The 4 Common Cosmetic Treatments For Acne & Scars

Almost everyone has suffered from acne at least once in their lives. What we need to understand is that acne is a multifactorial skin condition and what might work for someone, may not necessarily work for you.

Some acne conditions require medical treatments – one that transcends home remedies, antibiotics or acne creams. Get a board-certified dermatologist to examine your skin and suggest the best possible cosmetic, multimodal approaches to mitigate acne. Here is a list of 4 of the most commonly done procedures-
1. Chemical Peels

A thin chemical solution is applied on to the skin and left for about half an hour on the face. What this does is, it lightens scars, unclogs pores and helps takes years off the aging skin. The solution will mildly burn the skin and technically peels the damaged layer, allowing for new skin to resurface. Chemical peels are great for those who have stubborn scars and pimples.

2. Steroid Injections

Steroid injections are given to those who have big and painful papules or cysts growing under the skin. The steroids flatten the cysts and the acne clears within 4-5 days. You may need to have two or more sittings for the same, depending on the acne condition.

3. Light Therapy

If your acne is painful or there is a lot of redness from the inflammation, then the best way to control this sort of acne can be through light therapy. The doctor will first apply a thin layer of medication on the affected skin to make it more sensitive to the light, after which the light combined with heat therapy will begin. The bacteria are immediately killed and the sebaceous glands are shrunk in size. You may find that your skin is exceptionally sensitive to sunlight after this treatment.

4. Laser Resurfacing

Laser Resurfacing or CO2 laser are great options when you want to diminish acne scars permanently. This procedure uses laser to burn the skin to create new skin and the face usually remains swollen and sensitive during this period. Deemed a safe procedure, laser resurfacing usually requires about 5-6 sittings depending on the severity of the scars, with a downtime average of 5 days to a week.