Acne Scars

Moderate to severe cases of acne may result in scarring. In its most severe form, acne can leave deep, permanent scars.

Acne scars appear in different forms, as "ice pick" or pitting scars, "depressed" crater-like scars, raised scars or discolorations on the skin.

Seek Early Treatment

The best defense against the ravages of acne scars is early treatment. Even if you already have experienced some scarring, the sooner you get help the less likely you are to develop more scars.

For moderate to severe cases of acne it is important to seek the care and advice of a dermatologist early on and for as long as necessary. Together you may reduce the risk of permanent scarring with an acne treatment specially formulated for your condition and skin type.
Severe cases of acne may cause extensive damage to the skin and in some cases disfigurement. The deep, inflamed nodules and cysts that characterize this condition are more likely to result in permanent scarring. Treatment by a dermatologist is required to treat existing scars and to prevent the formation of new ones.

Treatments to Prevent New Scars

The challenge in severe cases of acne is to prevent new scars from forming. A dermatologist might recommend one or a combination of the following treatments.

Drainage and Surgical Extraction

When cysts do not respond to medication, it may become necessary to drain and surgically extract them. The procedure reduces the pain that can be generated by larger cysts and decreases the chances of scarring.

This "acne surgery" is performed under sterile conditions in the dermatologist's office.

Intralesional Corticosteroid Injection

Severely inflamed acne cysts can rupture and result in scarring. To avoid this occurrence, dermatologists may inject an inflamed cyst with a well-diluted corticosteroid. The corticosteroid "melts" the cyst over a period of 3 to 5 days, decreasing inflammation and encouraging healing.

Systemic Antibiotics

Oral antibiotics are usually prescribed for moderate to severe and persistent acne cases. As with topical antimicrobials, oral antibiotics reduce inflammation by attacking Propionibacterium acnes (aka P. acnes), the bacteria responsible for the redness, heat and pain that can accompany acne.

Isotretinoin

A powerful retinoid, this prescription medication is taken orally. It is only used in severe cases of cystic acne, and for severe inflammatory acne that has shown itself to be resistant to other medications. It is taken once or twice a day with food for 16 to 20 weeks, and can result in a dramatic clearing of acne.

Remissions can last from many months to many years. In some cases only one course of isotretinoin therapy is necessary to achieve relief from severe acne. However, isotretinoin also comes with a number of possible side effects, some of which can be extremely serious such as birth defects. You must not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant or may become pregnant during treatment.