It is a truth universally acknowledged that the worst part of a pimple, by far, is the possibility of scarring. Suffering though acne was enough of a trial in itself; nobody wants to be haunted by unsightly scars for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, modern technology has come so far that we now have all the right solutions to most common acne scars. You would first have to identify the scar in order to receive the right treatment for it. So, which of these acne scars do you have?
Boxcar Scars
Look carefully at the edges around your scar. If the acne scar in question comes with sharp and rather vertical edges, it is highly likely to be a boxcar scar. This kind of acne scar also tends to appear quite wide and can vary when it comes to depth. Since they are pitted scars, they can give your skin an overall uneven and unsightly appearance that may hurt your overall self-confidence. Boxcar scars can happen when collagen in your skin’s dermis layer is destroyed as a result of inflammation of acne, resulting in its pitted appearance. In most cases, boxcar scars cannot be resolved on your own through the application of home remedies. DIY products that claim to be able to aid in reducing their appearance are unlikely to work as well. To make matters worse, most boxcar scars also usually never fade away, even if one were to give it as much time as possible to recover on its own. You can, however, enlist the assistance of a qualified aesthetician or dermatologist who may be able to resolve boxcar scars effectively and help restore your skin to its natural even surface using proper application of laser treatment.
Hyperpigmentation
Perhaps the most common woe among acne sufferers, hyperpigmentation often occurs after your pimples heal and give way to certain skin discolouration. As the name suggests, this happens when an excess in a pigment, known as melanin, is produced in an area where your skin has attempted to heal itself as a result of inflammation. However, this is actually no true scar; your skin will neither appear pitted nor raised, but will instead come with marks that differ markedly from your usual skin tone. The colour of these marks may also differ from individual to individual due to variations in skin type. For some people, these marks appear brown or black in colour, while yours may lean towards a pinkish or reddish discolouration. Certain individuals may even find that theirs tend to appear more purple. Most healthy individuals should see hyperpigmentation fade away on its own, but in many cases, this can take far too much time, forcing you to go through the hassle of concealing them for years. Fortunately, you can easily accelerate this process by seeking the help of a qualified aesthetician, trained to help reduce their appearance.
Ice Pick Scars
Most commonly occurring on cheeks, ice pick scars can be easily identified by their pitted appearances that are narrower and longer than boxcar scars. The name arose due to the fact that these scars are pitted very deep into your skin’s dermis, as though they were pierced by something particularly sharp, such as an ice pick. Unlike boxcar scars where depth may vary, ice pick scars are almost always deep and come with very steep edges. Many people find that their ice pick scar may even appear to be a particularly enlarged and open pore, and unthinkingly believe that over-the-counter topical creams may be helpful in surmounting them. However, these scars are usually the result of permanent damage in your skin’s structure and run very deep. As such, the removal of these scars via an application of a laser is, by far, the most effective treatment for ice pick scars. High-frequency laser will specifically target your uneven skin and aid in the repair and recovery of these damaged areas, thus resulting in a much improved, smooth appearance.
Rolling Scars
You may usually find rolling scars on most skin surfaces that are typically thicker, including your jaw and lower cheeks. Rolling scars can be mistaken for boxcar scars since they are both wider than ice pick scars. However, the key difference between boxcar scars and rolling scars lies in its edges. Where boxcar scars come with sharp edges, rolling scars appear more sloped. This happens when new tissue develops deep within your skin’s surface during the healing process, and as these new bands of tissue pull at your skin’s surface, the collective effect is a wavy, ‘rolling’ appearance. Rolling scars may also differ in size and its width is largely far more dependent on the healing process of your skin. In fact, these scars may even be completely different from the size of your original pimple. If you believe that you have rolling scars, do consult a qualified dermatologist, who should be able to safely administer laser resurfacing treatment, and aid in restoring your skin to its original even surface.