How Long Does It Take for Acne Scars to Fade?
November 20, 2022
Although your acne blemishes will heal, the scars they leave do not always go away without professional help. Acne scars come in many forms and can be a challenge to get rid of. Treatments for these scars may include lasers, dermal fillers, or other methods.
What Causes Acne Scars?
Acne blemishes develop when pores (oil glands) on the face or other areas become blocked with oil, dirt, and dead skin cells. Mild acne often fades with no scarring. More severe acne can become inflamed by bacteria, and this inflammation can travel deeper into the skin.
As a result, these more inflamed blemishes are more likely to leave scars. You are also more likely to have acne scars if you pick or disturb your blemishes. This can introduce bacteria and trigger the development of scar tissue.
*Individual Results May Vary
How Long Does it Take for Acne Scars to Fade?
Mild acne can leave some dark (pigmented) spots that can fade over time, especially with topical products like salicylic acid. Raised or indented acne scars form because of how the skin heals in response to acne, and topical treatments are not very effective.
Topical treatments will not treat significant pigmentation issues, either. Fortunately, acne scars can be treated with various methods that can provide significant improvement.
How are Acne Scars Treated?
Lasers and other acne scar treatments can dramatically improve the evenness and smoothness of your skin. Treatment requires a customized plan targeted toward your type and distribution of scars.
Fraxel® Laser for Acne Scars
If you have small, shallow acne scars, this laser treatment can help. Fraxel® uses pulses of laser energy that create microscopic zones of tissue coagulation in the skin. The cells around these areas of damage respond with a powerful healing response that increases dermal collagen and smooths skin texture.
Deep Fx™ CO2 Laser for Acne Scars
If you have larger or deeper scars, we may recommend this powerful CO2 laser. It penetrates deeply enough to remove scar tissue and trigger skin rejuvenation that replaces scars with a smoother, more even surface. Although this treatment has more downtime than a less powerful laser, it can reach deeper scar tissue.
Other Acne Scar Treatments
Individual sunken scars can be treated by injections of a dermal filler. Dr. Langdon can also remove some individual scars by excising them and replacing them with smaller, less visible ones. Small but deep scars are efffectively treated with TCA-CROSS, in which a strong acid is applied and actually dissolves scar tissue. Treatments like microneedling can resurface the skin and smooth out minor acne scars.
Acne Scar Treatment Consultations Available
If you have further questions about natural breast augmentation surgery, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at The Langdon Center in Guilford, CT. Call us at 203-453-8625 or fill out our convenient online contact form.
Is There Any Downtime With Acne Scar Treatment?
Most acne scar treatments have little to no downtime. The CO2 laser can cause a few days of redness and sensitivity, while a more gentle laser may minimal recovery time. Dermal fillers have no downtime, and results are visible immediately.
Seeing Dr. Langdon was one of the best decisions I have made. I was tired of looking at my acne scarring so I decided to do something about it and contacted to Langdon‘s office. They were extremely helpful in speaking with me about different options and we decided on some filler to smooth out the scarring and it worked amazingly! I wont go anywhere but to Dr. Langdon – he does great work and I highly recommend him! The office staff is friendly and the office is very clean! I can’t wait to have my next appointment! : )
Take the Next Step
If you have further questions about acne scar treatment, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at The Langdon Center in Guilford, CT. Call us at 203-453-8625 or fill out our convenient online contact form.
