Cosmetic Surgery
Treatment of Acne Facial Scarring
First we treat the acne and bring it under control; then we determine a treatment plan for the scarring left by the acne. Our program takes an individualized approach relative to the patient’s skin type and severity, size and depth of scars. In patients with minimal scarring, mild topical dermabrasion or microlaser peels may be an option. For those with deeper ice pick and scalloped scars, we often use a technique called radioplanning which employs a microscopically controlled smoothing of the skin surface by finely directed heat ablation. Ice pick scars may also be amenable to small micrografts that fill in the deep depressions left by the pitted scar.
Treatment of Acne Facial Scarring
The skin is the largest organ of the body containing glands, blood vessels and acting as a barrier between our inner selves and the contaminants circulating in our environment. Acne is an inflammatory condition which can progressively damage this skin layer. Following the inflammatory phase, acne scarring can develop when new protein/skin forms within the healing acne lesion resulting in the disfigurement of the skin surface. Acne scars can look like small holes as if from an ice pick or crater-like scars. Actual Case.
The treatment of acne facial scarring can be influenced by the:
- patient’s age, overall health, medical history
- severity of the scarring
- type of scar
- presence of any active acne
- realistic expectations of the outcome of acne scarring improvement
First we treat the acne and bring it under control; then we determine a treatment plan for the scarring left by the acne. Our program takes an individualized approach relative to the patient’s skin type and severity, size and depth of scars. In patients with minimal scarring, mild topical dermabrasion or microlaser peels may be an option. For those with deeper ice pick and scalloped scars, we often use a technique called radioplanning which employs a microscopically controlled smoothing of the skin surface by finely directed heat ablation. Ice pick scars may also be amenable to small micrografts that fill in the deep depressions left by the pitted scar.
Recovery
Following the above techniques, we usually conclude our treatment program with a laser surgical refinement to give the over all finished result. These procedures are done under a local IV sedation anesthetic on an outpatient basis in our office surgical suite. Our goal is to attain a resurfacing result that displays minimal skin irregularities and scarring from a conversational distance.
