How Long Does It Take for Acne Scars to Go Away?

How Long Does It Take for Acne Scars to Go Away?

An acne outbreak can be bad enough, but now you’re dealing with lasting reminders in the form of scarring. Acne is the most common skin condition, affecting about 50 million Americans during any given year, and about one in five of these people develop scarring as a result.

To explore this issue further, as well as your treatment options for acne scarring, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Bruce Saal and our team here at Los Gatos Dermatology take a closer look.

How acne scars your skin

When you develop scar tissue, it’s your body’s way of protecting itself. When the skin is breached, collagen floods the area to quickly plug up the damage to prevent bacteria and other foreign substances from entering your body. 

Unfortunately, this collagen response doesn’t pay much attention to aesthetics, which is why scar tissue looks so different from the surrounding skin.

If you have acne that goes deep into your dermal tissues, causing damage, you’re likely to develop scar tissue. In general, acne scarring comes in two different forms:

Atrophic

This type of scarring is depressed, creating those telltale pockmarks that acne often leaves behind. Atrophic scarring occurs when your body heals the tissue below the normal surface of your skin.

Hypertrophic

On the opposite end of the spectrum is hypertrophic scarring, which are scars that are raised. This occurs because of too much collagen flooding the area.

With both hypertrophic and atrophic scars, there’s little chance that these blemishes will go away on their own. In fact, the scars can become more prominent as you age and your skin loses elasticity and tone, making the scar tissue more visible.

Many solutions for treating acne scars

There are many ways we can tackle acne scarring. The treatment we use for your acne scarring depends on the type and extent of the scarring.

For example, if you just have one or two pockmarks on your face, we can use dermal fillers to eliminate the depressions.

If your scarring is more extensive, we can use technologies that gently resurfaces your skin, which is sold in a package of 4 treatments to allow healthier skin to come in from below. We can do a micro needling procedure to help soften the appearance of acne scars. For more information and to learn all your options call for a complimentary consultation. 

As you can see, there are many ways in which we can reduce acne scarring, and we’re sure to have the right one for your goals. 

To figure out which acne scar treatment is best for you, please contact our office in Los Gatos, California, to schedule an appointment.

You Might Also Enjoy...

How Neurotoxins Can Help You Look Younger

Few anti-aging tools deliver the dramatic results that neurotoxins like Botox® do, which explains why they have held the top spot in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures for decades. Explore what they can do for you.
Is There Help for Stubborn Acne Scars?

Is There Help for Stubborn Acne Scars?

You wanted to leave your acne behind, but stubborn scarring serves as a constant reminder of the skin condition. And this scarring can appear worse as you age. Luckily, there are solutions for acne scarring.
Does Hot Weather Make Rosacea Worse?

Does Hot Weather Make Rosacea Worse?

Many of us live in California for the warm temperatures year-round and — spoiler alert — heat can make rosacea flare up. Here are some good tips for handling rosacea during hot weather spells and beyond.
What Are Those Dark Patches On My Face?

What Are Those Dark Patches On My Face?

Your skin used to be evenly toned, but you’re noticing some darker patches that have formed and you want to get to the bottom of, and eliminate, these patches. Here’s what they might be and how we can help.
Preventing and Treating Age Spots

Preventing and Treating Age Spots

When it comes to the signs of photoaging on your face, wrinkles are only half of the equation. The other, often more prominent, signs are age spots. Here’s a look at how you can prevent them and how we can treat them.
What Is the Best Treatment for My Back Acne?

What Is the Best Treatment for My Back Acne?

There’s good news and bad when it comes to the winter months here in California. Your back may not be exposed as much, but your chances for developing acne on your back are higher. Here’s how you can address the problem.