Acne treatment is the first step to preventing acne scarring. Sometimes acne sufferers have spots that look like scars, but are not actual scars. If a permanent change of the skin has occurred, technically that is a scar. Many times scarring is improved with acne treatment.
The following spots are not true scars and will disappear with time.
Post Inflammatory Pigmentation - Or a skin discoloration left by healed acne. Post inflammatory pigmentation happens most frequently in sufferers with darker skin. Avoiding the sun and seeking early acne treatment with a dermatologist may stop or minimize post inflammatory pigmentation. This condition may last up to two years before they disappear without a trace.
Macules - Also known as pseudo-scars, are red, flat spots that appear during the final stages of acne treatment. After the acne flattens, macules may stay for sometimes up to six months through a year. When macules disappear, they do so totally, leaving no trace they were ever there.
Acne scarring forms when skin tissue is injured. As the skin heals, it leaves the scar as a reminder that the skin received damaged. When a body works to repair injured skin, white blood cells and other inflammatory molecules race to the site to repair the skin and fight infection. These are efficient healers, but sometimes they can leave a mess in the form of a scar.
There are only two true types of scars. The definition of "scar" is a permanent change of the skin by 1) extra tissue formation or by 2) a loss of tissue.
Keloids or Hypertrophic Scars - Are caused by excessive amounts of collagen that form extra tissue at an injury site. An acne injury triggers production of collagen for skin repair. Excessive collagen builds up to form a firm, smooth, fibrous mass. Keloids and hypertrophic scars sometimes get smaller with time and acne treatment.
Atrophic Macules - Are caused by a loss of tissue. Atrophic macules are small, soft, wrinkled, and a little bluish. With time and acne treatment, atrophic macules become less obvious.
Depressed Fibrotic Scars - Are large, steep indentations with clean edges. The base of the scar is firm. Acne treatment may help depressed fibrotic scars.
Follicular Macular Atrophy - Are small, soft lesions, barely above the skin surface that occur most often on the chest or back. They resemble whiteheads and may become less noticeable with acne treatment.
Ice Pick Scars - Are small with steep sides and a jagged edge that typically occur on the cheeks of the face. Ice pick scars resemble stabbing wounds as possible with an ice pick. Ice pick scars vary in depth and feel. A common acne treatment for ice pick scars is stretching the skin.
Soft Scars - Are small and soft with edges that gently merge into non-damaged skin.
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