Acne, acne scars, striae... treatment

Over 50% of acne sufferers report people making nasty remarks or fun of them, often in an offhand way, as though it is of no importance, even in the press people with skin complaints are talked about in a derisory and scornful manner. Acne remains a cruel disease with no definitive cure.

Th ings that often make acne worse: Oil-based makeup, suntan oil, hair gels and sprays - Stress - In girls: menstruation - Squeezing or picking at blemishes - Hard scrubbing of the skin - Too much exposure to the sun - Things that don't cause acne - Dirt - Foods such as chocolate or French fries - Sexual activity - Masturbation .

Does acne cause scars?

Acne, especially cystic acne, can cause scars in some people. You can help reduce scarring by not squeezing or picking at blemishes. Also, avoid scrubbing your skin. If you do get scars, treatments are available.

How Is Acne Treated?

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. If you have nodules, see your doctor or dermatologist for treatment. The latest acne treatment therapy is use of Radio Frequency (RF), IPL, and Laser to replace drugs. These Lasers can treat acne, prevent acne scarring and treat acne scarring.

If you have serious scarring from previous bouts with acne, there are some things you can do. One form of treatment is laser resurfacing, which can be done in the doctor's or dermatologist's office. The laser removes the damaged top layer of skin and tightens the middle layer, leaving skin smoother. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. The doctor will try to lessen any pain by first numbing the skin with local anesthesia. It usually takes between 3 and 10 days for the skin to heal completely.

Another method for treating acne scarring is dermabrasion, which uses a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument to wear down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new, smoother layer replaces the abraded skin. It may take a bit longer for skin to heal using microdermabrasion — usually between 10 days and 3 weeks.

The newest form of treatment for acne scarring is called fractional laser therapy. This type of treatment works at a deeper level than laser resurfacing or dermabrasion, because fractional laser therapydoesn't wound the top layer of tissue, healing time is shorter. Fractional laser therapy is quite costly, and it's not usually covered by insurance.

A person's acne will need to be under control before having anyof these treatments.

Depending on the severity of the acnescars, the doctor or dermatologist may also suggest a chemical peel or dermabrasion to help improve the appearance of scarred areas. Thesemilder treatments can bedone right in the office.

Sometimes doctors inject material under the scar to raise it to the level of normal skin. Finally, in some cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to remove deeply indented scars.

One thing you shouldn't do to deal with acne scars is load up your face with masks or fancy lotions — these won't help and may irritate your skin further, making the scars red and even more noticeable.

If you have a red or brownish mark on your face that you got from a bad zit, have no fear — it will eventually fade, just like the scars you had on your knees after you fell off your bike when you were a kid. However, it may take 12 months or longer — so your best bet is to avoid these kinds of marks by not squeezing or popping your zits, no matter how tempting it may seem.

BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT PHOTOS