or any other option for your acne scars, it is imperative to understand the type of scar that you have. Acne scar can present itself as one type or usually, it presents itself in multiple types depending on the severity of acne and the extent of skin damage.
Pitted or depressed scars or scars are an indication of uncontrolled inflammatory acne. The level of depression varies and can be shallow or deep with flat, rounded, or narrow base. Depending on the area of the acne outbreak, they can be found on any part of the face or on the body. The scars are broadly classified into 3 types:
- Ice Pick Scars: Deep, cone shaped depressions that points downwards to the skin’s surface
- Box Car Scars: Broad looking with sharply defined edges and a flat base
- Rolling Scars: Shallow scars with sloppy edges
- Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Darkening of skin which may range from pink, red, purple, brown or black depending on the skin type
- Hypertrophic Scars: Raised scars that feels tender to the touch
While acne condition can cause any of these scars, each of them respond differently to a particular treatment.
Treatment Options For Acne Scar Removal
If you have one or more acne scar type, then you should book an appointment with a medical professional in Singapore to explore the available treatment. Pairing the correct treatment options is crucial for achieving good results.
Below is an overview of the acne scar removal treatment options available in Singapore.
- TCA Peel – in this kind of chemical peeling trichloroacetic acid also known as TCA is used to improve the appearance of ice pick scars. TCS peels comes in a variety of strength or concentrations and works by removing dead skin cells to stimulate new cell growth, gradually closing the ice pick scars.
- Microdermabrasion – in this treatment the uppermost layer of the skin is removed so that the lower layer which is smooth is revealed. Microdermabrasion is usually helpful in shallow rolling scars or slightly raised bumps.
- Injectable dermal fillers – another option to help in shallow depressed scarring such as rolling scars and boxcar scars is by injecting the scar with filler for plumping the depression.
- Acne scar laser removal – in this procedure, laser Is used to remove the uppermost layer of the skin and stimulate the skin cells underneath to grow and fill in depressed areas. This treatment generally helps with all 3 types of acne scars.
- Subcision – this procedure is used to treat deep box car or rolling scars. Acne scar subcision uses a needle to break the fibers that connects the scar toe the tissues underneath. The process also stimulates new collagen growth at the site of the needle insertion, plumping depressed scars gradually.
- Dermal Grafting- it is a kind of skin grafting technique that uses the collagen-rich skin harvested from the back of the ear as a bio-compatible implant to fill the depressed scars especially rolling scars and boxcar scars.
10 Things To Be Kept In Mind Before Taking Acne Scar Removal Treatment Singapore
There are multiple options to help you get rid of acne damage on your face and body. While they all help to improve acne scars in one way or another, these treatments alone cannot undo all the damage. Good treatment outcomes take a myriad of factors including professional expertise, post- treatment care and lifestyle adaptations to work hand in hand. Hence it is important to keep the following 10 things in mind before going for acne scar laser removal:
1. The Expertise Of Your Dermatologist Matters
The outcome of your laser removal of scars is very much dependent upon the expertise of the doctor that is performing the laser procedure. Better results can be achieved if your doctor knows what he is doing and can pair the right treatments to the right scar condition.
2. Protect Your Skin From The Sun
Skin damage from tanning beds or sun can worsen the appearance of scars. Moreover, after laser treatment, if the skin is not protected from natural or artificial UV rays then the chances of a new scar development is possible.
3. Laser Combined With Other Options
Acne condition often leaves more than one scar type. Hence, acne treatment often combines lasers with other treatment modalities to improve the overall outcome. A cookie cutter approach is often not efficient and treatment protocols should be customized according to one’s needs.
4. Care Is Essential For The Treated Scar
It is important to follow the instructions of your doctor to look after the treated scar for best results. Though after treatment care may require some short-term lifestyle changes, those changes are necessary and it ensures that your skin has time to heal completely before exposing it to unnecessary damage from external environment.
5. Acne Scar Treatment In Singapore Is Not Covered By Insurance
Health insurance plans do not cover laser treatment as it is counted as cosmetic surgery and therefore excluded from coverage.
6. Keep Your Expectations In Check
Acne scar treatment can reduce the visible damage, but it cannot eradicate the appearance of it totally. Depending on skin condition and healing capability, it is possible to achieve 70% to 80% improvements after a series of treatments.
7. Talk To Your Doctor Before Getting Treatment
It is important to sit and talk with your doctor regarding the approach that will be used to get rid of acne scar damage as well as the results that you can potentially achieve. If you have tried certain acne scar treatments in the past, it is also important to share that information with your doctor so the treatment protocol can be adjusted accordingly.
8. Multiple Sessions Are Required
Acne scar treatments such as laser removal requires multiple sessions, and it is not a procedure that can produce visible improvements in one sitting. The skin needs time to heal from the previous treatment session before it can undergo subsequent sessions. Overdoing treatments in a short span of time can cause unwanted outcomes.
9. Be Patient With Results
Acne treatment takes some time to show the results. Therefore, you have to be patient.
10.Maintaining Results Is In Your Hands
After investing money on treatments, it is vital that you develop a good maintenance and home care routine to maximize the results. It is also important to avoid lifestyle or habits that may trigger the recurrence of acne. If acne condition recurs, visit your doctor early to prevent the acne condition from worsening. Taming acne conditions quickly wills also prevent development of new acne scars.
Work Towards A Clear Complexion With Acne Scar Removal Treatment Singapore
Don’t wait for the acne scars to resolve on their own. There are treatment solutions that can help to improve acne scarring. Book an appointment with a medical professional for acne scar removal treatment in Singapore and take the first step towards achieving clearer.
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