How to Remove Acne Scars Surgically

There are a number of surgical methods to help reduce and remove scars caused by acne; however, the type of treatment will depend on the types of scars you have, whether you currently suffer from acne outbreaks and your skin type. While it is best to seek guidance from a cosmetic surgeon, having an idea of the various types of treatments can help prepare you for your doctor visit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Use a light chemical peel treatment to help loosen blackheads, minimize white heads and remove light scarring. While this procedure helps to promote the regeneration of skin and reduction of scarring, it is generally used only for the treatment of very mild acne scars.
2. Remove the top layer of skin to remove acne scars with microdermabrasion. In this technique, a layer of skin is removed with tiny particles passed through a vacuum tube, which in turn stimulates new tissue growth. Because microdermabrasion only works the top layer of skin, it is best for mild scars and may require multiple treatments.
3. Get more drastic results with dermabrasion, which requires numbing of the tissue during the procedure. Your cosmetic surgeon will use a rotating brush to remove the top surface of the skin, which then heals to reveal smoother tissue. Healing usually takes up to several weeks.
4. Consider laser therapy for irregular scarring or deeper scars. Not only does the laser help to remove scars, it can plump the tissue around deep scars and tighten the skin overall. Laser scar removal requires a local anesthetic and generally heals in 3 to 10 days.
5. Surgically remove acne scars with skin grafting. A cosmetic surgeon literally cuts out the scar tissue and replaces it with a piece of skin from another part of your body. Grafting can take time to heal and most often is followed up with several laser treatments; however, it is highly effective for deeper keloid scars.
6. Reduce the appearance of depressed scars with collagen injections or even polymer implants. These injections help to raise depressed areas to eliminate the appearance of the scar; however, treatments are often temporary and need to be repeated every year or so.