What Are Acne Pits?
Acne pits are a result of having moderate to severe acne, and they are most often present in adults who have had a history of the acne skin condition. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Acne pits are depressed acne scars, typically on the face. These scars vary in quantity and vary slightly (by millimeter) in size and depth.
Types
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Boxcar scars look like abnormally large pores. They are rounder and smoother depressions than ice pick scars, which are deep, ridged pits with narrow openings, sometimes distinguished from acne pits. Rolling acne pit scars create a bumpy, wavy texture over most of the face.
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Cause
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Acne pit scars are indentations that formed due to acne pimples or cysts that destroyed the skin and formed scar tissue. Rather than collecting an abundance of skin cells and collagen, which is the typical case with scarring, acne scar formation lacks new cell growth and collagen, causing the scar to "sink" rather than be voluminous.
Significance
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The American Academy of Dermatology reports that acne pit scars worsen with age. Because the depressions create a cosmetic irregularity different from other scars, acne pits were once difficult to treat; however, there are now effective treatments to reduce their appearance.
Treatment
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Dermabrasion and chemical peels can gradually reduce the appearance of acne pits. Dermal filler and silicone injections can "plump" the skin to reduce indentations. There are various types of laser treatment for acne scars.
Laser Treatment Options
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Laser treatments work to dissolve the abnormal skin cells and promote new cell growth to fill in, smooth out, tighten, and firm the skin. Ablative laser resurfacing burns off the surface skin tissue to reveal a fresh layer of smoother skin. Fraxel and Profractional treatments target specific areas to create "controllable wounds" that fill in the scars with new cell growth.
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