Can anything be done about already formed acne scars? The good news is, yes! And these are 6 considerations and treatment options for acne scarring in Boston:
- Morpheus 8 – This treatment uses microneedling with radiofrequency energy (RF) to stimulate your body to produce more collagen and elastin and to improve the scar appearance. Depressed scars can raise and the overall texture is improved. In order to make this procedure more comfortable, topical anesthesia (a numbing cream) is applied to the area. It is generally safe on all skin types and colors with minimal recovery time.
- Fillers – If you have broad depressed areas, we may be able to raise them up with the careful placement of facial fillers. Smoothing out the surface of the skin minimizes the “crater” look which can be very helpful.
- Subcision – Here, the bottom of a deep scar is released by using a small needle. Subcision is done with local anesthesia, so you won’t feel anything uncomfortable. Often, we’ll combine subcision with a facial filler to prevent the bottom of the scar from reconnecting to the underlying tissues.
- Scar excision – The main problem with acne scarring is usually the hollowing. When a scar is particularly deep (sometimes called an “ice pick” scar), we may recommend excising the entire scar and sewing it back together with a tiny absorbable stitch. The tiny little white scars that result from scar revision are typically much better than deep pits on the face.
- Laser – CO2 (carbon dioxide), erbium, or fractional (sometimes called by the brand name Fraxel) laser can help even out the skin on the face. For the most significant acne scarring, CO2 laser may be recommended and is typically done under general anesthesia. This can be an effective treatment, but it is not have a quick recovery. You can expect several weeks of redness and oozing after CO2 laser treatment.
- Facelift – Yes, that’s right! Sometimes a facelift is the answer. Stretching the skin somewhat can help reduce the appearance of acne scars and may be the quickest and most effective answer.
Scars may never be completely eliminated, but acne scars can be significantly improved. It may not happen overnight, but it can happen. If you are ready to improve your acne scars, we are ready to be your partner.
