Archive for ◊ January, 2008 ◊

Author: admin
Monday, January 28th, 2008
Juliet Cohen asked:


Acne is a skin condition which is common across the globe. Scars from acne can seem like double punishment. Acne occurs most often on the face. However it also appears many a times on the chest and the back. There are different kinds of acne scarring: ice pick scarring, atrophic scarring, and hypertrophic scarring. Ice pick scars are deep pitted scars with steep edges. Atrophic scars are pitted but have smooth borders and are not as deep. Hypertrophic scar, more common on the back and chest, are thick lumpy scars that sit above the surface of the skin. Hypertrophic scars – Thickened, or keloid scars. Asians have a lower risk of hyperpigmentation than African Americans, but higher risk than Caucasian patients.

The risk of hypertrophic and keloidal scars is 5-15 times higher in african american patients and 3-5 times higher in patients of Asian descent. In the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue. Two types of true scars exist, as discussed later. First is depressed areas such as ice-pick scars, and Second is raised thickened tissue such as keloids. Most serious scarring is caused by the more severe forms of acne, with nodules more likely to leave permanent scars than other types of acne. The best way to deal with acne is to get treatment soon after the acne appears to prevent further severe acne and more scarring. Chemical peels can improve small, depressed scars and some larger scars. Peeling may also be effective in treating any remaining acne by removing comedones.

Motorized dermabrasion is a medium-deep or deep procedure and employs the use of a motorized brush or diamond cylinder. Laser treatment of acne scars is a newer technology but one that can be very effective in selected patients. Wearing a good sunscreen is important. Using tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova, Avita) speeds up the skin’s remodeling process and helps heal post-inflammatory changes. Appropriate formulations of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta-Hydroxy Acid (BHA) that contain the correct concentrations and are at the appropriate pH also help the skin’s remodeling process. Injection of steroids directly into keloid scars can sometimes result in acne scar treatment / improvement. Picking at scabs should be avoided at all costs.

Acne Scars Tratment Tips

1. Wearing a good sunscreen is useful against scars.

2. Wash your face twice a day in warm salty water.

3. Punch grafts are small skin grafts used to replace scarred skin.

4. Laser resurfacing may be used to minimize wrinkles and fine scars.

5. Ice down the acne before bed, by morning it should be noticeably better.

6. Dermabrasion may be used to minimize small scars, minor skin surface irregularities.

7. Chemical peels are often used to minimize sun-damaged skin, irregular pigment, and superficial scars.

8. Using medcine tretinoin speeds up the skin’s remodeling process and helps heal post-inflammatory changes.

9. Use cucumber juice or fresh cucumber paste as a face mask.

10. Egg whites are a cheap yet effective way of how to treat acne scar.

11. Honey is another natural moisturizer that can help in treating acne scars.



Author: admin
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Louise Forrest asked:


Are you plagued with scars? Do you look at them and feel like they define you? When you meet a new person, you may feel like your scars are the first thing they see. Although most people do not see someones scars as a definition of the person, we tend to feel that way about our own scars. So, what can you do about it? Can you get rid of your scars or will they always be there? The globe is covered with people who would like to have scars removed for a variety of reasons; most of these concern self esteem and confidence levels.

Acne pock marks are probably the most common ****** scars and affect more people than any other type of scar. These scars, because they are directly on the face, affect your sense of self esteem and that of many other people around the world. Many people who were acne sufferers choose to try a variety of treatments in an attempt to remove, or at least reduce, the scarring from their previous skin condition. It is important to realize that the change in your face is not going to be enough to make you feel completely confident. You will have to retrain your thought processes about yourself. This can be done with or without scar removal.

How well scars can be removed will depend on your age, the age of your scars, and the location, nature, and severity of your scars. There are a variety of procedures available to you if you choose to have your scars removed or reduced professionally. These include: Chemical peels, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, and surgical excision. For light, surface scars, chemical peels (light) and microdermabrasion are often used. More intense scarring will need to be removed through other means, such as laser resurfacing or surgical excision. Between the two extremes, you will find that chemical peels can be strengthened and are often used with a strength that is customized for the severity of your scar.

Everybodys scarring process is different, just as we are. You may get scratched by a cat and have the slightest scar, if any. Should that same cat scratch me, the scar will be obvious against tanned skin, much more pronounced than yours. This would be partially genetics, which map out the various processes of our bodies, but it would also be due to the fact that I am allergic to cats. My body will be trying to fight allergens that entered the skin when I was scratched at the same time that it was trying to heal the scratch. When your body has only one thing to focus on at a time, it (like many of us) is much more efficient at that task. This is not to say that everybody who is allergic to cats will be scarred from scratches; in all actuality, few people have lasting scars from cat scratches.

There are also treatments that you can purchase in cream form without a prescription. These treatments work very slowly over time, so you will need to be prepared to treat your scar daily (at least once, some directions are twice or more), and be prepared to treat for many months. If you choose to do this, you will need to know that the changes are so slow that you will not notice them from one day to the next. You may want to take a picture about once a month to compare and see the progress. By doing this, provided the treatment is working, you will be motivated to continue the treatment. Seeing the change from one month to the next also helps lift your mood, knowing that your efforts are paying off.

Whatever method of scar removal you choose, keeping your skin healthy will be an integral part of the healing and changing process. The first thing that you should look at is your fluid intake. You should be drinking, at least, 64 ounces of purified water and natural fruit juices every day. This will infuse your skin with necessary internal moisture and will have a great impact on toxin removal in your skin. Like the cat scratch example, these toxins in your skin will slow your healing process, sometimes by a considerable amount of time. You also need to take a serious look at the foods you are eating every day. Our articles on diet and skin will help you reorganize you eating habits for optimal skin health.