Acne Scars
Treatment Options
Acne is a common skin disease that affects most of the people at some point in their lives. Acne is more common among teenagers because it is only with the onset of puberty that the body begins to produce hormones. People often squeeze spots and blemishes because of their unpleasant appearance. This can, however, cause increased inflammation and in extreme cases lead to permanent scars of the face.
The patient in the above photos came to Dr Nightingale Deermatology Aesthetic for treatment of severe acne with scarring. We treated her with laser/photodynamic therapy for her acne and subcision and fractional resurfacing for the scars. As you can see 1 year post-treatment, she had great results! Learn more about the treatment options used below.
Laser
Lasers have been used for years to treat acne scars. In such treatments, the laser is used to remove skin so that new skin can form in its place. Unlike chemical peels and dermabrasion, with laser resurfacing the penetration depth into the skin is more easily controlled. The laser gently vaporizes the acne-scarred surface of the skin so that undamaged skin below is revealed.
Number of Treatments: 1 to 4 depending severity
Procedure Length: 30 to 60 Minutes
Maintenance: As Needed
Down Time: 4 to 7 Days
Discomfort: Mild
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic Therapy can also be used to treat severe acne with mild scarring. Photodynamic therapy uses the photosensitizing medication Levulan and blue light. Levulan is absorbed into the sebaceous glands, which play a major role in the cause of acne. Light activation of Levulan causes a temporary destruction of the sebaceous glands and bacteria and also causes exfoliation of the outer skin layers, which results in improvement in the severity of patients’ acne scars.
Number of Treatments: 2 to 4
Procedure Length: 2 to 5 Hours
Maintenance: As Needed
Down Time: Sun avoidance for 48 hours
Discomfort: Mild
Subcision for Acne Scars
Subcision is a minor in-office surgical procedure used to treat acne scars. The procedure involves inserting a small needle into your skin to release the acne scar from the underlying tissue. Once disrupted, the depressed region of the scar will lift and cosmetically appear smoother.
Subcision is done with a local anesthetic so there is very little discomfort. There is minimal downtime, with swelling and bruising being the most common side effects.
The pain, swelling, and bruising typically takes 1 to 2 weeks to heal. The number of treatment sessions you’ll need will depend on the severity of the scar, as well as your body’s ability to form scar tissue. It may take several months for the scar to become less visible.
Subcision can be combined with a resurfacing laser to get even better results.
Number of Treatments: 3 to 6
Procedure Length: 30 to 60 Minutes
Maintenance: As Needed
Down Time: 7 days
Discomfort: Mild
Trust Dr. Nightingale with all of your cosmetic skin care needs!
Offering the most up-to-date treatments in aesthetic dermatology at competitive prices. Call us for a consultation and discover what we can do for you.