Matt Oconnor asked:


The good news is that acne scars can be treated. The bad news is that acne scars are still scars, and like any other type of scarring it is a very rare occurrence when they can be permanently treated and removed.

The good news still holds, though. Many different types of acne scarring can be treated to make even some of the most heavily scarred areas appear much closer to “normal.” While some tiny blemishes may remain, often times they will be too small to notice without a detailed inspection. After perhaps resigning yourself to what you thought would be a life time of unsightly scars, just knowing there are some treatments should be reason for hope.

There is no one plain treatment for acne scars. There are multiple treatments suggested, some tried and proven true by lab testing, others just coming to light and sounding incredibly radical. In fact, treatments vary widely, and there is no sure fire way of knowing ahead of time what specific treatment will be best for each specific individual.

Educated guesses are made after considering many different factors which include: the type and extent of scarring, location of scars, and individual budget. This type of treatment almost always involves a dermatologist, and such a doctor should be consulted before you undergo any type of a treatment.

Keep in mind there is no twenty minute appointment and everything is magically gone. An acne scar treatment is just that: a treatment. Even the “fast” treatments will take time. Patience is a virtue, and it is the one you will have to exercise the most while going through this process. The most common list of products for treating actual scarring are: Beta Hydroxy serums, Copper Peptide serums, and weekly chemical peels.

There is also a radically new idea, one that has yet to be approved my dermatologists, of needle treatment, but we will get back to that one in a bit. Of the approved methods, nothing helps the skin more than chemical peels. There are many different types of peels, all of which can sometimes allow for fast removals of scars by taking off the top layers of damaged skin. For many sufferers, these peels, used with appropriate make up, is enough.

For some scars, collagen injections work. This fills out the area of the face where the scar is, making the “dents” much less noticeable. This is only a temporary treatment, however, and will need to be repeated anywhere from two to four times per year. There is also the increasingly popular solution of laser treatment. A lot of the success of laser treatment depends on the types of scars the individual has, and it is rare when success is achieved with only one or two treatments. There is also the “tattoo treatment.” Some individuals have claimed that when everything else failed, getting the scarred area broken up by getting a “no ink tattoo” actually helped promote healing. Basically this would be like getting a tattoo over the area, but not using any ink. This is not a supported theory by the majority of dermatologists, and shouldn’t even be considered unless it is a last case resort—but there is no denying an increasing number of success stories as a result of this technique.

If all of this seems extreme, then you should be happy to know that general skin care and skin health, over time, will help scars fade. Drinking a lot of water, using skin moisturizers, and using basic skin care will always help. As the quality of your skin continues to increase, the scars will slowly, but surely, fade away over time. For many people this may be the best way to do it. There is always the option of cosmetic surgery, but that should always be a last resort. Always talk to a doctor about what your options are, but don’t be deceived: there are many solutions out there for your acne scars, and one of them is sure to fit the bill.