{"id":23254,"date":"2021-02-16T18:50:34","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T18:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=23254"},"modified":"2021-02-16T18:50:34","modified_gmt":"2021-02-16T18:50:34","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-acne-scars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-get-rid-of-acne-scars\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Rid of Acne Scars, According to a Derm"},"content":{"rendered":"

A dermatologist explains the causes and different types of acne scars, plus how to get rid of them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Acne is challenging to deal with, and it often instigates different kinds of discomfort. Even after the inflammation<\/a> clears, you might be left with an unwelcome parting gift in the form of scarring.<\/p>\n

If you experience post-acne scarring, don\u2019t despair. According to cosmetic dermatologist Michele Green, MD<\/a>, time, patience, and the right treatments can help treat your acne scars.<\/p>\n

WHAT CAUSES ACNE SCARs?<\/h2>\n

To understand what causes acne scarring, we need to first understand acne, which results from clogged pores<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Typically, this clogging occurs when excess oil (aka sebum<\/a>) combines with dead skin cells to block the entrance of the pore. When a pore clogs, bacteria can build inside it, leading to inflammation and causing acne to form.<\/p>\n

The inflammation that causes acne to appear in the first place is ultimately what also causes scarring. As Dr. Green explains, \u201cThe infection causes the destruction of the skin and prevents it from healing properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The types of scars that subsequently develop depend on the skin\u2019s reaction to this inflammation.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

Different Types of Acne Scars<\/h2>\n

Acne scars come in a few different varieties<\/a>, but can usually be categorized in one of four types:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. atrophic scars<\/li>\n
  2. hypertrophic scars<\/li>\n
  3. keloids<\/li>\n
  4. hyperpigmentation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1. Atrophic Scars<\/h3>\n

    In most cases, atrophic acne scarring appears on the face and presents itself as depressions in the skin. Dr. Green explains that atrophic scars generally form \u201cdue to the skin\u2019s inability to produce enough collagen<\/a> as the wound heals.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Then, there are three types of atrophic acne scarring:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. ice pick scars<\/li>\n
    2. boxcar scars<\/li>\n
    3. rolling scars<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Ice Pick Scars<\/h4>\n

      First, ice pick scars look like deep holes in the skin. Dr. Green says that ice pick scars commonly form when there’s a loss of skin tissue that \u201cresults in a perforation of the skin that looks like a narrow, deep hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Boxcar Scars<\/h4>\n

      Second, boxcar scars are wider than ice pick scars and usually look more like an indentation than a hole. According to Dr. Green, this type of acne scar forms when inflammatory acne destroys collagen in the skin. She explains that collagen plays a critical role<\/a> to structurally support skin tissue, and a lack of it can cause the skin to sink inwards.<\/p>\n

      Rolling Scars<\/h4>\n

      Lastly, rolling scars have less defined edges and aren\u2019t as deep as the other two types of atrophic scars. Dr. Green says that these scars form when fibrous bands of tissue build up between the uppermost layer of skin and a deeper layer of tissue. These fibrous bands pull the top layer of skin inwards creating an uneven, rolling appearance.<\/p>\n

      2 & 3. Hypertrophic and Keloidal Scars<\/h3>\n

      Whereas atrophic scars create skin indentations, hypertrophic and keloidal scars cause a raised skin growth. Both form when the body overproduces collagen to the point that the scar raises out of the skin.<\/p>\n

      Even for dermatologists, it can be difficult to determine whether a raised scar is a hypertrophic scar or a keloid. However, a 2020 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology distinguished the differences between the two types of acne scars<\/a> as such:<\/p>\n

      Hypertrophic Scars<\/h4>\n